Inter, Comunità Nuova, and the Municipality of Milan are celebrating the 10th anniversary of SportZone.
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— Feb 14th 2024In the Alessi Room of Palazzo Marino, the tenth anniversary of the project was celebrated, born from the collaboration with the Municipality of Milan and Comunità Nuova, with the aim of transmitting the universal values of sport to the young people of our city.
The SportZone project, born from the collaboration of FC Internazionale Milano with the Municipality of Milan and Comunità Nuova, has reached its tenth anniversary. The milestone was celebrated with an event in the Alessi Room of Palazzo Marino, attended by Javier Zanetti, Vice President of FC Internazionale Milano, Martina Riva, Councillor for Sport, Tourism, and Youth Policies of the Municipality of Milan, Don Gino Rigoldi, founder of Comunità Nuova, Matteo Bruschera, project manager of SportZone for Comunità Nuova, and Giulio Rossini, Regional Coordinator of physical education and sports for USR Lombardia.
Several activities have been successfully implemented and carried out over these ten years. Starting with "IO Tifo Positivo" and "Sport in Cattedra," born with the need to transmit to the boys and girls of primary and lower secondary schools in the city of Milan the universal positive values of sport, through an educational path that prevents violent fanaticism and racism, and promotes instead mutual respect between opponents, loyalty, and collaboration.
From 2013 to today, SportZone has involved approximately 20,000 people in a total of 2,000 continuous meetings and interventions and 300 organized events. In detail, approximately 1000 students from 25 schools in Milan are involved each year, along with over 500 adults, including teachers and parents. Furthermore, parallel initiatives in the territory, such as the "Mobile Sports Unit" and the "Neighborhood Cup," have succeeded in reaching approximately 800 young people annually, organizing more than 50 interventions and events in the area.
“I am proud to celebrate this important anniversary of a project in which we firmly believe. In our world, which often rushes too fast, celebrating the 10 years of a social project is something that makes us very happy. It is part of Inter's soul to connect with young people and reflects our deepest values, from inclusion to respect and the fight against all forms of discrimination. For us, it remains a priority to continue the work in the territory and, we are sure, together with our partners, we are on the right path.”
Javier Zanetti, Vice President FC Internazionale Milano
“Thanks to the SportZone project, for 10 years, the Municipality of Milan has also been able to rely on the experience of Inter and Comunità Nuova to promote among the youngest the practice of sports and its positive values. Sport is a formidable tool for social cohesion and inclusion, as well as an indispensable lever for personal growth. For this reason, we can only be proud of the extraordinary work done within SportZone, especially when looking at the most disadvantaged social contexts in which it has been activated. Bringing sports to schools and neighborhoods is not a trivial challenge; doing so while allowing boys and girls to experience and practice it in the places where they usually meet was forward-thinking. I thank Inter and Comunità Nuova for helping us spread in our society, among our young people, that sports culture based on respect for the opponent, loyalty in competition, positive support, and fair play, which leaves no room for discrimination and stereotypes, essential to make sports the place of inclusion, equality, and hospitality it deserves to be.”
Martina Riva, Assessora allo Sport, al Turismo e alle Politiche Giovanili del Comune di Milano
“What we have celebrated is a significant milestone! In today's world, competitiveness prevails, rivalry is exalted... but sports are, first of all, about playing together, a meeting ground for people, for young people. It's where we learn to collaborate and unite forces, something we increasingly need to combat individualism. The 10 years of SportZone are proof of this: they have allowed us to collaborate with friends from Inter, from the Municipality of Milan, and with many others in schools and neighborhoods. Together, we relaunch this project that we really care about!”
Don Gino Rigoldi, fondatore Comunità Nuova
During the meeting, the official agreement with the Regional School Office was also announced, which will give a new institutional framework to the Sport in Cattedra initiative. Starting this year, teachers from schools in the Lombardy Region will be directly involved, with a dedicated training course coordinated by the coaches of the Youth Sector of FC Internazionale Milano. The comment of Dr. Luciana Volta, General Director of USR for Lombardy: "I want to express sincere participation in the spirit of the initiative, which has the merit of extending proposals and training actions of proven value to the school community of the Lombardy region."