Verona is hosting the photographic exhibition “A life in sport. The faces and achievements of 100 female experts”

The new edition of “A life in sport. The faces and achievements of 100 female experts” was inaugurated on Wednesday 4 February at Porta Borsari, Verona. The exhibition is a creation of the Bracco Foundation working in partnership with the Municipality of Verona and with the patronage of Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation.

Set up in the open air in the heart of Verona until the close of the Winter Games on 15 March 2026, the exhibition is a visual celebration of the talent, grit and successes of 22 high-achieving women in the sports world. The histories, conquests and values of these women athletes, executives, and professionals are photographically captured by Gerald Bruneau.

With the opening in Verona, the exhibition enters its second edition, which sees the inclusion of three new faces, one of which is, appropriately, Kirsty Coventry, the first woman to be elected President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The exhibition, the first open-air exhibition in Verona, has been set up at Porta Borsari, the historic city gate. The site, symbolizing cultural openness and accessibility, is ideal for an exhibition that is free of charge and open not only to the public and tourists, but also to athletes, delegations, and international representatives visiting the city in connection with Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies.

In the words of Diana Bracco, Chair of the Bracco Foundation, the exhibition weaves a narrative “made up of stories that epitomize core values and attest to an unwavering passion for sport.” Further, she added, it underscores the Foundation's commitment to promoting gender equality and dismantling stereotypes because the act of "making the expertise of women visible creates role models and inspiration for future generations.”

The inauguration was attended by the Mayor of Verona, Damiano Tommasi, who stressed the high symbolic and cultural value of an exhibition that, in keeping with the Milano Cortina 2026 programme, champions rights and equal opportunities through the faces of sportswomen.

Also present were the Deputy Mayor of Verona with responsibility for equal opportunities, Barbara Bissoli, the Head of the City Department of Culture, Tourism and Entertainment, Marta Ugolini, the Councillor for Trade and Events, Alessia Rotta, and Paralympic champion and member of the Board of Directors of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, Francesca Porcellato.

While the exhibition is ongoing, the Bracco Foundation, in partnership with the IOC and Osservatorio di Pavia [a media research institute], is also supporting a study monitoring the presence and portrayal of sportswomen by the Italian national media, with the ultimate aim of countering gender stereotypes.

These two major projects constitute a valuable legacy for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games and promote a more inclusive and gender-balanced narrative for all future editions of the event.