Rome, 26 January 2016 – A truly special day for world famous Italian ski resort Cortina d’Ampezzo: the queen of the Dolomites today celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Opening Ceremony of the VII Olympic Winter Games.Participants at the celebrations include 821 athletes from 32 nations who took part in these historic Games from 26th January to 5th February 1956, also remembered for Austrian skier Toni Sailer’s three golds.
The ranking saw the USSR first, with Austria second, thanks also to Sailer’s amazing victories, followed by Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, the USA, Norway, Italy and Germany.
Cortina 1956 was dubbed the “Games of the Renaissance”, for showing how Italy was reborn after World War II, and was also where the Board of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), then led by Giulio Onesti, had its first  meeting in 1954, during preparations for the Games.
Sixty years on the CONI Board, now led by Giovanni Malagò, has again gathered in Cortina to celebrate this 60th anniversary, take stock of preparations for Rio 2016, and, for sure, examine progress for the Rome 2024 candidature.
Since 1956, the Olympic spirit has never left Cortina, now working on its candidature for the 2021 World Skiing Championships.