The commemorative ceremony for the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Paralympic Defense Sports Group (GSPD).
Among the high civil and military officials present were the Undersecretary of State for Defense, Senator Isabella Rauti, the President of the 3rd Permanent Commission (Foreign Affairs and Defense), Senator Stefania Craxi, the Chief of Defense Staff, General Luciano Portolano, Lieutenant Colonel MOVM Gianfranco Paglia and the President of the Italian Paralympic Committee, lawyer Luca Pancalli.
The Undersecretary of State for Defense Senator Isabella Rauti, in expressing her best wishes for the tenth anniversary of the GSPD to all the athletes and technicians who have written the history of the Group, made of successes, example and model of overcoming barriers and limits, underlined that “since 2014, the Defense has believed in the strength of these Athletes with a capital A, who do not participate but compete, supporting and sustaining them because they are the essence and paradigm of the principle of leaving no one behind, which is the culture of the Defense expressed in terms of family and inclusion. A 10-year long story told through images in the beautiful volume presented on the occasion of the tenth anniversary”.
During his speech, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Luciano Portolano, expressed his pride in being able to celebrate the ten-year milestone of a significant reality such as the Paralympic Defense Sports Group, born in 2014 to promote the culture of sport among the personnel of the Armed Forces who, in the fulfillment of their duty, have contracted injuries or disabling and permanent diseases, establishing itself over time as a source of inspiration and a powerful tool for inclusion and human and professional growth. A project, continued General Portolano, which has been strengthened and consolidated through close collaboration with the Italian Paralympic Committee and with the possibility of registering elite civilian athletes.
General Portolano then highlighted how the 107 athletes of the GSPD offer an extraordinary testimony of enthusiasm, commitment and resilience every day, facing the challenges deriving from their disability through sport; for this reason, he wanted to underline, they are athletes squared, both in sport but above all in life, who climb every day to the highest step of the podium giving everyone life lessons and teaching that goals, even those that seem impossible to achieve, can be achieved with commitment and sweat.
The Chief of Defence Staff then introduced the photographic book “The Defence Paralympic Sports Group. Ten Years of Sport, Resilience and Inclusion”, an editorial project that tells not only about sporting successes but also about a close-knit team, united by a spirit of brotherhood, which has grown in every aspect thanks to its extraordinary capacity for resilience.
In closing his speech, in thanking all those who made it possible to celebrate this important event, the general wanted to extend his thoughts of gratitude and admiration also to all the veterans who with their example and sacrifice are the symbol of the Unity of Italy and have generated feelings of immense gratitude on the part of all Italians.
