Leonardo SPA, the Italian defense and aerospace conglomerate, has withdrawn from the upcoming Festival of Science in Genoa following a petition by academics and researchers seeking to exclude the company as a sponsor. The festival, scheduled to run from October 23 to November 2, had requested that Leonardo not participate in planned activities for this year's edition, marking the first such exclusion in the company's seven-year sponsorship history.
In a strongly worded statement, Leonardo's foundation expressed disappointment with the decision, characterizing it as based on "wrong, serious and damaging associations made without knowing the reality of the facts." The company emphasized its long-standing commitment to supporting the festival's programming, noting it had "convincingly supported and contributed" to the event for years. The withdrawal represents a significant shift in the relationship between the scientific community and one of Italy's major industrial sponsors.
The controversy stems from allegations circulating for several months that Leonardo sells weapons to Israel. While acknowledging the sensitivity of the topic and the public's right to seek clarity, the company firmly rejected these claims as untrue. Leonardo stated it understands and shares concerns about arms exports but maintains that the allegations against it are unfounded.
Leonardo defended its position by citing Italy's Law 185 of 1990, which regulates arms exports and represents what the company calls a "milestone of action for peace and disarmament." The law specifically prohibits the export and transit of weaponry to countries in armed conflict, nations whose policies conflict with Article 11 of the Italian Constitution, and governments responsible for verified violations of international human rights conventions. The company stated unequivocally that it has not sold weapons to Israel since the conflict began, positioning itself as compliant with both Italian law and international humanitarian standards.
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