Parma, 15 July 2023 – ‘Always with blue,’ is Parma Calcio’s campaign for the inclusion of children with autism. The online auction has now closed on the Club’s official charity account on eBay, raising 4000 Euros, from fans, enthusiasts and collectors all over the world (there was even participation from Hong Kong).
This sum will be allocated to the Parma section of the Associazione Nazionale Genitori Soggetti Autistici (Angsa – National Association of Parents of Autistic Children), which will turn it into a ticket for its young members, who will be able to use it to support their own personal sports activities in any discipline.
On sale, for charity purposes, were Parma jerseys, with a specially dedicated patch, worn by our men’s first team and the captain’s armbands worn by Gianluigi Buffon and Nicola Valente in the Serie B match Parma–Palermo, played at the Ennio Tardini Stadium on 1 April, on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day.
That Saturday afternoon, at the Tardini, more than one hundred autistic people participated from the stands, experiencing every moment, together with 15000 spectators. About thirty of them, amongst them boys and girls, were also stars of the ceremonial entrance onto the pitch for the two teams.
It was a unique initiative, a successful challenge, which has started a concrete path of real inclusion, promoted by Parma Calcio and the Parma section of Angsa.
“Parma Calcio has played an important role for the city of Parma, raising awareness about autism and really supporting projects of sporting inclusion for boys and girls with autism. ‘Always with blue’ – commented Dania Accorsi, a mother associated with Angsa who was directly involved in this activity – is teaching us that with the right help and the necessary preparation, people with autism can also lead a full life. We have to continue working towards the same objective, a commitment that Parma Calcio will continue to give us, supporting us for the future.”
‘Always with blue,’ has, in these three months, already taken steps in this direction, because that Saturday afternoon in April should not have an end, but should be simply the beginning of a growth process. ‘Always with blue’ has thus become part of the second edition of ‘Tardini for Special’, the national event that Parma Calcio dedicates to Paralympic football, involving athletes with autism disorder who practise other sports disciplines (duathlon, triathlon and rollerblading).
‘Always with blue’ has supported and facilitated the opening to the inclusion of the Fornovo Festival of Sport, a wonderful event that has become a highlight in our area. Not forgetting Parma Calcio’s usual support for ‘Parma Facciamo Squadra’, whose fundraising this year, not by chance, was aimed at the inclusion of girls and boys.
Now, with this donation, ‘Always with blue’ will support the practice of sports for young people with autism. The journey continues.
