Rethinking our cities starting from children and young people, building new living spaces and places where educational, aggregative and social inclusion processes are created is the new challenge of the Csi Reggio Calabria, made possible also thanks to the “Arianna Outside” project from the labyrinth” – writes the note., selected by the social enterprise Con i Bambini as part of the Fund to combat child educational poverty. For six weeks, starting from today, June 17, courtyards, squares and streets of Reggio Calabria will be animated and cleaned up by young people and adults in a testing regime, thanks to the “Super Santos Street League 2024” initiative, a series of basketball, volleyball and 5-a-side or 3-a-side football tournaments, which presents itself as an innovative and concrete proposal to offer an alternative to those who often seem to have no other choice than the path of crime. The network with institutions, associations and many families brings to the table an idea of participation and active citizenship that starts from urban regeneration, electing street play to an educational and social dimension, promoting change, to “hook” kids and insert them into a virtuous process that brings life and light to public spaces that would otherwise be hostage to neglect, petty crime and drug dealing. The aim of the initiative, open to children between 10 and 17 years and supported by the municipal administrator, is to set up play corners (13 spaces specifically, from San Luca to Reggio Calabria) in the streets and squares of the districts of the metropolitan city. Places and spaces that are reborn thanks to the reorganization and cleaning work of over twenty young people and adults under probation, entrusted to the Csi Reggio Calabria. Linking these two dimensions is the crucial aspect of the Csi project: minors and adults, reported by Ussm and Udepe through personalized educational and insertion projects, after the authorization of the magistrates, will be the absolute protagonists of the street education and of the trial of urban regeneration. Having committed a mistake, a crime and being able to redeem yourself by refereeing a match, cleaning up a square or guarding a public space, makes the “Super Santos” initiative a concrete example of not only urban but above all personal “regeneration”, offering the path for a new social inclusion. Csi entertainers, partner associations and managers of the Csi Reggio Calabria will be the team that will lead the sports education and street entertainment aspect. An already established working group, which for years has been alongside the many partner associations of the initiative that operate in our territories. The activities will end with the final street party, which will be held in Pellaro between 22nd and 27th July, as part of the cultural and social initiative: “Passa ‘a ball”. UNESCO has declared street gaming a world heritage site, “an intangible capital of great value”. The Csi Reggio Calabria, together with the numerous parishes, associations and sports groups that have joined the initiative, is preparing to take the field to enhance this heritage and make neighborhoods, squares and abandoned spaces suitable for children and teenagers and therefore for everyone.
