"Life in the Factory. Calalzo di Cadore 1970-2006"

Success at the presentation at the Eyewear Museum

"There are thousands of books that tell the history of companies and the eyewear industry in Belluno, but this book tells the story from the inside, from those who spent an entire working life in the factory, and that's what makes it unique and interesting," said Vittorio Tabacchi, president of the Eyewear Museum Foundation in Pieve di Cadore, as he opened the presentation of "Life in the Factory. Calalzo di Cadore 1970-2006", a book that recounts more than thirty years of history of the Safilo plant in Calalzo di Cadore, on Tuesday evening.

A historical chapter that filled the Cos.Mo Auditorium of the Eyewear Museum with an attentive audience; also present was Senator Luca De Carlo, president of the 9th Senate Committee – Industry, Trade, Tourism, Agriculture, and Agri-food Production, and mayor of Calalzo di Cadore from 2009 to 2024. "For us, a return to ethical industry, a love between the territory and industry, is fundamental to keep people living in the mountains. Bringing this book to the Senate a few weeks ago was a great source of pride, the pride of being able to present a glimpse of the society and history of our territory to the national press and numerous parliamentarians."

"This book is a piece of the Eyewear Lands Ecomuseum we are building," emphasizes Tabacchi. "I believe that along this path, the stories, thoughts, and reflections of those who spent forty years working in our eyewear factories can also find a place."

On stage, alongside President Tabacchi and Senator De Carlo, was also Giovanni Luigi Fontana, emeritus professor at the University of Padua, but the spotlight was on the book's protagonists: Angelo De Marchi, Giovanna Fornasier, Angelo Da Col, Ernesto Da Deppo, Roberto Scottà, and Ines Smaniotto. The book was introduced by its curator, Pier Mario Fop, former mayor of Calalzo di Cadore (also present in the audience was the current mayor of Calalzo, Luca Fanton): "The book was born almost by chance, from a conversation with Roberto Scottà, who wanted to involve his colleagues and friends who had held managerial roles at Safilo in Calalzo. It is not overly technical or historical; it is intended to be an easy read for everyone. Safilo is the continuation of the first eyewear factory; it employed thousands of workers (in the years we covered, between 200 and 300 people were employed), but it also served as a 'training ground' for entrepreneurs of the caliber of Marcolin or Bartoli, who were trained as mechanics at Safilo. It was an important factory from a social, technical, and educational standpoint."

The "Eyewear Lands – Ecomuseum of the Belluno Eyewear Industry" project is supported by funding from the Cariverona Foundation, with co-financing from the Eyewear Museum itself, ANFAO – National Association of Optical Article Manufacturers, Confindustria Belluno Dolomiti, and EBO – Bilateral Entity for Eyewear. The project also collaborates with the University of Padua – Department of Cultural Heritage (DBC), Confindustria Belluno Dolomiti, and Certottica. The initiative is sponsored by the municipalities of Pieve di Cadore and Calalzo di Cadore.