Ternana Calcio has presented ‘Arnold and the Benchwarmers: a red-and-green heart’, a book for the kids written by international bestselling author Philip Osbourne.
The book is illustrated by Terni-born Roberta Procacci, with comics by Lynx Studio. It will be donated to the youngest children who, together with their families, will be present at the Libero Liberati stadium in Terni on January 15, 2023, on the event of Ternana-Ascoli match.
The initiative aims to bring, for the first time ever, literary culture to soccer fields in order to make people think about fundamental social issues such as collaboration, empathy, and the importance of community. The wish of Almond and Ternana Calcio is that the book will help bring younger readers closer to children’s literature, encouraging an opportunity to reflect on the values of sports.
Dario Gulli, the creative director of the initiative, said: “This is the first worldwide project where culture marries sports. No professional soccer club had ever decided to create illustrated literary stories for children set in the world of sports and gift the books to the stadium. Involving an international bestselling author to sponsor the values of Ternana Calcio honours a club that wants to bring sports and culture closer together. An initiative like this will make people fall in love with soccer and literature and will surely open the way for a series of similar initiatives, where seemingly distant worlds coexist, but that are in fact close in their founding values“.
The President of Ternana Calcio, Stefano Bandecchi, who has always been attentive to human values, has decided to deploy resources for a free project without any financial gain, aimed at the cultural world and educational growth. The red-and-green “number one”, in this regard, said: “We are very happy to serve as the forerunner of a project that, surely, will cross the borders not only of our region but also of the entire nation. The combination of sports and culture is the basis of our company mission; the fact that this comic book is aimed especially at children makes us particularly proud. Moreover, the social issues addressed are a further incentive to promote and make known to the widest possible audience our idea of sport, linked to cultural development“.
The Vice-President of the red-and-green team, Paolo Tagliavento, who has immediately embraced the project, described the goals of a unique initiative in the world of football: “This project immediately made an impression on us. Because it represents a novelty in the scene, not only nationally. Also, because it addresses social issues very close to those promoted by the organisation “Terni Col Cuore” (Terni with heart), which I have the honour of being the chairman by the will of President Bandecchi. So, thanks to Almond for thinking of us, we are sure it will be a success“.
The presentation of the book will not end with the distribution at the stadium, but it will continue with a series of targeted initiatives involving schools, so that sports and literature will dialogue for mutual growth. Events related to the distribution of ‘Arnold and the Benchwarmers: a red-and-green heart’ will be outlined at a press conference to be convened at the beginning of the year.
