From Genoa to the North Cape, Massimo Pedersoli's solidarity adventure begins: “Let's not turn off the spotlight on disability”

Genoa – An arch made up of white and blue balloons, a shower of confetti, the notes of the Filarmonica Pegliese “M. Chiusamonti” and the presence of numerous citizens and local entities – such as the Gruppo Storico di Voltri, the Scout Genova 55 Pegli San Martino group and the Monte Gazzo Outdoor association – have greeted this morning the departure of Massimo Pedersoli from Viale della Rimembranza, in Pegli towards the North Cape, in Norway, via the European hiking trail E1.

A long journey of solidarity that the 37 year old from Genoaalready known for his charitable undertakings and founder of “Walking For Charity”, undertakes in support of “Goccia Dopo Goccia”, the aquamotricity and multisystem therapy project in water (Tma) organized by the Il Cucciolo a Pra' association ( also extended to Imperia by the association L'amore è) aimed at around thirty young people with disabilities.

“I thank you for being here today, it will be a long journey, 6,300 km, with its daily difficulties to face. A bit like the difficulties that a family with disabilities has to face in Italy – declares Pedersoli, visibly excited – here's the path, if compared to this, it's a bit the same thing: waking up every day wondering what will happen. Improvisation, preparation, but not only. From this day I would like all of you to take home a message: the journey starts today, but let's not turn off the spotlight, let's continue to think concretely about disability, about autism”.

With the launch of “E1VVAI, a superb path”, Pedersoli places itself at the service of a new and demanding challenge in which sport becomes a tool for inclusion and breaking down barriers, to support the most vulnerable and their families: attached to his backpack he has in fact hung a sign that links to his social channels, inviting people to donate to the project. “We thank Massimo, we are proud of the fact that he has chosen to support Goccia posto Goccia, a therapy in which we combine the principles of rehabilitation with those of sport with water activities”, adds Lara Canepa, coordinator of the Il Cucciolo association.

“It's a very nice way to show how Genoa “Capital of Sport 2024” truly embraces the whole city, like sport in general. Sport is definitely hard work, but it is also communication: a way to ensure that what we do is, in a positive way, also a message. Massimo took it upon himself, with the effort of walking, to bring an important message that talks about children and the future. But all of us who remain here can also carry this message, remembering every day what he is doing”, adds the municipal councilor for commerce and traditions Paola Bordilli.

In recent years Pedersoli has already traveled thousands of kilometers in support of various social causes, with particular attention to autism, both in Italy and abroad; but with the departure from Viale della Rimembranza from the E 1 hiking trail (whose signage up to Mount Pennello was recently redone by the Pegli Bene Comune Committee) a huge undertaking awaits him: 6,300 kilometres, 300,000 meters of difference in altitude and more of 200 days of walking crossing Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. A challenge for which adequate and targeted nutritional and physical preparation was necessary: ​​“Massimo's conditions, being already a walker, were already good. However, we worked to reduce fat mass and increase lean mass and worked on training with free body exercises, light overloads and muscle strengthening work to prepare him for long walking sessions”, explain the nutritionist Gabriele Casarino and the personal trainer Filippo Bergia .

“I am proud as president of the municipality to be here, Massimo also embodies the richness of the entire municipality and of a beautiful social fabric that will take us a long way”, underlines the president of the VII Ponente Municipality Guido Barbazza, present at the departure with other representatives of the municipality and friends, some even arriving from the Marche, to support Massimo in his march for good.