Washington, DC (March 13, 2026) – The Ambassador of Italy to the United States, H.E. Marco Peronaci, and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Warner Bros. Discovery, Gunnar Wiedenfels, hosted the “Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 Celebration” last night at Villa Firenze, the Residence of the Italian Ambassador in Washington.
Opening the event, Ambassador Peronaci emphasized how “Italy was extremely proud to host the Games. This edition gave us incredible emotions and brought people from around the world together in the name of sport and friendship.” Echoing the words of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the Ambassador emphasized that “Italy is investing in sports diplomacy as a tool to reaffirm its commitment to peace, growth, and international cooperation.”
Gunnar Wiedenfels of Warner Bros. Discovery commented: “Warner Bros. Discovery has always aimed to help shape key moments of our time, and this mission drove us, more than a decade ago, to make an unprecedented commitment to secure the European television rights for the Olympic Games. Today, we are proud to be the home of the Olympics in Europe, reaching nearly 50 markets in 21 languages.” He added: “There is no more iconic sporting event than the Olympics, and this is a true testament to the power of sport and its ability to create shared experiences, facilitate diplomacy, and connect and inspire people around the world.”
The evening was attended by distinguished guests, including members of the Administration such as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers and Federal Reserve Vice Chair Michelle Bowman. Members of the Diplomatic Corps, media representatives, business leaders, and prominent figures from the Italian and Italian-American communities were also in attendance.
The Italian Winter Olympic Games, hosted by the cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, welcomed over 3,500 athletes from more than 90 countries, who competed in 304 competitions. The Paralympic Games involved approximately 600 athletes in six sports, vying for 79 Paralympic medals. From Italian champions Federica Brignone and Arianna Fontana to American gold medalists Jordan Stolz and Alysa Liu, this year’s Winter Games saw extraordinary performances from both established champions and a new generation of athletes, both Italian and American. The final closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games will be held on Sunday, March 15, in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
