Welcoming remarks included addresses by Gianmario Verona, Rector of the University, and Ilaria Borletti Buitoni, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities  and Tourism of Italy.

Speaking to the students, Rector Verona said "you are the future in arts management and you represent a human capital full of potential and possibilities". "We need to promote even more the cultural sector in all its dimensions, including of course the arts management, as it constitutes a fundamental area in the economy of a country", added Gianmario Verona.

Undersecretary of State Ilaria Borletti Buitoni insisted on "the importance of a Master such as the MAMA within Bocconi University for arts and for the promotion of identity and national heritage". "At a time when we put more and more on the agenda the concept of cultural tourism, we have to remind ourselves that cultural tourism can only be achieved by professional managers, and this is precisely what you are aiming for in this Master", stated Ms Borletti Buitoni. "We must bet on the role of culture as an engine in the growth of societies", highlighted the Undersecretary of State.

The Director-General focused her keynote address on the continuously relevant role of UNESCO, since its inception, as a "soft power" in all its fields of competence. “In 1945, in a world destroyed physically and morally, the founders of UNESCO decided to renew and rethink their strategy for peace” said the Director-General. “Today, in response to new steep challenges, we need the same courage, the same audacity, the same vision.” 

"Arts, culture, education are not separate from civil and social life – they are the “software” of any sustainable development, and this message is deeply rooted in the history and spirit of Italy", added Ms Bokova. "

"All societies are searching for transformative strategies to foster sustainability, social inclusion and green growth. Culture stands precisely at the crossroads of these dimensions. Now more than ever, countries are investing in culture, in creative industries to become players in the growing knowledge economy, driven by innovation, knowledge sharing and creativity, and we must continue in this direction", stated Director-General Bokova.

Andrea Rurale, Director of the MAMA, concluded the opening ceremony emphasizing the role of arts and culture as pillars for social development. "Education, scientific cooperation, dialogue, the combination of art preservation, management and research are key in this context", said Director Rurale. "The Museum of Cenacolo, located in Santa Maria delle Grazie, a place offering a story of resilience, is exemplary in this regard", added Mr Rurale.

A 16-year old violinist performed at the end of the event, paying tribute to the inscription in 2012 of the "Traditional violin craftsmanship in Cremona” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The importance of combining preservation, renovation, heritage management, innovation and use of new technologies, teaching, training, research and curatorship, was also recalled during a visit undertook by the Director-General to the Cenacolo, in the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. "This unique place hosting the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is a true symbol of preservation and restoration throughout the centuries, while being conceived as a living and evolving Museum, a reserve centre, showing the value of the past, and looking to the future", said the Director of the Cenacolo, Chiara Rostagno.