Cruzado kicks off Chievo-Peru project

“Solidarity, justice, human rights and development: these themes are not exclusive to the experts. Partnerships such as this, between an organisation of international cooperation like ProgettoMondo Mlal who have been involved for over 45 years in development programmes in Latin America and Africa, and a sports club like ChievoVerona Calcio, show that these are challenges that all of face: businesses, educators, athletes, citizens ...”.

With these words Mario Lonardi, president of the NGO ProgettoMondo Mlal, presented the three-year agreement between these two organisations at today’s press conference at the Hotel Leopardi in Verona. Also present were children and teenage workers who operate in the outskirts of Lima.

This is the reason why ChievoVerona chose the slogan: Chievo in the world – the world in Chievo – to underline just how these links between different regions and realities are nowadays a fact of life.
ChievoVerona spokesperson Minica Foti explained that the senior squad, the youth-team sector and CuoreChievo are all involved – helped by a contribution by a well-known Peruvian youth-wear brand – in promoting a nationwide fund-raising programme that will aid the improvement of facilities where youngsters can socialise and take part in educational projects in Amauta, the poorest area of the capital, which is just one area which lacks all these services and has become a virtual sem-desrt over the last 20 years.

The natural ‘godfather’ of the Chievo-Peru project is Lima-born Chievo player Rinaldo Cruzado: “This is an honour for me to take part in a project that directly concerns my own country. I’m proud – as a man and as a sportsman – to be able to support an initiative aimed at the children who, inPeru as in many other countries are victims of lack of rights. Personally I feel involved on different levels, not least as a parent myself. For me it is important that my children are aware of how different these conditions and contexts are from their own – and how lucky they are in their own lives.”
ProgettoMondo Mlal president, Lonardi added: “Projects like Chievo-Perù are solid proof that the world is changing – there go beyond local and national boundaries to provide the opportunity to demonstrate that we all count when it comes to putting rights at the centre of attention.

Chiara Bebber of ProgettoMondo Mlal who is in charge of this project detailed the various activities that they are undertaking, helped by funding from the European Union. She pointed out the strategic importance of being able to work at youth level, operating among underprivileged youngsters with activities such as football, which can help achieve a more complete personal development. “Because” she concluded, “sport is not just a game or a symbol of success – above all it is a chance to gain self-esteem, to share with other kids, to experience the sense of belonging to a group and to fight the attractions of the street and violence.”