Flooding, Barilla Group's support for Emilia-Romagna: 1 million euros to rebuild sports centres for children and young people in the Ravenna area
6 June 2023
Parma, 06 June 2023 – Reconstruction after the floods in the Romagna municipalities of Conselice and Sant’Agata sul Santerno, among the most seriously affected by the emergency, has restarted with work on the infrastructure for children and young people. With funding of 1 million euros for the Civil Defense Authority, the Barilla Group will restore the opportunity for children and young people to engage in sports all year round, thanks to the reconstruction of various facilities for young people to socialize and get involved, including the sports center Sant'Agata sul Santerno and the sports fields in Conselice. Any remaining part of the donation will be allocated to other work identified by the Civil Defense Authority.
The work has been defined in agreement with the Civil Protection Authority, the municipal administrations and the Emilia-Romagna Region and is made possible by a memorandum of understanding with the Civil Protection Authority.
This initiative is a new concrete gesture by Barilla, which has intervened in the affected areas, since the early stages of the emergency, with its Mobile Emergency Column: a team of Civil Defense volunteers, including company employees who, supported by a food truck, have offered food, solidarity and relief in the flooded areas.
“Barilla was born in Emilia-Romagna and is deeply grateful to this area and its people for the great results it has been able to achieve throughout its long history. This another reason why being close to the community in times of need is an important part of Barilla's mission as an Italian company”, said Luca Barilla, Vice-Chairman of the Barilla Group.
The flood completely overwhelmed the sports center in Sant'Agata, requiring total replacement of the floor and reconstruction of the electrical and heating systems before it could be used again. The sports facilities and multipurpose fields of Conselice were also flooded with mud and will need to be completely restored. Both sports facilities are connected to the school campuses and are important meeting and leisure venues for young people which, thanks to Barilla's interventions, will not be lost.
GIOCAMPUS SUMMER ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE FOR KIDS IN PARMA
A collaboration with the Giocampus Estate project will also be activated in the coming weeks. In particular, the girls and boys of the two municipalities will be able to access the Giocampus Estate facilities in Parma, which will allow them to spend one or more weeks “on the move”, in complete safety and in the open air. From juggling to football, rugby to art and even food tasting, taking care of the environment with specific educational and training activities. All of this will be possible thanks support from Barilla.
MIRANDOLA AND SAN DEMETRIO NE' VESTINI: BARILLA'S COMMITMENT TO RECONSTRUCTION IN EMILIA AND ABRUZZO
The work in Sant'Agata sul Santerno and Conselice follows on from other reconstruction work carried out in the past by the Barilla Group. In 2009, the Company funded the reconstruction, less than 100 days after the earthquake, of the school and sports complex of San Demetrio Nè Vestini, the first school to reopen its doors in the hinterland of L'Aquila, allowing children to start the school year as normal.
Barilla also helped finance the reconstruction of a new school in Mirandola (Modena), built from scratch in place of the old building demolished due to damage caused by the 2012 Emilia earthquake.
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