Two-Day Rome Event Brings Together Science, History, And Photography
Prada Group is partnering with the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) to mark the centenary of Umberto Nobile’s historic 1926 flight over the North Pole, with a two-day programme of events in Rome on April 13 and 14.
The initiative, developed within the framework of Prada Group’s SEA BEYOND project in collaboration with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, brings together scientific discussion, archival research, and contemporary visual work to revisit the expedition and its relevance today.
On April 13, proceedings will begin at CNR headquarters with a conference titled “Umberto Nobile: Memories of Air and Fire,” examining the scientific and historical dimensions of the mission. The event will also introduce a new digital platform dedicated to Nobile’s archives, developed from materials held by the Italian Air Force and the Municipality of Lauro, including previously unpublished documents.
Later that day, the Historical Museum of the Italian Air Force in Vigna di Valle will open a photographic exhibition curated by artist Enzo Barracco. Titled “Two Perspectives on the Arctic Compared,” the exhibition juxtaposes archival images from the 1926 expedition with Barracco’s contemporary photographs taken in Alaska and the Arctic Circle in 2025. The show will run through May 31 and explores changing environmental conditions alongside the enduring visual narrative of polar exploration.
The programme continues on April 14 at Palazzo Aeronautica with a conference retracing the role of the Italian Air Force in polar exploration and scientific research, featuring contributions from academics, journalists, and international experts. The day will conclude with a presentation of Barracco’s book The Fight of the Forest: Alaska, in conversation with Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, and Francesca Santoro of UNESCO’s IOC.
The events mark 100 years since the airship N-1, led by Nobile and carrying an international crew including Roald Amundsen and Lincoln Ellsworth, departed from Rome and completed the first flight over the North Pole following a 13,000-kilometer journey across Europe and the Arctic.
By combining historical documentation with contemporary perspectives, the programme reflects a broader effort to connect early exploration with current environmental concerns, while engaging students and the public in discussions around climate awareness and fragile ecosystems.