World Disability Day: the role of sports in promoting an inclusive and respectful environment

December 3 marked World Disability Day, a valuable opportunity to reflect on the value of inclusion, equal opportunities and respect for differences, and a call for collective efforts to build a more just and equitable society in which every person can feel valued, regardless of their functioning.

To celebrate this anniversary, the University of Rome “Foro Italico” organized, in collaboration with the Italian Sports Center (CSI Rome) and the Forum of Family Associations of Lazio, the meeting “University and families for an inclusive sport“. The event represented a moment of awareness and dialogue with the territory, with the aim of highlighting the fundamental role of sport in promoting social inclusion and combating all forms of discrimination.

Sports once again proved to be a universal language capable of breaking down physical, cultural and social barriers. Indeed, sport fosters mutual understanding, empathy and collaboration, becoming a bridge between different realities and an opportunity to promote respect for diversity.

The meeting emphasized the importance of building strategic alliances between families, sports clubs and institutions to make inclusion a concrete reality and not just an ideal. This collaboration aims to create a system that recognizes the universal rights of every individual, valuing the unique contribution each person can make to society.

The University of Rome Foro Italico – as pointed out in their remarks by Prof. Angela Magnanini, the Rector’s Delegate for Disability and Inclusion, organizer of the event together with Professor Saverio Giampaoli, and Dr. Tullio Zirini, head of theSpecialized Tutoring Office – has always paid special attention to the issue of disability and all forms of hardship, adopting inclusive policies and educational accessibility towards all students and students. In fact, inclusion is a process that concerns everyone and everyone, no one excluded.

With this in mind and in close continuity with the mentoring service and the work of the dean’s delegate, the Single Committee of Guarantee (CUG) promotes the culture of inclusion within the University, against all forms of discomfort or discrimination, overseeing the application of equal opportunity and anti-discrimination regulations, ensuring that every individual, regardless of his or her personal characteristics, can feel valued and respected.

The CUG is responsible for promoting initiatives and projects that encourage the participation of people with disabilities in all areas, including sports, through awareness-raising events and through a desk that is always available to collect reports, through the procedure at this link, the CUG of the University of Rome “Foro Italico” contributes to creating a more equitable working and living environment, where diversity is valued and each person has the opportunity to express his or her potential.