When the National Italian American Foundation announced Lombardia as its Region of Honor for 2026, the choice was presented, predictably, in terms of its excellence in economic strength, cultural heritage, and international relevance.
Yet the significance of this designation goes beyond mere descriptors, because Lombardia, when looking at it closely, is important for what it represents: a region where many of Italy’s defining contradictions cohabit in a single territory, where history coexists with relentless modernity, and where tradition and innovation are not opposites but parallel forces.
