On Friday, 18th July, the Generali Convention Center Trieste host I valori di Ernesto Illy. Riflessione a cent’anni dalla nascita (The values of Ernesto Illy. Thoughts on the century anniversary), a day to celebrate a century since Ernesto Illy was born, to remember and honour the humanist-entrepreneur, a key figure in the coffee culture. 

Participants gathered in the Generali Auditorium not only to remember entrepreneur Ernesto Illy—family members, friends, employees, collaborators, and many others who knew him—but also to honor his legacy in the present and to look toward the future. Among those present, visibly moved, was Mrs. Anna Illy, Ernesto’s widow, who thanked everyone and received from the Mayor of Trieste the plaque for the roundabout named after the coffee entrepreneur, which was officially inaugurated later that afternoon.

The morning event, led by Roberto Morelli—President of #GCC and one of the co-founders of the Ernesto Illy Foundation—included institutional greetings from authorities, followed by speeches from Anna Illy Jr., President of the Foundation, who read a message from the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and Andrea Illy, President of the company. Testimonies were shared both in person—such as that of the Brazilian Ambassador to Italy, Renato Mosca de Souza—and through a video, with readings by actors Sara Alzetta and Francesco Gusmitta.

Another meaningful moment was the presentation of a portrait of Ernesto Illy created by young Brazilian artist Aline Aparicida Silva, born into a family of small coffee growers and specialized in the watercolor technique using coffee itself as the medium.

These moving tributes were followed by a more technical round table titled “Thinking Ethically, Acting Scientifically” featuring discussions with Paola Cillo, Giuseppe Soda, and Serena Morricone from SDA Bocconi School of Management, along with Marcelo Knobel, Executive Director of UNESCO TWAS – The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries, moderated by Maurizio Dallocchio.