Tajani attending the opening of the 64th Salone del Mobile Milano

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is attending the opening of the 64th Salone del Mobile.Milano today at 10:30 a.m., an international event celebrating the excellence of Italian design and furnishings.

Founded in 1961 and organized by Federlegno Arredo Eventi S.p.A., the Salone is recognized as the leading global event in the sector, with an average attendance of approximately 300,000 specialized visitors, over 65% of whom come from abroad. The 2026 edition will host more than 1,900 exhibitors, 36.6% of whom are international.

During the opening ceremony, the Minister will award the Salone del Mobile.Milano, represented by President Maria Porro, the title of "Ambassador of Italian Design in the World" for its role in strengthening the international presence and projection of the Italian design system and promoting design as a distinctive element of Made in Italy.

A framework agreement will also be signed with FederlegnoArredo President Claudio Feltrin to promote the Salone del Mobile.Milano as an Ambassador of Italian Design in the World. The agreement envisages joint promotional initiatives abroad, information activities for companies, and support for traineeships at FederlegnoArredo member companies for international students as part of the Foreign Ministry's programme "Invest Your Talent in Italy" program.

For the first time, the Foreign Ministry is also participating with its own exhibition project, the "ABITO" exhibition, which recalls the dual meaning of "living" and "wearing." Curated by Palomba Serafini Associati, with photographs by Roberto Palomba, the exhibition provides an integrated interpretation of fashion and design as complementary expressions of Italian design culture and keys to interpreting contemporary social evolution. The exhibition will later be toured internationally.

The wood and furniture sector is a fundamental pillar for promoting the country worldwide. Through its collaboration with the Salone del Mobile and the support of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), the Foreign Ministry is supporting the internationalization of a strategic and iconic Made in Italy sector. With €18.2 billion in exports in 2025, Italy has strengthened its position as second-largest home furnishings exporter worldwide, with a 9.5% market share, behind China. Thanks also to the synergistic action of growth diplomacy initiatives, the Salone del Mobile has recently strengthened its global reach through an international roadshow, with stops in New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Expo Osaka, as well as with the initiative "Red in progress. Salone del Mobile.Milano meets Riyadh," which precedes the first edition of the Salone in Riyadh, scheduled for autumn 2026.