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Recently, as part of the Special Olympics European Youth Games "Adopt a Champion" fundraising efforts, a video was presented at a press conference in Milan, Italy. The Youth Games, which will attract 1,400 Special Olympics athletes from all 57 national Programs in Europe/Eurasia, will be held 30 September5 October in Rome, Italy.
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Kakā, star midfielder for AC Milan, and Special Olympics Italy's Matteo Ambrosini starred in a video to promote the European Youth Games "Adopt a Champion" fundraising efforts. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics Italy] |
The stars of the video were Kakā, the AC Milan midfielder and member of the Brazilian national football team, and Matteo Ambrosini, a Special Olympics Italy soccer (football) player. Also attending the press conference were designer Giorgio Armani, a strong Special Olympics supporter, Olympic gymnast Igor Cassina and Adriano Galliani, President of AC Milan.
"Not everyone gets a chance to play football with a champion like Kakā," said Ambrosini, who was thrilled to be on the pitch with one of his favorite players.
Adopt a Champion aims to raise funds to cover accommodations and local transportation costs for Special Olympics athletes who participate in the Youth Games. During the presentation of the video, Kakā and Armani both showed their support of Special Olympics in a generous and tangible way: Armani adopted the 63-person delegation from Ireland, and Kakā adopted the delegation from Faroe Islands.
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Left to right, Designer Giorgio Armani, Special Olympics Italy athlete Matteo Ambrosini and AC Milan's Kakā at the press event promoting Adopt a Champion. Born Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, Kakā has modeled for Armani's Emporio Armani line. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics European Youth Games Web site] |
Among the organizations that have donated to Adopt a Champion are: ABB, which adopted Special Olympics Italy's soccer (football) and basketball teams; OTIS, which adopted the delegation from Armenia; Microsoft, which adopted Special Olympics Italy's gymnastics team; the Italian Football Federation (Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio/FIGC), which adopted the Special Olympics Serbia and Montenegro's soccer (football) team; the initiative "A Christmas of Solidarity," which adopted the delegation from Kazakhstan; and the Banca Popolare di Milano, which adopted the delegation from Moldova.
On 8 February in Turin, Italy, Armani named Special Olympics the honored guest of the official re-opening of his Giorgio Armani boutique. Armani signed complimentary copies of I Can, a new publication that features photographs by Mario Vintari. Armani wrote the preface, and the book includes text written by Marco Borin, a Special Olympics Italy athlete.
In watching any sporting activity, we are involved in the struggle to excel both mentally and physically, and this inner challenge is something I admire deeply. The public is immediately transfixed by the physique of the athletes, but the secret of their inner force, of their ambition and their passion can only be read in their faces and interpreted through their expressions. The faces of the athletes of Special Olympics demand that the whole world should think differently about their true potential, said Giorgio Armani.
In 2004 Armani announced the publication of Facce da Sport/Faces of Sport, a book of photographs of athletes from around the world, including Special Olympics athletes. Faces of Sport is part of an Armani fundraising and awareness campaign on behalf of the movement; all profits from sales of the book benefit Special Olympics. I see sportsmen and women as the modern day gladiators, captivating us both on and off the field," said Armani. "In this book I have set out to record my collaborations with some of the world's most talented and exceptional athletes, among whom are several truly inspiring Special Olympics athletes.
The Special Olympics European Youth Games is one of several regional Games and competitions to take place in 2006. Visit the Regional Games page of this Web site to learn more. |
