Initially not foreseen by the HOSPITALITY project and added a few months ago after obtaining an extension of 6 months, the meeting that took place on September 16 in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv was certainly one of the most stimulating so far addressed. “On this occasion, visiting two different structures that deal with boys and girls with disabilities, it was particularly interesting to hear the methods of approach to teaching and integration. It is only since 2017, in fact, that the Reform of the School System allows children and young people with mild and / or moderate disabilities to attend Schools together with able-bodied peers “, underlined Roberto Rinaldi, president of the leading association of HOSPITALITY, MeetLab . A project that since its first conception has made the integration and well-being of people with disabilities its fulcrum: HOSPITALITY, in fact, intends to encourage and promote the participation in the physical activities of these subjects – with intellectual disabilities and with personality disorders – through gentle gymnastics courses accompanied by a conclusion of mindfulness meditation. “The term mindfulness means awareness, and it is precisely what we have tried to convey to these people: awareness of oneself, paying attention to reality in the present moment, thus leading to develop greater confidence in one’s self” explained one of the instructors instead. who took part in the project. But that’s not all, because HOSPITALITY also intends to design and implement a study that allows to collect data and strengthen a cooperation network between the partners participating in the project, so that the members and associations of each region can exploit the synergies and exchanges. products. In addition to MeetLab, the UISP Committee Ciriè Settimo Chivasso was also among the project partners, who during the meeting in Plovdiv was represented by the president Ferruccio Valzano and the vice-president Lisa Sella. “Comparing with the other partners was a very enriching experience. As a Committee we are happy to have taken part in this project, also because the integration and elimination of all forms of discrimination are cornerstones of the UISP “reiterated Valzano, without forgetting to highlight the many difficulties that the project has suffered. cause of the CoVid-19 pandemic. HOSPITALITY was initially supposed to end in June 2022, but obtained from the European Commission an extension of another 6 months, since the strict rules in force, not only in Italy, have slowed down the use of the courses. In the meeting held in Plovdiv, the situation was also taken stock of the activities carried out by the various partners involved where we find, in addition to MeetLab and the UISP Ciriè Settimo Chivasso Committee, the Courage Foundation associations – from Bulgaria – Rijeka Sport – from Croatia – and Scout Society – from Romania. The latter in particular also announced that it had found additional funds to continue the courses. A final meeting will be held in Italy, specifically in Borgaro Torinese, on 25 and 26 October, with an invitation to the city authorities for the presentation and dissemination of the project results. In addition, in these months, the partners will have to deal with the development of the videos and chapters that will form the Manual of Good Practices that will later be disseminated in Europe.
HOSPITALITY: interesting meeting in Plovdiv
