Bocelli and Philip Morris for "a future of progress"

Venice – A platform for dialogue. A company and an artist, seemingly worlds apart, yet united by the same way of viewing the complexity of reality: seeing the possible in what seems impossible. At the heart of the story are Philip Morris International and Andrea Bocelli. Last Friday (26 June), at the Torre dell’Arsenale in Venice, they presented “Believe. Further“, a multi-year platform designed to engage the public in a broader dialogue on progress and positive change.

Against the cinematic and timeless backdrop of the Arsenale, the historic shipyard complex that shaped the history of the Republic, the question that underpinned the dialogue between Massimo Andolina, President of the European Region at Philip Morris International, and the tenor Andrea Bocelli was “What do you do when the world has already decided who you are?” From this, “Believe. Further” takes its cue from and is founded on a shared faith in progress and a shared conviction in change. “In an age where science and technology offer better choices, it brings together two voices that, independently and in parallel, are undergoing a transformation, and invites us to engage in a different dialogue with society as a whole,” explains an official press release.

Massimo Andolina, President of Philip Morris’s European Region, and Maestro Andrea Bocelli at the launch of the ‘Believe. Further’ platform in Venice on 26 June 2026. Source: Philip Morris International — Massimo Andolina, President of Philip Morris’s European Region, and Andrea Bocelli at the launch of the “Believe. Further” platform in Venice on 26 June 2026. Source: Philip Morris International

On the one hand, Bocelli, whose journey has been shaped by faith, driven by conviction and the courage to go beyond what the world believed possible. On the other, Philip Morris International, a company that is increasingly focused on change, to be pursued with discipline. A tangible transformation, given that smoke-free products account for 43 per cent of PMI’s net revenue and reach consumers in over 105 markets worldwide, according to first-quarter 2026 figures. “We were committed to transforming our business, replacing cigarettes with better alternatives because it was the right thing to do and because we could. There was no plan B,” said Andolina.

Philip Morris’s vision “is to put cigarettes in a museum” because “science and progress have given us better alternatives” and, therefore, “there is an opportunity for people to change,” Andolina pointed out. “The ideal situation would be for all current smokers to quit, but that doesn’t happen,” and that is why “alternatives” come into play. For this reason, “in Venice, the city of bridges, we are launching our partnership with Andrea Bocelli to raise public awareness of what technology and innovation can make possible and to demonstrate that this progress is already a reality,” he added.

Bocelli explained that he had “always believed in the importance of remaining true to one’s values and embracing every stage of the journey, learning as one goes along.” In this context, “we must also consider possible what may seem impossible, when it helps to improve life and promote human progress,” Bocelli emphasised. As a man of faith, he then referred to the positive value of change, recalling that even some saints, before becoming men of faith, had committed grave sins, including murder. “Change is part of life. And the world changes. We must change when we realise we are in the wrong,” while, at the same time, “consistency is another fundamental value” when one is not in the wrong.
Designed to engage cultural, institutional, and business audiences across Europe, “Believe. Further” will evolve over time, broadening its scope as the debate on progress continues. It reflects a shared approach to the future and a common conviction that progress is important and the only direction worth pursuing.