It is a social emergency for young people Napoli has been experiencing these last few months. Murders, fights, baby gangs, abandoned minors and guns available in every corner of Naples. To discuss this and how a levee can be created, the Panathlon Club of Naples promoted by President Alfonso Pepecalled two pieces of 90 in the fight against deviance thanks to the conference “Judo: the fight… against degradation”, Sport, Discipline and Education for our kids. Pino Maddaloni, Olympian in Sydney and Don Luigi Merola with his association “’A Voce d’ ‘e Creature”at the same table to talk about kids and what can be done for them.
In caring for its territory Maddaloni he has brilliantly taken up his father’s legacy which for many years in Scampìa has offered the children of the area an unparalleled social service, introducing them to sporting activity and at the same time diverting them from the degradation and bad company that too often afflict our suburbs.
Maddaloni first briefly mentioned his life that began right there in the sails, then his sporting career, always in that neighborhood.
«I was a victim of blind bullying by my peers – he said – over the years I have managed to become a positive example for them and even a model whose friendship they can boast.” The path undertaken in sport, then continued in the Police in Fiamme Oro Sports Groupthe desire to live in Naples and in turn become a teacher of young people, “are a beautiful example of how Sport, the real one, made up of commitment, perseverance, as well as competitive spirit, fun and personal satisfaction, can lead to a life to be lived positively at 360 degrees, filled with priceless moral satisfactions.” The words of the president of the Neapolitan Panathlon Alfonso Pepe.
After him another important testimony, that of Don Luigi Merolawho for many years has been fighting for kids with great commitment, not in the gym but with his Association “’A Voce d’ ‘e Creature”, an often tough fight to defend those little ones who had the sole fault of being born in environments permeated by the culture of delinquency or simply illegality, with the difficult mission of protecting them from the many dangers that surround them and which could lead them to get lost, but often also from themselves due to unhappy family traditions. His story can be summarized in one sentence for all, which explains to his protégés which path not to follow: “guys, malavita means a bad life, that is, a bad life, terrible to live for those who choose it”.
The occasion was propitious to carry out one fundraising for the Don Luigi Association which was matched by the offering to all those present of very nice Christmas baubles decorated by the boys themselves.
In addition to the Club members, the evening saw the participation of a very large number of participants, among them the National Vice President of Panathlon Francesco Schilirò, the Governor of the Area Paolo Santulli and representatives of other associations including Renato Silvestre, President of the Accademia del Peperoncino who then started the subsequent convivial.
Panathlon is a Service Club in the sports field expressed by an international movement present throughout the world for the promotion and diffusion of sports culture and ethics, according to the official recognition of the IOC. It aims to deepen, disseminate and defend the values of sport understood as a tool for training and valorisation of the person, a vehicle of solidarity between men and peoples. Its motto “Ludis Iungit”, that is, united in sport, summarizes its spirit
