Sport is fun and promotes a healthy lifestyle, but it's also a moment for learning and social interaction, a social arena where young people can develop their personalities and build relationships with peers and adults. For this reason, AC Milan, Fondazione Milan, and the Metropolitan City of Milan, in collaboration with the Office of the Italian Prime Minister – Department for Equal Opportunities, have chosen the universal values of sport to raise awareness of inclusivity and respect among hundreds of young people on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
This morning, over 350 students from the professional training centers of Afol metropolitana took part in a special session of "All the Colors of Sport," a program of meetings with AC Milan ambassadors aimed at fostering dialogue with younger generations on issues of values for the dissemination of a culture of tolerance and inclusivity. After opening remarks by Diana Alessandra De Marchi, Councilor responsible for Employment Policies, Social Policies, and Equal Opportunities of the Metropolitan City of Milan, at the Auditorium Enzo Tortora in via Soderini, students had the opportunity to engage with AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori, born in Canada to Nigerian parents and raised in England, the country he chose to represent internationally, and Tommaso Pobega, a midfielder who came up through AC Milan's youth system and returned to the Club after stints with various Italian teams. In addition to answering questions from the young audience, the players also responded to those from journalist, commentator, and TV and radio host Pierluigi Pardo, who moderated the session and is one of the most recognizable voices – and faces – in Italian sports journalism, working with DAZN and the entire Italian sports media.
In the setting of Palazzo Isimbardi, the institutional headquarters of the Metropolitan City of Milan, the initiative will continue this afternoon with the meeting "Training Equality, Saying NO to Discrimination." Alongside Councilor De Marchi, Mattia Peradotto, General Director of the National Office against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) of the Office of the Italian Prime Minister, will kick off the event, followed by speeches from Susanna Galli, head of the Social Training Service, Third Sector, and Equal Opportunities and UNAR contact, Pier Paolo Casarin, philosopher, professor, and trainer, and Rocco Giorgianni, Secretary General of Fondazione Milan, who will address the theme of inclusion through sports through the twenty-year experience of the charity associated with the Rossoneri family. Subsequently, representatives from local organizations that promote sports activities alongside fundamental values of inclusion and anti-discrimination, such as A.S.D. Bimbe nel Pallone Scuola Calcio Femminile, No League, St’Ambroeus FC, PlayMore!, CUS Milano Rugby, Sanga Milano, Accademia Scherma Milano SSD, and Peacox Basket Milano, will take the stage. The event will conclude with testimonials from Fondazione Conad ETS and Fispes.
Giorgio Furlani, CEO of AC Milan, stated: "Building a more respectful and inclusive society must necessarily begin with raising awareness and involving younger generations. As a social and cultural institution, with over 500 million fans worldwide, we feel the responsibility to contribute to the education of tomorrow's citizens so that they can build a better future day by day. We are happy to have collaborated with the Metropolitan City of Milan and the Office of the Italian Prime Minister to convey important messages to hundreds of students."
Fikayo Tomori, AC Milan defender: "Within a football locker room, multiculturalism is breathed every day. It is a place of sharing and respect, where differences among individuals become unique characteristics to serve the group, a wealth and added value. Discussing these issues with students is very important to contribute to change: racism is an educational issue."
His teammate Tommaso Pobega added: "Seeing our Club and our Foundation always attentive to important issues such as discrimination makes us increasingly proud to wear these colors. We know that, as footballers, we have the opportunity to be heard by young people, so we are happy to have occasions for discussion and listening like today's."
Diana De Marchi, Councilor responsible for Employment Policies, Social Policies, and Equal Opportunities of the Metropolitan City of Milan: "We strongly believed in organizing this event, on this day, in this way: involving students actively on the theme of combating discrimination is a concrete way to build, together, a more inclusive and egalitarian society. I thank all the partners of this initiative, and I am certain that today's discussion will be a further stimulus for reflection and concrete commitment for our young audience."
The "All the Colors of Sport" program is part of AC Milan's RespAct Manifesto for equity, diversity, and inclusion, which summarizes the vision and concrete initiatives promoted by the Rossoneri Club to substantiate its commitment to sharing positive values of sports and combating all forms of prejudice and discrimination. In particular, the program falls under the Education pillar, which aims to contribute to the ongoing process of knowledge and awareness in the school system to enable students in Milan, Italy, and worldwide to recognize relevant issues and equip themselves with the tools needed to address them effectively.
Source: AC Milan
