AIC Lombardia in Varese: gluten-free sport and Pulciniadi

Context

TL;DR

• AIC Lombardia in Varese from October 23 to 25
• Information desk and gluten-free refreshments at the Estensi Gardens
• About 450 children at the Pulciniadi

Key facts

• Who → AIC Lombardia APS
• When → from October 23 to 25
• Events → Varese CityRun and Pulciniadi
• Desk → Giardini Estensi
• Pulciniadi → approximately 450 children from preschools in Varese and the province

Between October 23 and 25, AIC Lombardia APS will propose two initiatives in Varese to promote awareness of celiac disease and inclusion: the Sport Project at Varese CityRun and an activity at Pulciniadi, with the participation of approximately 450 children from preschools in Varese and the province.

Two initiatives in Varese

The proposal combines support for people with celiac disease during a sporting event with an educational activity aimed at young children. For CityRun, AIC Lombardia will be at Giardini Estensi with an information desk. At Pulciniadi, instead, it will offer a path to learning about celiac disease built around a fairy tale and materials designed for a child audience.

The association's initiative therefore unfolds on two distinct levels, but linked by the same objective: making inclusion more concrete. On the one hand, there is attention to the needs of athletes who must follow a gluten-free diet; on the other, there is work with children, who are called upon to better understand the needs of their classmates with celiac disease and the value of respecting differences.

The presence in Varese concerns not only the dissemination of information. The program combines a service intended to support participation in the sporting event with an educational moment in preschools. In this way, AIC Lombardia brings the issue of celiac disease into two places of collective life, sport and school, without separating it from food safety and social inclusion.

The sporting component will focus on contact with those who want to learn more about celiac disease and on the needs of athletes with celiac disease. The one at Pulciniadi, on the other hand, will be aimed at children, using language appropriate to their age. This is the structure of the two initiatives announced by the association for the days from October 23 to 25.

Operational details

The CityRun and support for athletes

At the Varese CityRun, AIC Lombardia will be present at the Estensi Gardens with an information desk. It will be the place to turn to for more information about issues related to celiac disease and the needs of people who must follow a gluten-free diet.

The presence will not be solely informational. Thanks to the Progetto Sport, athletes with celiac disease will be able to reserve refreshment bags with gluten-free products. The source specifies that the bags may also contain products from local businesses, an element that connects the association's service to the local reality of the event.

The refreshments are intended to allow everyone to take part in the CityRun with greater peace of mind and with the necessary attention to food safety. For those who must follow a gluten-free diet, the organization of a dedicated area and the possibility of reserving a specific bag accompany participation in the event.

An information desk, a service for participation

The desk at the Estensi Gardens will offer an opportunity to learn more about aspects related to celiac disease, while the Progetto Sport will add a concrete response to the needs of athletes with celiac disease. They are two different functions of the same presence: on the one hand, information; on the other, refreshments with gluten-free products.

With this presence, AIC Lombardia aims to ensure that sporting events take into account the needs of people with celiac disease and are accessible to everyone. Participation in the Varese CityRun is thus accompanied by the promotion of a sports culture open to everyone, with a service based on food safety and attention to those who follow a gluten-free diet.

For athletes with celiac disease, the project offers the possibility of reserving refreshment bags. The products may also come from local businesses. The desk, on the other hand, will be intended for those who wish to learn more about celiac disease during the association's presence at the Estensi Gardens.

Key points

Pulciniadi, fairy tales and educational materials

Approximately 450 children from preschools in Varese and the province will take part in movement, play and inclusion activities. AIC Lombardia will bring Ciccio il Riccio to them, the protagonist of a fairy tale designed to accompany them in discovering celiac disease.

The story is written in simple language suited to their age. This choice makes it possible to address the topic of celiac disease through a narrative tool aimed at younger children, while maintaining the connection with the themes of inclusion and respect for differences indicated by the association.

From the fairy tale to the school program

Alongside Ciccio il Riccio’s fairy tale, AIC Lombardia provides other educational materials free of charge to schools participating in «Non solo glutine…». The training program, carried out with the local ATSs, is aimed at school staff.

The connection between the Pulciniadi and the school context broadens the meaning of the day beyond play. Through this initiative, children can better understand the needs of their classmates with celiac disease and, more generally, the value of respecting differences. The fairy tale thus offers age-appropriate language to bring them closer to learning about celiac disease.

Participation in the Pulciniadi complements support for athletes with celiac disease with educational work aimed at younger generations. For AIC Lombardia, this dual commitment contributes to building increasingly inclusive sports, school and social environments. The day dedicated to movement, play and inclusion will therefore also be the time when children meet Ciccio il Riccio and the content designed to explain celiac disease.

Source: varesenews.it