FSGC Business Team: inclusion between sport and work

In parallel with the week of international fixtures hosted at the San Marino Stadium, the FSGC also developed a series of activities and initiatives aimed at promoting the theme of inclusion in the social, corporate and sporting spheres. Directly linked to the CAFE Week of Action, to which the San Marino Football Federation has long adhered, the range of proposals for FSGC stakeholders was as broad and varied as possible. Alongside the Fan Village "Campo aperto", which combined entertainment tailored to the many youngsters in attendance with moments of reflection and engagement on the subject of social inclusion, it was the latest edition of the FSGC Business Team that placed the spotlight firmly on this important issue. The B2B event, which the Federation has been staging for some months now in conjunction with the National Team’s home fixtures, had social inclusion as its central focus, explored within the framework of a team – whether in sport or in the workplace. A fundamental objective for the FSGC, this was developed for the benefit of its partners through contributions from speakers sharing their own experiences. “We felt it was important to help our stakeholders understand how decisive this element, and the value associated with it, can also be in social and working contexts,” emphasised Andrea Nardoni, Head of Marketing and Commercial. Exceptionally held in the San Marino Stadium Press Room on Sunday 24 March at 18:30, the event opened with a talk from Fabio Lepri, Disability Manager for FSGC. In presenting the Football is Inclusion project to those present, he underlined how sport can – almost naturally – foster inclusion. In particular, he highlighted how this experience is also a valuable tool for young people without neuromotor impairments, helping them to gain a better understanding of the world, including within the activities in which they are involved. This is because they are encouraged to take the initiative and look for new and different solutions capable of involving everyone. ©FSGC Equally significant was the contribution of Barbara Frisoni, President of San Marino Special Olympics, who spoke about her commitment within and on behalf of San Marino sport and about how sport should be seen as a powerful catalyst and stimulus for all. Offering the perspective of an athlete was Federico Alessandrini, one of the leading figures in San Marino’s Special sport scene. Reflecting on the term “disability”, which is often used inappropriately, he also recounted the difficulties he feels called upon to face on a daily basis, offering those present a deeply moving and genuinely emotional testimony. They were followed by Maurizio Ceccoli and Paolo Canarezza, who in a shared speech described the active collaboration between the Cooperativa sociale In Volo and Barbò, outlining in detail the activities of engagement and inclusion in the working and professional environment for people with disabilities. After sharing some statistics that highlighted the quality of the project, they stressed the goal of talking less and less about inclusion. This would mean that inclusion has been fully achieved and has become part – as it should – of everyday normality. In this sense, it was important for FSGC partners to understand what it means to approach work through their vision and why, in today’s world, it is essential to move beyond this perspective. The determination shown by young people with disabilities, and their ability to manage complex problems because nothing intimidates them, was contrasted with the observed tendency of the younger generations to display a weaker connection with the world of work. “This was certainly one of the finest workshops organised by the San Marino Football Federation so far; I was truly moved and it is difficult to describe just how wonderful the words of Federico Alessandrini were,” commented Andrea Nardoni. “We showed our partners what the FSGC is also doing in this direction and, probably, the best part of who we are. Overall, I am convinced that this format is genuinely bringing value to the Federation’s activities and to its partners, offering them valuable opportunities for sharing.”

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