Approximately eighty young people from Bulgaria and Romania will participate in the initiative on integration through sport promoted by the UISP Territorial Committee of Ciriè Settimo Chivasso, which will be held until June 18, including representatives of the Roma ethnic group.
All the international partners were present with its representatives: for the Courage Foundation in Plovdiv (Bulgaria), Lucia Veleva; for the National Rome Center Saint George in Sofia (Bulgaria), Georgi Bogdanov; for ISCA, International Sport and Cultural Association (Denmark), Suell Stiven Osmani; for the sports association for all of the counties of Ilfov and Suceava (Romania), Doru Trasca and Mihai Androhovici.
The IRIS project – International Roma Integration Through Sport – is funded by the European Union and includes a series of initiatives and meetings between Romania, Bulgaria and Italy, organized by the Committee of Ciriè Settimo Chiasso, leader of the project, and other international partners and has the goal of fostering Roma integration through sports.
In the week between 13 and 18 June, the UISP organized a series of sporting and cultural initiatives, accompanied by moments of debate and reflection between Turin, Ciriè, Borgaro and the Lanzo Valleys, aimed at promoting social relations and fighting racism through sharing of meaningful experiences and confrontation.
“Sport is a very strong tool of integration, because through it young and less young people can learn respect for others and rules. In this spirit we have given life to the Iris project” commented Roberto Rinaldi.