The project is born with the Fair Play Committee, CSI, Olympic Academy and Merit Stars
The project “Procida: where sport is culture” was born, presented this morning in the Council Chamber of the Municipality of Procida. As the name of the project also suggests, sport is by no means alien to culture, but a fundamental component that conveys values, especially to young people. For this reason, on the initiative of the sociologist Gennaro Testa, creator and scientific director of the project, it was decided to launch such a broad and articulated program in the territory designated Italian Capital of Culture 2022.
The presentation, which began with the official launch of the website, where details of the events, contacts, partners and the organizing team can be found, then highlighted the many initiatives that will take place on the island in the coming months.
Starting with the “Fair Play Passport” from the Italian National Fair Play Committee. A tool for the promotion of culture and sport on the island that, through the activities carried out by the participants, allows to reap benefits for the practice of sport. In autumn 2022, the Italian National Olympic Academy conference will also take place on the island of Procida, aimed at universities with a faculty of motor science. At the same time, the course for experts in the organization of sports and cultural events, carried out with the Italian Sports Center, an accredited and supporting entity, begins.
As part of the initiatives, the National Association of Stars, Palms and Golden Collars of Merit of Coni and Cip also awards two prizes / grants to young people who have excelled in the different paths envisaged by the project. In addition, Procida will also host the International Sport Museum’s exhibition “A Century of Sport”, curated by Renato Mariotti, the first itinerant museum that brings to the world the values of sport told through documents and memorabilia.
Carmine Sabia, Sports Delegate of the Municipality of Procida: “Today, sport has become a social and economic phenomenon of fundamental importance, which is by far the best tool for education, training, integration and solidarity, capable of carefully considering the youngest and addressing the mature age. After the declared failure of “recovery” measures in youth ailments, special attention must be paid to “prevention”, and sport is the best tool for concrete prevention work. Investing in sport means investing in education, health and culture of young people and civil society; Sport and culture are effective visions to pave the way to the future. And we want to do this as leaders of a set of territorial realities that affect all Campi Flegrei and not just our island.
Gennaro Testa, sociologist, creator and scientific director of the project: “The project is innovative because it inserts the word “sport” into the cultural system, into a vision that has been consolidated in Europe for some time but is still new to Italy. The “inform to train” path involves all citizens of Procida, regardless of gender, age, qualification, culture, political orientation, social class. Sport belongs to everyone and sport is for everyone, with special attention to gender equality and disability. “Procida, where even sport is culture” is aimed mainly at all families of the island and that is the strong novelty and energetic originality. We want to support the right to be protagonists without being champions”.
Ruggero Alcanterini, National President of the Fair Play Committee: “The relationship between culture and sport is very close, but for Procida Capitale we materialize it with the Passport, a link between the past, present and future of a community that has always been on the move. It is the symbolic possibility of reaching the ideal place, the essential condition for which the concept of fair, correct play as envisioned by the immortal advocates of pleasure craft and fair play, Giovanni Boccaccio and William Shakespeare, now with the imaginative landing is identified and real on the island, that is, Procida “.
Vittorio Bosio, National President of the Italian Sports Center: “Sport and culture are not a predictable combination, but a reality to be discovered and lived in daily experience. From this vision comes the support of the CSI for the whole of 2022 in Procida, the Capital of Culture that does not isolate, that does not cause distancing, but that proposes encounter and peace. The CSI will therefore offer free registration to all schools and communities on the island; it will promote training for sports operators and organizers of “sports and culture” events; it will favor and welcome the school/work alternatives of island students”.
Mauro Checcoli, National President of the Olympic Academy: “The Italian National Olympic Academy is the Italian body born of CONI responsible for the dissemination of sports culture through the application of the pedagogy theorized by Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic Movement and the International Olympic Committee. Every year it promotes and organizes study sessions with the participation of students and lecturers in the motor science and educational science courses. For 2022 she has chosen Procida, Capital of Culture, as the venue for her annual meeting to strengthen the link between sport and culture”.
Francesco Conforti, Stars of Sports Merit Association National President: “Ansmes got involved in the project straight away. The National Council has envisaged awarding two prizes/scholarships to the boy and girl who have distinguished themselves during the year through academic, sporting and social merits”.
Renato Mariotti, curator of the exhibition “A Century of Sport”: “Our exhibition aims to present the” testimony of identity and memory “in the context of sport and the areas in which it operates (environment, culture, tourism, typical products) and in any case throughout the national and international territory, to improve. The Capital of Culture is the ideal place to promote these values.”
The Deputy Mayor of Procida, Titta Lubrano, the President of Coni Campania, Sergio Roncelli, the Coni delegates from Benevento and Naples, Mario Collarile and Agostino Felsani, the President of CIP Campania, also attended the presentation made by the journalist Carlo Zazzera, Carmine Mellone, the Aces delegate, Alessio Di Maio, the Municipal Council of Monte di Procida, Fabio Capuano.