"La cultura della sport - disciplina e libertà": an event exploring the role of sports in society

Sport is not simply about competition, performance and the pursuit of victory: it is also culture, education and a powerful means of bringing people and generations together. The relationship between sport and society will be the focus of the next event organised by the Manlio Cecovini Study Society. Tomorrow, Friday 2 October at 6.00 pm, sports journalists Guido Roberti and Marco Pacini will take part in the conference “The Culture of Sport – Discipline and Freedom”, to be held at the Association’s headquarters at 23 Viale Miramare, Trieste.

The event, with free admission subject to availability, will explore the deeper value of sporting practice and, in particular, the seemingly contradictory relationship between discipline and freedom: can respecting rules, limits and commitments become a means of learning to be freer? And can sport provide a common language capable of overcoming differences, conflicts and generational divides?

From the origins of sport in ancient Greece to contemporary society, Roberti and Pacini will explore some of the values that have shaped sporting culture over the centuries: fellowship between peoples, inclusion, the education of young people, and respect for opponents and the rules. Sport will therefore be considered not simply in terms of competitive results, but as a formative experience in which body and mind, individual responsibility and a sense of belonging to a community come together.

Guido Roberti, a journalist, has been a contributor to the sports desk of Il Piccolo since 2012 and has worked with RadioAttività since 2008, where he presents programmes focusing on sport, culture and society. Since 2011, he has provided radio commentary on Triestina Calcio matches. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of USSI Friuli Venezia Giulia, where he serves as Treasurer and Secretary. Throughout his career, he has covered a wide range of sports, from football and basketball to rowing, water polo and martial arts.

Marco Pacini, a journalist since 1993, holds a degree in Economics and Business from the University of Trieste, where his dissertation focused on Labour Economics in Sport. He has extensive experience in sports communications, having served, among other roles, as Head of Press for Triestina Calcio, Spezia Calcio and Circolo della Vela Muggia. He has also worked in radio and television, covering football, basketball, Barcolana and Bavisela.