The new #BeActive campaign is ready to start and European Sports Week 2024 is coming!
Save the date: 23-30 September.
#BeActive, the EU campaign that promotes an active and healthy lifestyle in Europe and beyond.
Panathlon Clubs always sensitive to this initiative, are invited to participate.
We are waiting for you!
“Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Sports for Women”
Panathlon International Round Table – 14 June 2024 - Agrigento
A theme strongly wanted by the late President of the Commission for Culture, Science and Education, Eugenio Guglielmino. A topic that the International Council, at the time, had welcomed very favourably, considering it an extremely topical subject and still a crucial point. The proof is that at the next Olympic Games, for the first time, athletes will be represented equally for both sexes.
Protagonists of this Consensus therefore were the women: of great depth, committed to culture, sport and politics who, with their strong and engaging testimonies, provided much food for thought.
From gender equality to the elimination of all barriers in sport, to equal treatment and respect as persons. All coordinated by Brazilian Moderator Carlos Antonio Bramante of the CCSE of PI. Lively and stimulating then was the debate that involved both the audience and those connected. Piermarco Zen-Ruffinen (CH), a member of the CCSE will write the final report. The conference, available in Italian, English and French with subtitles in the required languages, can now be viewed online in its original version.
The 51st Elective General Assembly of Panathlon International and the 22nd International Congress entitled 'Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in sports for women' took place on 14 and 15 June 2024 at the Dioscuri Bay Palace Hotel, in Agrigento, the Italian cradle of classical Greek civilisation.
The Assembly proceedings were preceded by a welcome dinner at the 'Casa Barbadoro' restaurant in the Valley of the Temples. Participants were able to taste the history enclosed in the archaeological site through some typical dishes of Agrigento cuisine.
The Ordinary General Assembly was held on Friday, preceded by a minute's silence in memory of Eugenio Guglielmino. After the video greeting by IOC President Thomas Bach, the 130 voting Clubs approved the IC's Moral Report, the Secretary General's Organisational Report and the Treasurer's Economic and Financial Report on the final balance sheet. At the same time, the Erasmus SAMF project was presented by Fabio Figueiras and the PI Ambassadors Gwenda Stevens and Barbara Rossi.
Following the IC's reasoned proposal regarding the amount of dues for the two years following the current one, a lively debate took place, which ended with the non-approval of the proposal.
The work continued in the afternoon with the Round Table, which was very successful and well attended. We will publish a special report.
Speakers were: Ekoh Karichma (FR-CMR) - Professional Handball Athlete, Raffaella Masciadri (I) - Athlete-President of the CONI Athletes Commission, Maria Luiza Souza Dias (BR) - ISCA Vice-President, Carla Spielmann (CH) - PI Expansion Commission Member, Giusy Versace (I) - Paralympic Athlete- in connection.
Moderator: Antonio Bramante. Piermarco Zen-Ruffinen will draft the conclusions.
Friday ended with a Gala Dinner preceded by the Communication Award Ceremony, presented by Past President Giacomo Santini, during which the four winners received the prizes (consisting of a laptop)
for their work.
Afterwards the collaboration agreement with the International Maxibasketball Federation was made official and was signed by its President Rubén Rodriguez Lamas, member of the Panathlon Club Buenos Aires. The Panathlon Club Agrigento signed the twinning with the Clubs of Imperia-Sanremo and Mestre.
During the evening there have been many moments of emotion and thanks addressed both by the President and the outgoing Board. Finally, Past President Pierre Zappelli received the Domenico Chiesa Award from the outgoing Board members, presented to him by Vice President of the Foundation Enrico Prandi.
On the morning of Saturday 15 June, the discussion was resumed on the approval of the budget for the biennium 2025/2026 (which had been suspended the previous day due to the protracted work). The Assembly decided to postpone this item to a future Assembly, to be held online, to be convened by the new IB.
The General Elective Assembly saw the conclusion of the term of President Pierre Zappelli, who led the Movement for eight years.
The 184 voting Clubs expressed their preference following the presentation of three candidates: Giorgio Chinellato, Leno Chisci and Paul Standaert.
The first vote led to a runoff between Giorgio Chinellato and Paul Standaert and then to the election of the International President: the former International Board Member, Giorgio Chinellato won with 121 preferences.
The voting for the International Board members then took place, which was composed as follows: Carlos De Leon, Christian Garrabos, Fabiano Gerevini Stefano Giulieri, Luigi Innocenzi, Antonio Laganà, Gianpaolo Milan e Paolo Perin. After the first International Board meeting, the two Vice Presidents were elected: Stefano Giulieri - Deputy Vice President and Luigi Innocenzi - Vice President. Simona Callo was confirmed in the role of Secretary General.
Permanent members of the Auditors' Board were confirmed with the election of Giuseppe Ravasi, Andrea Sbardellati and Marino Albani, flanked by substitute members Nicola Fiore and Gabriela Loor Lopez.
The Constitution and Arbitration Board saw the confirmation of Sandro Carlo Fagiolino and Riccardo Galassi and the election of Rubén Rodriguez Lamas as full members. Substitute members: Franco Fähndrich and Adolfo Maiello.
To the newly elected members, warmest congratulations and best wishes for a good job!
Heartfelt thanks to the President of Agrigento Pasquale Mauro, to Past-President Gerlando Amato and to Governor Roberto Pregadio who provided invaluable assistance throughout the organisation of the events, to the members of the Verification of Credentials and to the Scrutineers who collaborated in the admission and counting of votes and to Marcello Tornatore of the Panathlon Club Caltanissetta as Secretary of the Assembly.
The events were held under the patronage of: Municipality of Agrigento, Sicily Region Department of Tourism, Sport and Entertainment, Regional Assembly of Sicily, Agrigento, Italian Capital of Culture 2025, Free Municipal Consortium of Agrigento, Chamber of Commerce Agrigento, The Valley of the Temples Park Agrigento, Fijet.
As of June 12th, “Panathlon Day” will be celebrated all over the world. An initiative promoted to remember that on June 12th, 1951, this sports volunteer organization was born in Venice.
On the 73 anniversary of Foundation Day, we invite all clubs to promote initiatives and events to celebrate this special day and to remember what values Panathlon was founded on: friendship, sporting ethics, passion, and fair play.
Hotel Dioscuri - Agrigento
The works of the 51st Ordinary General Assembly will begin on Friday 14 June from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. After the greetings of the Authorities, the Reports for the biennium 2022/2023 will be discussed.
Below you will find the link to connect
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88293509816?pwd=ExxkBgaTAR6G57ixKpQbKTgkbnvzxd.1
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The Ordinary Elective General Assembly for the Election of International Offices will be held on Saturday 15 June, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Below you will find the link to connect
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87932087120?pwd=2n9xNfUJxnBpWyQDhrkoEXsQfU45Hf.1
14 June is approaching! Don't miss our Round Table: "Diversity, equity, and inclusion in sport for women" at the Hotel Dioscuri in Agrigento.
The event will be held both in-person and online with translations in Italian, English and French and the possibility, for those who connect, to read the subtitles (generated with AI) in all languages.
To access and ask questions (chat only), you can register in advance by sending your email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Below you will find the link to connect
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86722764041?pwd=3a3dRFRhSg4cv5yaQaXbaYzKugQPjF.1
We look forward to seeing you there to share and discuss together this topical and important issue.
It has been formalised the cooperation agreement between Panathlon International and International Dart Federation, that is the sport that in common slang is called “darts”. In Bolzano, during the Italian Championships, selection for the World Championships, the Past President Giacomo Santini, acting on delegation of President Zappelli, signed the official document that constitutes a ‘declaration of intent for the launch of a joint venture’.
The event took place under the direction of IDF CEO Marco Tomasini and in the presence of numerous national and regional presidents and guests from different parts of the world.
The sport, in fact, has an extraordinary spread in terms of numbers of subscribers and participants at crowded events, such as the one in Bolzano. While the agreement was being signed, over four thousand players were competing in the halls of the Bolzano Fairgrounds.
The signed document emphasises the many ethical similarities between Panathlon and the IDF, especially about fair play during competitions, which are very animated.
Particularly significant are the chapters highlighting the rejection of all doping practices, forms of racism, violence, and discrimination based on gender and skin colour.
On the other hand, the commitment to openness to all and to the inclusion also of those who suffer from forms of psychophysical disadvantage is emphasised.
The planning of the joint venture includes forms of cooperation in both sports and cultural events with seminars inspired by common values.
From 8 to 12 May, Larnaca, Cyprus, hosted the international training course "Youth in Action", organised by ENGSO Youth. The event brought together 25 young representatives, including Matilda Tommasi, President of Panathlon Club Junior Trieste Muggia, representing Panathlon International. The initiative, supported by the Council of Europe through the European Youth Foundation, aimed at promoting meaningful and effective youth participation in sports organisations.
ENGSO Youth: A Movement for Youth in Sport
ENGSO Youth, established in 2002 as an independent youth arm of the European Sports NGO (ENGSO), brings together young sports leaders under the age of 35 from over 30 countries, giving a voice to the youth sports sector across Europe. This coalition aims to bridge the gap between youth participation in the fields of youth and sport, which is essential for the formation of democratic and inclusive societies.
An Event Rich in Content and Perspectives
During the event, participants discussed sports governance and mechanisms to facilitate greater youth inclusion. Among the keynote speeches, Cristiana Xenofontos, Vice-President of the European Youth Forum, and Christina Yiannapi, Secretary General of the Cyprus Youth Council, emphasised the motto 'Youthless policy is a useless policy', describing the work of the European Youth Forum and the Council of Europe in promoting youth rights.
Day two saw a focus on human rights and good sports governance, with participants sharing their experiences, enriching the debate with different perspectives. Day three was dedicated to advocacy, with discussions on effective tools and strategies. Participants also visited Nicosia to meet Stephanie from United Sports Cyprus, an organisation that uses sport to unite diverse communities and promote dialogue and peace.
Strategies and Mechanisms for Youth Participation
The last day was dedicated to creating strategies to improve youth participation in sports organisations. The participants, divided into groups, developed proposals for new mechanisms for youth inclusion at various levels and presented them in the final session of the event.
Matilda Tommasi expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to represent Panathlon International, underlining the importance of the experiences shared during the event: "It was a privilege for me to represent Panathlon International as President of Panathlon Junior Club Trieste Muggia, combining my experience as an athlete with an active role in youth advocacy. Thanks to the inspiring experiences shared by the participants, I widened my knowledge about sports organisations, from the local to the international dimension. These days have enriched me enormously. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute to the debate on improving youth participation in decision-making and the rights of emerging athletes.
I am ready to share my experience with the young members of Club Trieste Muggia and Panathlon International, and to take forward the ideas formulated during the event also in the Panathlon Club Junior Trieste Muggia."
The 'Youth in Action' event represented a significant step towards greater youth inclusion and participation in the European sporting world, tracing the way for future initiatives and collaborations.
The President's Committee and the District Presidents’ Committee were held online on 16 May.
Among the topics discussed by the PC were the activities carried out by the President and the General Secretariat, including
- the organisation of the Round Table together with the Cultural Commission of PI,
- the participation and contacts made during the SAMF final event in Lisbon,
- the contacts with the IOC,
- the relations with ENGSO for the participation of the President of the Club Trieste Jr in the event in Cyprus,
- the next EPAS meeting in Strasbourg to be attended by President Pierre Zappelli,
- the SportAccord meeting in Birmingham attended by the International President,
- the meetings held for the AIOS association,
- the PI's plans for the next Olympics as well as the report of the 'PI-Domenico Chiesa' Foundation on-line meeting.
The District Presidents' Committee was organised online to fulfil their request to meet at least twice a year to make it easier for newly elected and confirmed presidents to get to know each other.
All were present except the Presidents of Austria and Ecuador, both for justified reasons.
During the meeting, which was translated into Italian, English, French and Spanish, after a brief introduction by the President and the Secretary General, the discussion focused on the Treasurer's report, which explained and illustrated the reasons that led the International Board to propose an increase in PI membership fees. The proposal will be presented and voted on in Agrigento during the General Assembly. Some District Presidents expressed the economic difficulties of their countries.
The PC expressed its full understanding but underlined that the proposed increase is a little more than 1 euro per month (maximum increase) and it is necessary to allow Panathlon International to successfully continue its international activity and to disseminate its values in the world, hoping that the all District Presidents, who are familiar with the activity carried out by PI, can support this proposal to the Clubs
Reggio Emilia, 4th of May 2024
Ms. Marina Chiesa and the director of the Palazzo Magnani Foundation, Mr. Davide Zanichelli, following an introduction by Enrico Prandi, inaugurated the exhibition of the 30 finalist works exhibited at the UNIMORE University, attended by the director of the Foundation for Sport of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Silvia Signorelli, as well as panathletes from the Club of Reggio Emilia and other visitors, including the author of one of the podium photographs.
A few hours later, a small square in the historic centre of Emilia hosted the awards ceremony of the Off Circuit of FOTOGRAFIA EUROPEA. In front of a large audience attracted by the music of a youth band, Maurizio Monego gave a short presentation of Panathlon and the Domenico Chiesa Foundation while images of the exhibition were scrolling on a screen.
The winners were called on stage in this order:
Honourable Mention to GORONDI GABOR (Argentina) - not present - for an untitled photograph, which is a composition with three subjects plunging into the ocean water, placed like an arrowhead heading towards the sun disc hiding behind the horizon.
Honourable Mention to LEONARDO DEMARCO (Rieti, Italy - his father received the parchment) for the photograph FIOCCHI DI FATICA, an image that clearly portrays the effort and determination of young people in participating in a race under heavy snowfall.
PANATHLON CLUB SPECIAL PRIZE to SUDIP MAITI (Kolkata - INDIA), for the photograph FAIR PLAY, a well-constructed image: a child playing with shadows of his companions, the ball and its shadow in the centre of the image. The smile of the child reaching out to catch the ball makes the composition a scene of pure joy, interpreting the nature of playing and thus the nature of sport.
On the podium of the final winners, while the screen projected their works, the following names have been proclaimed:
3rd SUDIP MAITI (India): the plaques of the third place, the Panathlon Club Award, and the Catalogue of the Exhibition of EUROPEAN PHOTOGRAPHY will be sent to India to the young author, who has been credited with the 750-euros scholarship.
2nd MATTEO STRASSERA (Rome - Italy) for the photograph AQUATIC SPORTS, an image of two surfers, shot from a drone, in a game that exploits the hidden force of a wave they are riding skilfully. "I looked for the shot when I first started using the drone, and I chose this photograph for the geometries constructed by shooting from above," Matteo commented in the brief interview with him. To him the applause of the square and the 1,000 euros scholarship.
1st CHIARA SACCO (Vercelli - Italy) for the photograph SPIRITUAL ELEVATION, in which the nature represented by the tree and the athletic gesture of the dancer harmoniously merge, reminding us how our existences are closely connected to nature. Chiara is a street dance teacher and a passionate photographer. "The dancer is a friend who is a ballet dancer," she revealed, " I superimposed her image on a photograph taken in the park, as I did not have the time to take it live. Chiara received the prize consisting of a plaque and a scholarship of 1,500 euros.
GORONDI GABOR (Argentina) LEONARDO DEMARCO (Rieti, Italia)
CHIARA SACCO (Vercelli - Italia)
MATTEO STRASSERA (Roma - Italia)
SUDIP MAITI (India)
