Adnkronos Rome, 17 June – (Adnkronos) – The final of the women's football tournament, created by AXA Italia to celebrate the value of sport as a tool for social inclusion and female empowerment, alongside Sport Senza Frontiere, ETS's long-term partner, which has always promoted sport as a tool for education, prevention, inclusion and social cohesion, took place on 17 June in the splendid setting of the Nando Martellini stadium at the Terme di Caracalla.
With the patronage of Rome Capital, the Italian Referees Association, the National Amateur League and the National Amateur League-Women's Football, the event, in the presence of Alessandro Onorato, Councilor for Major Events, Sports, Tourism and Fashion of Rome Capital; Marinella Caissutti, Member of the National Committee of the Italian Referees Association (AIA); Luca De Simoni, Coordinator of the Social Responsibility Area LND; Daniele Doveri, President of the Referees Section of Rome 1; Chiara Soldano, CEO of AXA Italia and Alessandro Tappa, President of Sport Senza Frontiere, saw the participation of approximately 300 participants, including the young athletes of the 8 teams of the tournament and representatives of Sport Senza Frontiere, collaborators of AXA Italia and volunteers of the association AXA Cuori in Azione from the various offices in Italy.
“Exceptional ambassadors”, Sara Gama, former captain of Juventus, player of the Italian national team, Vice President of AIC and Federal Councilor of FIGC, and Patrizia Panico, former footballer and assistant coach of OL Olympique Lyonnais, women symbols of sport and female empowerment, who enriched the event with moments of dialogue and discussion with the girls and athletic training. In a historical moment in which youth hardship emerges as an increasingly urgent issue, the initiative, promoted by AXA Italia together with Sport Senza Frontiere, aims to send a message of optimism on the possibility of building, together, a more inclusive future, in sport and in society, making people reflect on the importance of creating ever more awareness on prevention issues and seeing sport as a lever for social inclusion.
The entire journey that led to the final was equally rich and exciting, with preparatory events that took place in various locations, including Rome and Milan, where AXA Italia employees had the opportunity to “adopt” the eight football teams, supporting them and animating the various stages of the tournament. At the heart of the initiative, moreover, was an internal fundraiser promoted by AXA Cuori in azione and open to the participation of all Group employees, to allow approximately 30 girls and young women supported by Sport Senza Frontiere to participate in the JOY Summer camp 2025, summer camps promoted by Sport Senza Frontiere in places immersed in nature where participants share engaging activities, including sports, team games and moments of pure fun.
The initiative was conceived by AXA Italia in the context of the “Week For Good”, an entire week that AXA dedicates every year to sustainability, actively involving all its employees in 50 countries around the world. In choosing the theme for the 2025 edition, consistency with the long-term global commitment to concrete initiatives that promote female inclusion and empowerment, in sport and in society in general. 2025, for example, sees the AXA Group alongside the UEFA Women's European Football Championship 2025 (UEFA Women's EURO 2025) as an Official Partner, to promote women's sport and foster greater gender equality in society, including through football.
With the inclusion and solidarity championship, AXA Italia continues to strengthen its social role with concrete initiatives, one of the pillars of the Strategic Plan “2024 – 2026”, bringing a message that is inspiring and raises awareness on the importance of acting, together, for a more inclusive and sustainable future, in line with AXA's Raison d'être: "acting for the progress of humanity, protecting what matters".
Chiara Soldano, CEO of the AXA Italia Insurance Group, said: “I am really happy to participate in this important event, the final of a women's football tournament that aims to be the culmination of a championship of inclusion, which also marks the final moment of the traditional “Week For Good”, the week that AXA dedicates to sustainability every year. In the 2025 edition we have decided to focus on the theme of female empowerment, in sport and in society in general, in a context in which violence against women and more generally youth hardship are increasingly urgent issues. Together with Roma Capitale, our historic partner Sport senza Frontiere and the many exceptional guests, we want to send a positive choral message, starting from the new generations to stimulate confidence in their dreams and generate a concrete impact in communities.”
Alessandro Tappa, President of Sport Senza Frontiere, underlined: “For us at Sport Senza Frontiere, who every day, through sports, help thousands of girls and their families in fragile conditions, having a teammate like AXA Italia who believes in our mission really makes the difference. The 'Girls Just Wanna Have Goals' project represents how partnerships between profit and non-profit can generate value and concrete changes: a youth women's football tournament that promotes the values of inclusion and female talent, which involves amateur sports associations engaged daily in the sometimes difficult territories of Milan and Rome, which sees the employees of a large company committed to volunteering and all of this will allow many girls and young women followed by Sport Senza Frontiere to participate for free in our JOY Summer Camps. This is what it means to contribute to concretely changing things. Thanks again to AXA Italia because together we have won once again!".
Patrizia Panico, former footballer and assistant coach of OL Olympique Lyonnais, said: "The idea of being part of the 'Girls just wanna have goals' event, thanks to the partnership between AXA Italia and Sport Senza Frontiere, makes me honored and gratified. I was born in a difficult and very degraded Roman suburb, Tor Bella Monaca, so I know, first-hand how the environment in which you live can be 'hindering' in terms of opportunities, youth inclusion and gender equality. Through sport, and football in particular, in an obvious and easy way, different cultures and genders meet, sociality becomes obvious and values such as solidarity, respect and sharing become part of your life, becoming the cornerstones of your existence. Football has taught me how much potential there is inside each of us, regardless of our origin, gender and the barriers we encounter. If one day we manage to give dreams and prospects to every girl and boy, this will mean that our steps have taken the right path. direction". Sara Gama, former Juventus captain, player of the Italian national team, Vice President of AIC and Federal Councilor of FIGC, said: “I am happy to participate in this initiative of Sport Senza Frontiere and AXA Italia, which combines sport, solidarity and inclusion. Meeting the girls, answering their questions and experiencing the final phase of the tournament together was a special occasion. Sport has a great educational power and I am happy to have been part of this very important day”.