'Sport is not only a game and a sporting competition, but also a very important tool for strengthening cooperation and promoting dialogue and diplomacy'. With these words the Italian Ambassador to Georgia Massimiliano D'Antuono concluded the celebrations in Georgia of the first edition of the Italian Sport Day.
The initiative promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to recount, through sport and its protagonists, Italian excellence, districts and industries in the sector, aroused great interest and enthusiasm in the Georgian public, thanks to the exceptional event organised by the Italian Embassy in collaboration with Sports Orient, a global marketing agency specialising in the organisation and promotion of sports events.
The protagonist of the day, which was intense and full of emotions, as stated in a note from the embassy, was a true champion and Italian pride, Luca Toni, a prominent figure who has left his mark on the history of football, who won the World Championship in 2006 and became the first Italian player to win the Scarpa d'oro. The day of 11 September began with an event dedicated to the youth component of the sport: a meeting with young Georgian players at the Inter Academy Georgia, the first to be opened in 2021 in the South Caucasus by the football club FC Internazionale Milano. The Italian football legend shared his experience with the future players and spoke about the values of commitment, dedication and passion, but also the joy that football can transmit.
The day continued with a reception at the Italian residence, where Ambassador D'Antuono hosted the former Azzurri striker, various illustrious representatives of Georgian football, entrepreneurs and sports professionals. The highlight of the day was Padel Stars, a tournament of padel, a relatively young sport that is experiencing considerable growth in Italy and also in Georgia. Together with Luca Toni, veteran Georgian footballers took to the field, including Shota Arveladze, former player of Ajax, Rangers Glasgow and AZ Alkmaar, Levan Mchedlidze, who during his career has been part of the Palermo and Empoli teams, and Jano Ananidze, considered one of the most talented Georgian midfielders of his generation.
At the end of the tournament, Ambassador D'Antuono awarded the winners and reiterated that "healthy competition, enthusiasm and passion for sport brought people of different ages and nationalities together to celebrate Italian Sport Day, an event that represents a further opportunity to celebrate the strong friendship between the two countries".
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