Bergamo «capital» of the half marathon (as well as of culture) – Corriere.it

If running is an art — as the Japanese writer Haruki Murakami tells us — Bergamo is the right city to be an artist. Bergamo21 Half Marathon is back on Sunday 5 February, an appointment signed by FollowYourPassion that opens the streets of the city to runners in a weekend dedicated to running and culture. «Bergamo once again hosts an event capable of relating to the city and neighboring territories in the best possible way, with particular attention to environmental and organizational issues – explained Loredana Poli, municipal councilor for sport -. Sport has always been culture and especially in this year, in which the city of Bergamo represents it, welcoming an event like this means offering a wide offer to those who decide to visit it, even at a running pace».

Italian Capital of Culture 2023 together with BresciaBergamo reveals itself even more in all its beauty, history and tradition and Sunday’s race is designed to involve and make people dialogue with the places that surround it: «What distinguishes this race – underlines Luca Lamera, events manager for MG Sport — is being able to offer everyone the opportunity to discover the city by running. Our target is 50% athletes looking for performance and 50% amateurs who choose to run for pure pleasure. Sport is therefore culture and the passion for sport can become tourism. It is therefore essential for us in the organization to bring value to the territory».

Culture in sport also means growth and solidarity. Bergamo21 carries out a collaboration with the Imiberg High School, which from this year becomes a school-work alternation project, a unique educational experience for kids who can acquire skills and values ​​through sport to mature. A route mapping project was also created with high school students to show the points of interest and the history of the city to those who want to experience it at a running pace. Part of the proceeds from the relays and the free donations made by the athletes at the time of registration will also go to the non-profit organization Sport Senza Frontiere which has an active project in the area with 14 children aged 8 to 15 who play football, basketball, volleyball, boxing and they come from families reported by the social services of the Municipality as being in a condition of severe socio-economic hardship and at risk of marginalisation. Various sports clubs are engaged together with Sport Senza Frontiere in supporting and welcoming the youngsters: the Polisportiva Oratorio San Tomaso, US Villaggio Sposi, Rugby Bergamo 1950, Bergamo Boxe, Lussana Basket.

Bergamo21 is also an opportunity for FollowYourPassion to affirm its commitment towards sustainability, a fundamental asset of the brand’s philosophy. «The diffusion of sporting practice, the care of public spaces, the respect and growth of the territory, constitute one of the primary objectives to be pursued and consolidated in each stage of the circuit – continues Luca Lamera -. In our tenders we always try to reduce our environmental impact with an all-round attention that goes from the choice of suppliers, to the use of compostable materials, to supplying products that can be recycled. On the competition field we move as far as possible with pedal assisted bikes and we have our own standard in the refreshment points with separate collection bins which, in agreement with the municipality, are then collected and remain separate. We are also working on what we define as the decalogue of the sustainable athlete to give concrete examples and disseminate good practices to follow, from the use of means to reach the competition field to the choice of local products and local food”.