23/03/2026
The Italian Air Force, the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), and Prada Group will host two days of events in Rome on 13 and 14 April to celebrate the centenary of the first historic flight over the North Pole by General Umberto Nobile. To mark the occasion, the Historical Museum of the Italian Air Force will inaugurate a photographic exhibition featuring original images from Umberto Nobile’s expedition alongside contemporary works by climate artist Enzo Barracco
On 10 April 1926, the airship N-1, led by Umberto Nobile and carrying an international crew including explorers Roald Amundsen and Lincoln Ellsworth, took off from Ciampino Air Base in Rome. After a 13,000 km journey across Europe and the Arctic Ocean, it reached the Svalbard Islands before launching the first ever flight over the North Pole.
One hundred years after this remarkable achievement, the Italian Air Force, the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), and Prada Group – in the framework of the SEA BEYOND project, conducted in partnership with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO to promote ocean education worldwide – are organising two days of scientific, cultural, and educational initiatives. The shared aim is to honour General Nobile’s legacy and shed light on Italy’s longstanding contribution to polar exploration, connecting past and present through historical documentation, testimonies and contemporary narratives. The initiative also serves as a valuable opportunity to raise public awareness on the protection of fragile ecosystems.
The two-day event will take place in Rome on 13 and 14 April 2026.
The programme will open on Monday 13 April with the study day “Umberto Nobile: memorie di aria e fuoco” (“Umberto Nobile: Memories of Air and Fire”) at the Cnr headquarters: a scientific conference organised by CNR in collaboration with the Italian Air Force. On this occasion, the integrated digital platform dedicated to Umberto Nobile’s archives − preserved by the Air Force and the Municipality of Lauro − will be presented. This digitisation and research project reveals previously unpublished materials, highlighting the deep connection between science, exploration and public engagement.
Later, on 13 April, at 5:30 p.m., the Historical Museum of the Italian Air Force in Vigna di Valle (Rome) will inaugurate the photographic exhibition “Due sguardi sull’artico a confronto” (“Two Perspectives on the Arctic compared”), curated by photographer, climate artist and SEA BEYONDer (Goodwill Ambassador of the project) Enzo Barracco. The exhibition, open to the public until 31 May 2026, brings together past and present through a dialogue between the black-and-white photographs from Nobile’s 1926 expedition − preserved in the archives of the Historical Office of the Italian Air Force − and Barracco’s contemporary images, taken in 2025 during an expedition to Alaska and the Arctic Circle supported by SEA BEYOND. Barracco’s works encourage reflection on the beauty and fragility of remote ecosystems and on the power of photography to foster a deeper connection with the natural world.
On 14 April, the Italian Air Force will host the conference “Il volo del Norge 1926: Nobile al Polo Nord” (“The Flight of the Norge 1926: Nobile at the North Pole”) at the Visconti Auditorium in Palazzo Aeronautica. The event aims to retrace the historical role of the Italian Air Force and Defence in polar expeditions and in scientific research across the Arctic and Antarctic regions, highlighting its technological and institutional contributions. The programme includes four thematic panels featuring scholars, journalists and international experts.
To close, on 14 April, at 5:30 p.m., at Palazzo Aeronautica, the photographic book “The Fight of the Forest: Alaska” by Enzo Barracco will be presented. The event will see the author in conversation with Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, and Francesca Santoro, IOC Senior Programme Officer.
The volume documents the transformation of the landscapes once traversed by the Norge, turning Nobile’s feat into a contemporary reflection on climate change. For the occasion, a curated selection of photographs displayed in Vigna di Valle will also be exhibited inside the historic rooms of Palazzo Aeronautica.
Scientific research, historical memory and photography converge in this two-day commemoration, which will also involve students from local schools with the aim of fostering environmental awareness among younger generations.
ITALIAN AIR FORCE
The Italian Air Force operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to ensure the security and defense of the Country and its citizens, guaranteeing the control and surveillance of the national airspace as well as the Euro-Atlantic and Euro-Mediterranean airspace. It also protects vital national interests abroad within the framework of numerous international Operations and Missions. The Italian Air Force is also engaged in numerous activities providing direct support to the community and to other national and international institutions (e.g., urgent medical air transport, search and rescue operations, and assistance to populations affected by natural disasters, etc.). The international community recognizes the Italian Air Force—and therefore the Country—as possessing capabilities of excellence that enable it to be a leader in sectors such as the fighter component, flight training, air transport (including medical transport in bio-containment), the employment of remotely piloted aircraft systems, Aerospace, Space, advanced logistics management, and meteorology. Through national programs, bilateral cooperation, and participation in industrial and research projects, the Italian Air Force is fully integrated within the national system and works to ensure the maintenance of excellence in the national Aerospace and Space sectors.
Prada Group
Prada Group is socially engaged to contribute to the sustainable development of communities and stimulate cultural debate in all its forms of expression. The Group partners with recognized players and international entities to develop educational and training programs, promote talent, support scientific research, foster women’s empowerment, and promote local culture and artistic heritage. Prada Group operates in the luxury sector through the Prada, Miu, Church’s, Car Shoe, Versace, Marchesi 1824 and Luna Rossa brands.
www.pradagroup.com
SEA BEYOND
SEA BEYOND is a project by Prada Group conducted in partnership with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO since 2019 to raise awareness of sustainability and ocean preservation, contributing to the progress of ocean education on a global scale through a series of training initiatives for younger generations. Since its debut, the educational program has shared the principles of ocean literacy with more than 38,000 students around the world. Moreover, the “Kindergarten of the Lagoon” project – outdoor education activities for preschool children in Venice – was launched in 2023 to create links between kids and the lagoon ecosystem. While the main focus remains education, SEA BEYOND has recently extended its scope to new areas of focus: support for scientific research, community engagement activities and policy advocacy dedicated to the ocean. The commitment was further reinforced in 2025 with the launch of the SEA BEYOND – Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Connecting People and Ocean, designed to mobilize financial resources from a broad coalition of partners to help restore the relationship between humanity and the ocean. As of July 2023, 1% of the proceeds from the Prada Re-Nylon for SEA BEYOND Collection benefit SEA BEYOND. The list of products in this Collection is available at www.prada.com. Through SEA BEYOND, Prada Group has also trained its more than 14,000 employees worldwide on ocean literacy principles via VR educational content and the AWorld app, the official platform selected by the United Nations to live more sustainably.
Ufficio stampa:
Francesca Gorini
Ufficio stampa Cnr
francesca.gorini@cnr.it
3293178725
Responsabile Unità Ufficio stampa:
Emanuele Guerrini
emanuele.guerrini@cnr.it
ufficiostampa@cnr.it
06 4993 3383
Immagini: