On the evening of Friday 28 June, the sectional party was held on the occasion of the assignment of the “Città di Lucca” 2024 Award, organized by the Sectional Council led by President Antonio Ruffo. The event took on a special celebratory meaning for the Lucca section, falling on its eighty-fifth “birthday” having been founded in 1939.
For this special occasion, numerous members gathered in the prestigious setting of the Chapter Room in the historic complex of the Royal College in the historic city centre. The evening was attended by the Deputy Mayor of Lucca Antonio Minniti, the Councilor for Sport Fabio Barsanti, who received referee uniforms bearing their names, the president of the FIGC Regional Committee Paolo Mangini, all the presidents of the Tuscan AIA sections, the various Tuscan colleagues involved in the national commissions and in the Technical Sector, the president of CRA Toscana, Tiziano Reni accompanied by the entire commission and the members of the AIA national committee Riccardo Camiciottoli, Luca Marconi and Katia Senesi; the rich parterre of guests was further enriched by the prestigious presence of the AIA president Carlo Pacifici.
Given the recent death of the referee director Giovanni Stevanato, president Ruffo wanted to start the evening by giving him a minute of reflection in his memory.
A video celebrating the event, which retraced various moments of association life with interviews with some managers and referees from Lucca, introduced greetings from the city authorities, focused on the importance of the referee’s role also in “society”; followed by the initial speech of President Ruffo who reiterated the need to have the support of the institutions for this sporting reality which represents the city not only at a national level but also with the most prestigious award dedicated to the “City of Lucca”, reiterating the fundamental function of this activity for the training and growth of young people. The event continued, entering the heart of the celebration, with the awarding of recognitions and prizes to the members who particularly distinguished themselves in their technical or associative activity in the past year.
Another significant moment in emotional terms for the Lucca referees was the presentation of the book of memories “Fischiando in Giacca Nera” written by the late colleague Giorgio Lunardi; his entire family was present for the occasion as a welcome guest.
The awards, for their commitment and contribution to the national prestige of the Lucca section, went to the member of CON DIL. Silvio Gemignani, to the member of CRA Toscana Riccardo Bianchi, to the members of the Technical Sector Vittorio Bini and Massimiliano Luporini and to the representative of the Legal Experts of Tuscany Michele de Francesca.
The sectional prizes were awarded to the colleagues who most distinguished themselves in their activity: Tommaso Bassetti and Gabriele Fiorillo (AE promoted to CAN D), Guido Baldassari (OA at National level) Cristiano Biagini (AE at Regional level), Edoardo Bianchi (AE emerging at Regional level), Daniele Vicari (AA distinguished at Provincial level), Danilo Gambardella (OA at National level), Anna Nanini (AE emerging at Provincial level), Federico Bertini (AE distinguished at Provincial level), Mario Landucci (OA at Provincial level).
The highlight of the celebration was significant, not only on an associative level, but also mainly on a human level: the awarding of the 2024 “Città di Lucca” prize to the CRA president, Tiziano Reni. Thanks to its work, in continuity with the recent past, Tuscany is a region that speaks a single language in associative and technical terms, providing the national commissions with numerous high-level young people, capable of distinguishing themselves in the higher categories.
The end of the official celebration coincided with the speech of the national president; Pacifici reiterated to the members how they should be proud to belong to the AIA, an association that demonstrates the solidity of its founding principles even and above all in difficult occasions such as the one represented by the current sporting context in which we are very often called to operate.
The celebrations then moved to the portico of the internal courtyard for the convivial dinner where they concluded with the cutting of the celebratory cake of the event.
