Today marks the launch of a new initiative raising awareness of the fight against male violence against women. This campaign is being promoted by the Department for Equal Opportunities and carried out thanks to the contribution of the Italian Football Federation and the National Football Team, with the support of the Department for Information and Publishing. The initiative, which is part of the CREATIVE project and has been co-financed by the European Commission and implemented by the Department for Equal Opportunities, is among the institutional communication campaigns being broadcast by the public service broadcaster Rai ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which takes place every year on 25 November.

"I am grateful to the FIGC and its President Gabriele Gravina, Head Coach Roberto Mancini and the players of our national team for supporting this new anti-violence campaign,” explained Minister Bonetti. “Through the language and universal values of sport and the contribution of the players, who are adored by all of us Italians, we want to promote a cultural change in our country together. It’s time to choose and strongly promote the respect of women as we unconditionally condemn violent behaviour. Being alongside female victims of violence and accompanying them towards a path of freedom is a primary and essential task of all institutions, but, in order to bring about a significant change, it’s equally important to prevent violent behaviour by assuming collective responsibility,” continued the Minister. “As a result, there will be an institutional campaign that will be circulated via public radio and television and which will see sports champions universally condemn violence and ask us to join forces to say enough to all violence against women."

"The FIGC has a daily responsibility to witness and convey messages that contain important messages,” said the Federal President Gabriele Gravina. “The Azzurri play a decisive role, which cannot and must not be limited to the playing field: there’s the obligation to integrate more and more into civil society. Violence against women represents a barbarity that must be removed by penalising those that carry out violent acts, supporting the victims in every way and by always actively promoting new and appropriate education programmes.”