Inclusion: the best practices

The first conference on inclusivity organised by the Barcolana with Unicredit, Società Triestina della Vela, FIV's Parasailing Academy, and World Sailing brought to attention a lot of topics and tools to improve inclusion in water sports, starting from the Paralympics. At the conference in Trieste, World Sailing – the International Sailing Federation – strongly reiterated its commitment to reintegrate sailing into the Paralympic sports. “Sailing is a sport that should have no limits. Our goal is to reintegrate it into the Paralympic Games, removing all obstacles and creating opportunities for everyone. Everyone must be on that boat with their weaknesses and strengths,” said Hanna Stodel, Para World Sailing Manager. “Our goal,” said Mitja Gialuz, President of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano (SVBG, Sailing Club of Barcola and Grignano), “was precisely to bring attention to the topic of the Paralympics and to work together towards this goal. This conference showed how much is still to be done and how much we all have to work to do it, but it also gave us precious experiences of active inclusiveness that are a huge source of inspiration.” Among the speakers was also Alberto Maiolo, Provincial Commander of Trieste’s Firefighters Corps, who discussed the Corps' initiatives to ensure safety in sporting activities for people with disabilities. “Since 2002 we have been following a path of inclusion in the management of emergencies, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their abilities, can safely take part in the activities,” he added.

Pınar Coşkuner Genç, Vice President of Eurosaf, then explained how Parasailing, which initially had not been recognised in Turkey, has become a way towards inclusion for athletes from all over the world. “The Parasailing Academy has introduced sailing to places where it was previously unknown, providing boats and our means so that people who had never tried this sport could have this opportunity,” said Fabio Colella, FIV’s Parasailing Representative. “It is not just about competing, but also about passing down values and eradicating prejudice.”

Renzo Chervatin, Unicredit's Head of Development for the North-Eastern Territories and Barcolana Parasailing’s partner, also took part in the event, highlighting how sports can be powerful tools for social inclusion. Chervatin emphasised that Unicredit has always supported initiatives of this kind. “We have signed an agreement with the Italian Sailing Federation to support projects related to Parasailing because we firmly believe that sports should be accessible to everyone,” he said.

Pantathlon asd with President Andrea Ceccotti, Duino 45 with President Dario Danese, and Lignano's Tiliaventum with Daniele Passoni were also present to tell about the associations’ sporting and social commitment to the local area.

The conference included the touching experiences of some Paralympic athletes. Marco Frank, a rowing athlete who took part in the Paris 2024 Games, talked about the ‘sporting rebirth’ he experienced after a serious accident. “After my motorbike accident, I thought I would never again be able to experience the feeling that is offered by the sea. But thanks to the support of the Firefighters Corps and the Federation, I managed to get back onto the boat and achieve new goals, including my participation in the Paris Games,” he said.