Icehearts in Oristano: sport, trust, and participation

A space to feel welcome, to experiment, to be together. In Oristano, the Icehearts Europe project, promoted by Uisp and inspired by the Finnish model, has accompanied 40 children from classes 1A and 4B of the Sa Rodia primary school throughout the school year, with weekly activities carried out during physical education lessons. Two hours a week in the school gym were dedicated to play, movement, and relationships, with a focus on multisport activities and team building.

With the arrival of summer, the project continued in the Uisp summer camps, offering children the opportunity to continue their educational journey outside the school environment, with outdoor and indoor activities, always in the spirit of sport for all. The groups were led by two mentors and a sports coach, who supported the children and their families with care, expertise, and constant presence. “Every act of courage, every instance of shyness overcome, every small step forward built something bigger: the certainty that no one should feel alone on their journey,” says Sara Pittalis, project coordinator for Uisp Oristano. “What we have described so far is not just the progress of a project, but a shared journey of growth, discovery, and transformation.”

Throughout the year, activities alternated between group games and structured sports such as basketball, soccer, and padel, offered with the support of Uisp coaches. A special day closed the school year, transforming the last day of school into a big multisport party that involved all the classes in the school, in the spirit of collaboration, fun, and sharing.

The Oristano experience is part of an increasingly large national network: Icehearts is active in 13 cities in Italy, with 21 mentors and 420 children involved in free weekly activities, conducted in close collaboration with schools, associations, and local communities. The project focuses on time, educational relationships, and daily care through a long-term model that aims to create safe and welcoming environments where children can grow up feeling part of a community.

The Italian activities are part of the European program Icehearts Europe, active in eight countries and coordinated by ISCA – International Sport and Culture Association. The official video of the European project has recently been released, featuring images from different national contexts, including some sequences filmed during Uisp activities in Italy. It is a choral narrative that shows the power of sport as a tool for inclusion, relationship building, and bonding. (Lorenzo Boffa)

Icehearts Europe is co-funded by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health. The opinions expressed belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union.