On 8 September, the Ansaldo Foundation – Leonardo Group, MuCa – Museo della Cantieristica di Monfalcone (Monfalcone Shipbuilding Museum) and the Municipality of Monfalcone will present to the public, at the museum, the book “REX, il sogno azzurro – the blue riband”, written by Flavio Testi, published and distributed by Erga Edizioni.
The book is a tribute to the largest transatlantic liner ever built in Italy, launched 90 years ago at the Ansaldo shipyard in Sestri Ponente and sunk on 8 September 1944 after three bombings by Royal Air Force aircraft. Its history, and its sinking, have made it a myth in the collective memory.
The central theme of the presentation, which follows the one in Genoa on “the courage of excellence”, will therefore be “the birth of a myth”. The presentation will be attended by Luca Fasan, Councillor for the relaunch of commerce, territorial marketing and tourist development, events, culture, SUAP of the Municipality of Monfalcone, and Lorenzo Fiori, Director of the Ansaldo Foundation.
This will be followed by a debate moderated by Giulio Princic, naval historian and museum operator for MuCa, with the participation of the author of the book, Federica Ghirardo, Head of Cultural Activities of the Municipality of Monfalcone for MuCa, Corrado Cattonar, representative of the Associazione Marinara Aldebaran, and Walter Macovaz, naval historian, luthier and collaborator of the Museo del Mare in Trieste.
Over 250 pages, with an English translation, provide an insight into the history of the REX, including previously unpublished historical facts, technical details and a wealth of iconographic and audiovisual material, mostly from the Ansaldo Foundation archives, as well as other materials accessible via QR code for viewing on mobile devices (smartphones, tablets).
