The inauguration of the Palestra C of the PalaVesuvio in Naples was held today, promoted by Yellow Line-DHL Express in synergy with the Italian Volleyball Federation. Linea Gialla, as known, is the communication path of DHL Express that gives life to the story of the company’s commitment to a more sustainable world, in line with ESG values and with the group’s strategy towards 2030, leaving a “yellow” footprint on the territory.
“Sustainable company for DHL means meeting the needs of customers, with minimum impact on the environment, maximizing the company’s contribution to society, becoming a model in governance behavior for employees, customers and investors in the 220 countries in which it operates” explains Gabriella Ruspa MKTG DHL Express Italy Director and continues “Before talking about the Linea Gialla project, I would like to thank our Azzurri who brought the World Cup back to Italy after 24 years, giving us incredible emotions with their dunks, but also with their smiles. It was a joy to see them play and win and the same trust placed in this group of young people, now we place it in our wonderful girls who in a few days will start their way to the world championship. Returning to Linea Gialla, our objectives are to create an Ideal Yellow Line that embraces all our “sustainable” initiatives in the area, leaving our mark. We want to create awareness of our commitment to sustainability and environmental protection, speaking to stakeholders and the youth community; we want to involve our partners in this process and also directly involve our people. This year Linea Gialla has restarted from Naples. In May we organized an online fundraiser in favor of ASD Molinari Ponticelli, which for many years has been promoting volleyball as a sport and as an opportunity for those who live in a reality that is not always easy. We have reached 36,000 euros and with this figure we have managed to:
- redevelop the playing field of Palestra C of PalaVesuvio with new flooring
- give thirty sports bags (free registration to the 2022/2023 volleyball sports season) to thirty families in the Campania region
- buy a new net and twenty balls
- make it possible to remove architectural barriers in Gym C through the installation of a stairlift.
A real, tangible imprint. We are also very proud that the National Women’s team plays this tournament that we title, wearing the Rainbow Jersey, because we believe that sport is an inclusive tool and that the girls and boys of our national teams are a real example of inclusion. Making this gym accessible also means making it more inclusive and this fills our hearts with joy. “
Great satisfaction with the initiative, since for many boys and girls this gym is the home, the meeting point, an alternative to the problems of the neighborhood. This initiative wanted to give an increasingly comfortable, welcoming and accessible structure to all, capable of hosting an ever-increasing number of young people. The goal was to create a large community that has mobilized on this initiative in favor of the Campania region, with the aim of forming a team and achieving all the objectives set by the project.
Volleyball is a team sport, the company and its whole world, together with FIPAV, have made TEAM, to give an opportunity to those who live in a difficult neighborhood and to guarantee the possibility of playing volleyball even for those who are not can afford the costs of annual membership. The values of volleyball are clearly explained by the President of the Italian Volleyball Federation Giuseppe Manfredi: “We and DHL believe that sport is the best tool to learn how to organize your life, to group and socialize, because your teammates become your friends, because defeats unite and wins reward, but above all because sport indicates a path that is certainly not wrong. I am still excited after the boys’ victory in Katowice, I am full of pride and even happier to be here with you today because they are the testimony of what it means in fact to be a team and to be proud to wear the Blue Jersey. Our sponsor DHL is our trusted travel companion; we share values and paths to grow together on and off the pitch. Even in Naples we were able to leave a real footprint with Linea Gialla and DHL’s choice to raise funds for volleyball made us really happy and aware that together we can always do very beautiful and stimulating things. Go on like this!”
The Councilor for Sport and Equal Opportunities of the Municipality of Naples also took part in the inauguration Emanuela Ferrantewho commented on the initiative as follows: “Hosting the Italian Women’s Volleyball Team in a facility such as the PalaVesuvio for the quadrangular preparation for the next world championships is a great pride for our city, after having won the world title with the men’s national team! The great enthusiasm for this event demonstrates, once again, the enormous and beneficial potential of sport. Potential even more effective in delicate and at-risk neighborhoods such as Ponticelli, where sport can and must represent a tool for integration and inclusion and in the fight against marginalization and early school leaving. For this I warmly thank DHL for organizing the event and for the sensitivity shown. “
Exceptional patrons were the girls of the Italian National team, together with the coach Davide Mazzanti, present in Naples for the DHL Tournament – Road to World Championship, the last of the pre-World Cup preparation tournament. Davide Mazzanti, CT Italy: “I have a wonderful memory in this gym. Volleyball is a very inclusive sport. Everything we do with the national team is aimed at conveying the message of inclusion. To do great things you need great opportunities: this is a great opportunity. I don’t know if there are girls here who have the talent of our blues, but they certainly have the same passion as they do. Passion is a universal feeling and feeds dreams. “
Miriam Sylla: “It is an honor for us to be here today to inaugurate the Gym C, because it is always good for a territory to have an adequate structure where to practice sport, especially for the youngest; for this on behalf of myself and all my companions I thank DHL and the Federation for the effort made and we were positively impressed that it has been made accessible to all, this is really important. We are in Naples for the last matches before the World Cup and we want to be ready for this important appointment. The heat of Naples is always unique and against Serbia, our last match here, I expect to see PalaVesuvio sold out, I invite everyone to buy the last tickets to give us the last push towards our World Cup ”.
Cristina Chirichella: “Knowing that there are so many people in Campania who love this sport is a strong incentive for us. I played in this gym at a youth level, the appearance was very different, but I keep a good memory of it and seeing it so improved today makes me really happy. “
Monica De Gennaro: “It was nice to come back here after 20 years, to see how this gym has changed for the better. It is important that the girls who play here have so many opportunities.”
The President of Fipav Campania also spoke Guido Pasciariwho stated: “I remember what this plant was like many years ago. Seeing it now in this new guise is a great pride. We were lucky enough to find the support of an important company like DHL, the support of the Federation, the collaboration of the Municipality of Naples and also being able to give thirty sports bags to those who cannot afford the cost of an annual registration for the sporting season, makes this initiative even more noble and also transversal to our Region “.
In the end, Gennaro NappoPresident of ASD Molinari Ponticelli: “I am really proud of this project and the result you see today. It is a dream come true. Having a meeting place for our boys and girls is really important, thanks to DHL and thanks to the Federation, Gym C accessible to all, will make it even more inclusive as we and volleyball want to be. I don’t add anything other than a heartfelt thanks to everyone. “
Link photo: https://we.tl/t-Y866iFB6Mo
Link video: https://we.tl/t-C9e1ROwqCO