Roma supports the Special Olympics' 'European Football Week'

The event, which will run from Saturday 25 May until Sunday 2 June, will see 40,000 young athletes with a range of mental disabilities play football alongside one another.

Representatives from Roma, Lazio and the Italian football federation were on hand for the launch event.

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“I am pleased to be here, the Special Olympics has taken elements from our own ‘Calcio Insieme’ project, which has achieved some great things,” said Roma's representative at the event, Frederic Massara.

“At AS Roma we took great care and attention to put together a well-qualified staff for this project. Four years later, everyone involved has grown and learned a lot from the experience – not just the kids involved. We are very proud of this, and hope the Special Olympics enjoy the same success.”

‘Calcio Insieme’ (‘Football Together’), now in its fourth edition, was borne out of a collaboration between Roma Cares and the Italian academy for integrated football – with the aim of bringing kids of all abilities together to play football, learning important values like respect, inclusivity and fair play along the way.

Click here to learn more about the European Football Week