An event organised by the Consulate General of Italy was held on the sidelines of the Women’s Epee World Cup in Barcelona, entitled “Lo Sport e la Scherma. Un affondo per il future” (Sport and Fencing. A Lunge for the Future). The initiative was developed together with the European, Italian, Spanish and Catalan Fencing Federations and is part of the “La bellezza in un gesto” project, which was launched last year by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and CONI to promote the image of Italy abroad through sports, fencing in particular.
The event was opened by the Italian Consul General, Emanuele Manzitti, who emphasised the leitmotif of the initiative, namely “the combination of sports, social inclusion, gender equality, sustainability”, but also food and the Mediterranean diet – all topics of major interest, especially for the younger generations and the future of our societies. Manzitti also emphasised the strategic value of sports for Italy as an “ideal medium for presenting a cutting-edge image of Italy and its assets, including technological ones”. Finally, the Consul General recalled the upcoming events that will see Italy as a protagonist at world level: the Milan-Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2026, the Ryder Cup in Rome, and the World Fencing Championships in Milan in 2023.
The event, which took place at the National Institute for Physical Education of Catalonia, was attended by Giorgio Scarso, President of the European Fencing Confederation; Paolo Azzi, President of the Italian Fencing Federation; Josè Luis Abajo Gòmez, President of the Spanish Federation; Miquel Ojeda Ciurana, President of the Catalan Federation; and champions Mara Navarria, Rossella Fiamingo and Alberta Santuccio, who held an interactive session with the audience.
Lastly, the event featured two students from the Italian School of Barcelona who spoke about their experience and the role fencing has played in their growth and training. Middle school students also participated in a graphic design competition run by the School, and their drawings were exhibited during the conference. The awards were presented by the three champions.
