Intesa Sanpaolo promotes research in the field of international cooperation

Intesa Sanpaolo has signed a cooperation agreement with the Fondazione Ugo La Malfa and the Ca' Foscari University of Venice to promote joint initiatives in memory of Ugo La Malfa, considering the role that the Italian politician and statesman played* in Banca Commerciale Italiana (Comit), later merged into Intesa Sanpaolo.

The partnership aims, in particular, to implement initiatives for the training of young people and the development of research in the fields of international cooperation and European integration, in memory of Ugo La Malfa, who did his university studies in Venice.

The first result of the partnership is the establishment of the Ugo La Malfa Award for International Cooperation (which also involves Enciclopedia Treccani). Awarded this year to the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, it will be given to Italian or foreign exponents of institutions or culture who through their work or writings contribute to defending and promoting the development of international cooperation.

*Ugo La Malfa joined Comit – a historic bank that made an exceptional contribution to Italy's rebirth after World War II – in 1934, where he first held the position of deputy head of the Economic Research Department, of which he became director in 1938. After 1942, thanks to his efforts, the offices in Piazza della Scala in central Milan – which now house one of Intesa Sanpaolo's museums – became a centre for clandestine activities against the fascist government. In 1943, La Malfa escaped arrest by the police, then devoted himself entirely to the Resistance and, with the restoration of democracy in Italy, to political activity. Throughout his life, Ugo La Malfa stood out for his commitment to the values of freedom and democracy, a model of competence and integrity, leaving a significant legacy for the country. In 1947, he was Italy's representative at the International Monetary Fund.