San Marino Becomes Hub for Amateur Sports Dialogue
The Republic of San Marino hosted the 'World Amateur Sports Forum – Small Nations, Big Impact' on October 16, 2025, drawing international attention to the crucial role of amateur sports in community development and tourism. The forum, held at the Welcome Hotel in Dogana, served as an introductory event to the 47th Congress of the CSIT (International Workers and Amateur Sports Confederation), which also took place in San Marino. The event was open to the public, fostering a broad dialogue on the future of non-professional athletics.
Key Themes and Discussions
The forum's agenda centered on several vital themes, including the sustainability, inclusion, and social value of amateur sport. Discussions explored how amateur sports can be a powerful driver for community development and tourism, particularly highlighting the unique contributions of smaller nations. The central theme, 'Small Nations, Big Impact: San Marino as a case study,' underscored the potential for even small countries to make significant international contributions through sport.
Distinguished Speakers and Contributions
The proceedings commenced at 3:00 p.m. with an opening by Raimund Fabi, CSIT press officer. Institutional greetings were delivered by representatives for the Ministry for Sport, Hon. Rossano Fabbri (represented by Elia Rossi), and the Ministry for Tourism, Hon. Federico Pedini Amati (represented by Alan Gasperoni). CSIT President Bruno Molea delivered an introductory speech emphasizing the role of amateur sports in promoting values of inclusion, cooperation, and sustainability globally.
Notable speakers included Christian Forcellini, President of the San Marino National Olympic Committee (CONS), who elaborated on San Marino's experience as a case study for small nations creating a global impact through sport. David Bologna and Gloria Arcangeloni from San Marino Welcome presented on how sporting events can serve as tools for territorial marketing and tangible growth opportunities. The forum also featured a session on 'Strengths and weaknesses of a small nation for youth sports,' with insights from San Marino champions Jasmine Verbena (artistic swimming) and Stefano Bernardi (grappling). Additionally, Rossella Fugaro showcased examples of 'low-impact' events with high social and environmental value, and presentations on EU-funded projects Youth Drop-In and PlayInc4Kids were given by Fabio Neroni and Cosimo Renzi, with scientific input from Prof. Maria Cristina Matteucci of the University of Bologna.
Fostering International Collaboration
The 'World Amateur Sports Forum' aimed to provide a platform for dialogue, the exchange of best practices, and the presentation of innovative ideas in the field of sport. It brought together experts from grassroots sport, representatives of the Olympic and Paralympic movement, researchers, academics, sports managers, policymakers, and athletes. The event concluded with a call for continued international collaboration in anticipation of future CSIT events, reinforcing the forum's objective to highlight the social, health-related, economic, and educational impact of amateur sport.
6 Comments
KittyKat
All this focus on tourism ignores the actual athletes' struggles.
Habibi
Finally, proper recognition for the social value of amateur sports. Well done!
Donatello
"Global impact" from a tiny nation? Sounds like an overstatement.
Michelangelo
While it's great to highlight the potential of amateur sports for small nations, ensuring these ideas translate into concrete, funded programs is the real challenge. It's easy to talk, harder to do.
Donatello
This forum is essential for recognizing non-professional athletes. So inspiring!
lettlelenok
Acknowledging the social value of amateur sports is crucial, and the forum provides a good platform. However, the article doesn't detail how these "low-impact" events are scaled or funded long-term to truly make a difference beyond a single event.