Youth Vulnerabilities and Sports: A Huge Success in Milan for the First National Stop of the Observatory Conceived and Coordinated by Carmen De Gironimo
There was a large turnout and a lot of excitement in Milan for the first national event of the Observatory on Youth Vulnerabilities through Sport, conceived and coordinated by Carmen De Gironimo, president of Emotional & More APS. The initiative, hosted at The Westin Palace Milan in collaboration with Marriott Next Gen – Marriott Business Councils North Italy, facilitated a dialogue among young people, sports organizations, and political representatives on the role of sports in addressing vulnerability.
The Observatory is part of the “Lo Sport Cura” project, sponsored by CONI, and is supported by the FIGC and the Italian Footballers’ Association, in collaboration with the FIGC’s Youth and School Sector.
Particularly meaningful was the segment dedicated to anonymous messages from young people, collected under the phrase “I feel vulnerable when…”. Maurizio Lupi, president of the Costruiamo il Futuro Foundation, emphasized the importance of accepting mistakes, noting that making mistakes does not define a person’s worth.
Vito Roberto Tisci, president of the FIGC Youth and School Sector, confirmed the commitment to supporting the research nationwide. Diana Bianchedi, deputy vice president of CONI, expressed her willingness to host the presentation of the final results in CONI’s Hall of Honor.
Paola Frassinetti, Undersecretary of Education, highlighted the educational value of the initiative, while Federica Picchi, Undersecretary for Sports and Youth for the Lombardy Region, reiterated the importance of sports as a tool for inclusion and growth.
Among the most moving testimonials was that of Marco Bartoli, a referee with a cognitive-behavioral disability, who described how sports can transform challenges into opportunities. Marco Riva, president of CONI Lombardy, drew attention to the need to listen to young people’s emotions.
“We want to transform young people’s emotions, experiences, and vulnerabilities into data for social and scientific research,” explained Carmen De Gironimo, emphasizing the goal of providing concrete tools to institutions, families, and educators.
The initiative, preceded by a symbolic match at Barona Sporting, will continue on November 30 in Bologna, the second stop on a national tour dedicated to listening to the younger generations.
