Welcome to this Unpredictable and Fascinating 2021!

By Luca Riva, FEDERTEC Board of Directors

The year just ended was one of the most bizarre of the last century. I deliberately used the expression “bizarre” because words strongly influence our state of mind. The pandemic that struck the whole world was a very rare and unpredictable event with an enormous impact: the Lebanese philosopher Nassim Taleb would call it a Black Swan. Taleb himself suggests that “If you want to get a sense of a friend’s personality, morals, and elegance, you must observe him in his struggle against difficulties, not in the rosy reality of everyday life.” The year 2020 gave us the opportunity for confrontation under very serious and, therefore, very challenging circumstances. We have significantly improved our ability to stay focused on what really matters despite events that were not exactly favourable. We have been forced to reinvent our relationships with those around us by moving from a face-to-face relationship to a remote connection. Even in FEDERTEC, as time has gone by, Councils, Working Groups and even the Annual Meeting have increasingly been held through the web. Alex Bellini is an explorer capable of rowing across the Oceans. At the mercy of waves that seem to swallow him up, he can only do two things: decide how many hours to stay at the oars and what his state of mind will be. We too can decide how much energy to put into what we do and continue to look ahead with confidence and enthusiasm. FEDERTEC has carried out many projects in this stormy 2020. I had the pleasure to coordinate the new Directory and the completion of the brand-new Web Site. I could appreciate the spirit of collaboration and the will to row despite the giant waves above us of all the members who joined the Working Group. I have contacted dozens of Members and I have discovered, with great pleasure, that all of them have been working hard with the greatest commitment and energy. FEDERTEC has also achieved success in other areas including the new Training Courses and the Technical Directors Club. ln such a difficult year, the Association was able to stay the course and supported all of its members. The Communication Working Group has plenty more projects in store for the future. FEDERTEC is rowing in the right direction; we don’t know when the clouds will dissipate o the horizon, but we can stand firmly by the oars and put a smile on our faces. Welcome to this unpredictable and fascinating 2021!