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Dr. Ernesto Illy, illycaffe’s late, visionary leader, deeply believed in scientific research as an unimpeachable source of truth, making possible advances in human development and promoting adherence to the highest ethical standards.  For the industry he so loved, science gave Dr. Illy the power to sustain and grow coffee culture in every positive aspect.

FOSTERING A CULTURE OF GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT.
FURTHERING
A LEGACY.

Fondazione Ernesto Illy

THE ERNESTO ILLY FOUNDATION

The Ernesto Illy Foundation pays tribute to Dr. Illy’s beliefs and his life’s work, furthering his legacy by promoting knowledge, ethics and sustainability as absolute values of life and enterprise.
Anna Rossi Illy, the late Dr. Illy’s wife and honorary Chairman of illycaffè, serves as the Foundation’s president.  Her daughter, also Anna, serves as Vice President, and is joined on the Board of Directors by her brothers Francis, Richard and Andrew. The foundation’s day-to-day operations are headed by Roberto Morelli.
The University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) trought the Fundação Instituto de Administração and the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) of Trieste are contributing members of the Foundation

Among the Foundation’s major projects:

  • International Master in Coffee Science and Economics – an accredited, graduate level course of study in coffee, from agronomy through business management, aimed at developing the next generation of industry leadersfrom coffee producing countries. Developed in collaboration with the University of Udine and Trieste, SISSA, The Trieste Coffee District and the Consortium for Molecular Biomedicine.
  • The Ernesto Illy Trieste Science Prize -- awarded in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) to scientists who live and work in the Southern Hemisphere’s developing nations who conduct internationally renown research in sustainability-related fields

Among winners of The Ernesto Illy Trieste Science Prize:

  • Sérgio Henrique Ferreira, Brazil - studies on hypertension
  • T.V. Ramakrishnan, India - calculations of the processing of liquids in solids
  • C.S. Seshadri, India - standard monomial theory
  • Luis Rafael Herrera-Estrella, Mexico - plant molecular biology
  • Rao Zihe, China - structural biology and studies of pathogenic viruses
  • José Goldemberg, Brazil - biofuels and related new technologies

Two Cups between Friends


 

"These are two cups of coffee viewed from above. They convey the message that coffee inspires socializing, friendship and stimulating conversation, and therefore, you should never drink coffee alone.  Rather, always with someone else." -- Ernesto Illy.

Designed in the 1960s, what would come to symbolize the Ernesto Illy Foundation is today a tangible object: a pair of cups on two joined plates, indicating the connection, and the beautiful relationships established among two people through dialogue.

These Ernesto Illy friendship cups are produced in limited quantities, not offered for sale, but rather as a special gift to those who support the Foundation.