Sports and inclusion: The US Embassy to the Holy See and Athletica Vaticana, as of November 13, two athletes to play for young people with disabilities, vulnerable people and diplomats

From November 13 to 17, the US Embassy to the Holy See and Athletica Vaticana, the official multi-sport association of the Holy See, will welcome “Sports Envoys” Andrea Sampson and Anderson Goode, professional American padel athletes, to propose a concrete plan for an experience characterized by With authentic sporting values, including inclusion, brotherhood and solidarity.
On Tuesday 14 November, the “Villa Pamphili Padel Club” (via della Nocetta 107) will host Andrea and Anderson meetings with young people with disabilities (especially those with Down Syndrome and Autism), accompanied by the “Padelmania per il sociale” and the “We the Dolphins – Let's Learn” association of autism”), vulnerable people welcomed by Caritas Rome, students and diplomats. From 4.30pm for clinics and matches. The general audience with the Holy Father is scheduled for Wednesday 15 November. The next day, Andrea and Anderson will visit the State Institute for Specialized Education For the deaf “Magarotto”, on the outskirts of Rome, to meet deaf students in person and dialogue together on issues of inclusion, also through the passion of sports. On Friday 17 November, Andrea and Anderson, together with the “21 Luglio” association, will go to the former Fenil complex in Tor Bella Monaca: The focus of the meeting will be, in particular, on the empowerment of young women and how sport can be a real tool for social growth for the most marginalized and vulnerable communities.
“Sports Diplomacy” is an initiative of the US State Department: athletes and coaches from various sports federations cooperate with embassies and consulates around the world, to spread the culture of sports, especially among young people, as an experiment for comprehensive inclusion in compliance. With diversity. In this context, the Sports Envoy program features athletes who personally bear witness to the foundational and most authentic values ​​of sport. There are more than 300 “Sports Envoys” representing 24 different sporting disciplines, who have so far participated in this international initiative for social and cultural promotion.
The Embassy of the United States to the Holy See and Athletic Vaticana share and relaunch – through this initiative – the vision of sport proposed by Pope Francis as a tool for building bonds of friendship and solidarity between people, in the spirit of “team” and ensuring that no one is excluded or left behind. In particular, padel is an inclusive sporting experience, as evidenced by participation in the Initiative for People with Physical and Intellectual Disabilities and by people hosted at Caritas reception centers in Rome. In this way, Athletica Vaticana became an official member of the International Padel Federation.