Honourable State Councillor Manuele Bertoli,
Honourable Mayor of Lavizzara Gabriele Dazio,
Honourable Ambassador of Mexico to Switzerland Cecilia Jaber Breceda,
Esteemed members of the Fondazione Internazionale per la Scultura,
Internationally renowned sculptor José Dàvila,
Dear guests,

I am delighted to join you for this inauguration here in Peccia. I am always experiencing new 'firsts' in Ticino. The first base tunnel to have brought the valleys north and south of Monte Ceneri, and their many admirers, closer together. The first campuses to have joined the academic resources of the Università della Svizzera italiana and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Italian Switzerland, which were recently inaugurated in Lugano and Mendrisio. I've cut many ribbons this past year, often virtually, but today it is my honour to take part in another first, not virtually for once: the inauguration of the new International Centre for Sculpture.

It is my great pleasure to be part of this wonderful story here in Peccia, thanks to the passion, dedication and contributions of a great many people in Ticino and beyond, above all Alex and Almute Naef, who first promoted the Sculpture School of Peccia and later this centre.

Artists from all over the world will gather here – almost right at the top of the Vallemaggia – to show their art on this stage surrounded by a breathtaking landscape of steep mountains, forests and rivers. A stage built of everything this land has to offer: earth, wood, stone and above all the world famous crystalline marble of Peccia. What a magnificent sight to behold!

In the past, Ticino led the way in many fields – think of the Swiss-Italian artists and craftsmen who emigrated to different European cities well into the 19th century. Today, Peccia is a centre that brings people together.

The word 'centre' is fundamental: a crossroads for exchanges, a place for coming together. This centre welcomes artists and visitors from well beyond Ticino's borders, from all over the world. This project is a perfect representation of our country's identity. A meeting of languages and cultures is what we are all about. This has been our strength and our distinguishing characteristic internationally.
Director Thierry Burgherr put it well when he said in an interview that this is a centre with "local roots and international appeal". Like Peccia marble, which is exported around the world.

Ladies and gentlemen
The Romans called the relationship between people and the place they inhabit the 'genius loci', the spirit that inspires them to create things of unique value. Ticino has many unique places and treasures to offer, like Peccia marble, which projects such as this can showcase to promote Italian-speaking Switzerland and by extension the entire country.

I wish everyone involved in this new centre, particularly the artists whose work will first be exhibited here, every success and an enjoyable stay in this spectacular valley. I will certainly encourage the international leaders I meet and my compatriots here in Switzerland and in Ticino who have not been to Valle Lavizzara to pay this beautiful place a visit. Despite its small size, Peccia is a surprisingly rich gathering place for ideas from all over the world and truly worth a visit.

Thank you for your spirit of initiative. I wish you every success in this enterprise, which is off to an excellent start.
Ignazio Cassis

Inauguration Ceremony for the International Centre for Sculpture in Peccia