Antonio Decaro, ANCI President: “With this protocol, ANCI and the RCS Sport group join forces around one of the most popular sporting events in our country, the Giro d’Italia, and in support of one of the most important missions that the Mayors have given themselves: spreading bicycles as a daily means of locomotion in our cities, and as a tool for a radical change in the habits and way of moving and living of our fellow citizens. In the end, the Giro is really a journey through our municipalities, and each year it draws a route that is at the same time both a stage race among champions and a journey from one beauty of our land to another, from one territory to another promoting its diversity, features, landscapes, nature, and architectural treasures. Thanks to ANCI’s understanding with the historic organizers of the Giro, we will have a great opportunity to point to our goals: encouraging the use of light, sustainable, clean means of locomotion. Promoting healthier lifestyles, the practice of basic sports, and the habit of physical activity at all ages. Finally, suggesting new opportunities for young people to engage and work in dynamic and expanding sectors such as territorial marketing, the organization of sporting events at the local level, and that form of tourism that is becoming increasingly popular, which is cycle tourism”.
Urbano Cairo, President of RCS MediaGroup: “The protocol signed between RCS and ANCI fits perfectly within the objectives pursued by the projects to promote and narrate the story of the territory that the Giro d’Italia is carrying out with increasing strength and determination. The Corsa Rosa is to all intents and purposes a media, a multichannel platform that, thanks to its characteristics, manages to showcase the distinctive features and excellent qualities of Italy all over the World. The relationship between ANCI and Giro d’Italia will really be able to give further impetus to these goals and will be able to do so concretely and actively by making an important contribution in defining the Municipalities, the Borghi to be crossed and to be shown to all the fans in the world and by carrying out dedicated activities for the territory and the communities, with special attention to young people (as we are already doing with the Department of Youth Policies through dedicated activities such as the Youth Card)”.
Roberto Pella, ANCI deputy vice president: “The values of sport and the sustainable enhancement of the territories of Italian municipalities are two key factors for the young and future generations to start a season of public policies that focus on the requests of the youngest and on their abilities and skills in stimulating innovation and social transformation. I am extremely pleased to have promoted this memorandum of understanding on behalf of Anci with RCS Sport, which has been investing in sports for years with equal vision – thinking at the Giro d’Italia, which can only be strengthened now for the benefit of Italian municipalities. I thank Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi and the Department of Youth Policy for working together in building a structural partnership capable of producing generative impacts for communities”.
Paolo Bellino, CEO of RCS Sport: “This partnership between RCS Sport and Anci is very important for the projects it brings starting with the sharing of the territories and cities that the Giro d’Italia touches every year. I would also like to mention the participation in the Ride Green project and our Giro-E because sustainability and responsible tourism are two themes that we hold particularly close to our hearts. Italy, incredibly, if we think of the realities of extraordinary beauty and importance that we have in our territory, is still not able to generate with tourism an economic inducement equal to that of other European nations. On this, we Italians must improve, and we can do this also thanks to great sporting events as well. The Giro-E, which for several years has been telling our excellence from a different point of view, that is, giving unique experiences on pedal-assist bicycles along the route of the Giro d’Italia, will also contribute to this project. Through the ANCI team that will pedal at the Giro-E, our storytelling will also involve all the municipalities crossed. The other subject we are working on is that of young people. Events and projects such as Biciscuola and Giro Next Gen will certainly be ideal stages to have a conversation with new and perspective targets”.
