In the outskirts of Rome in Corviale we have restored an abandoned public property and we did so by “playing soccer”, changing its rules and turning it into a powerful tool for social inclusion.

We created the Campo dei Miracoli, our headquarters, which favour wood, clay, cork, geothermal heating and green environmentally sustainable fields made from recycled materials to cement, in the name of circular economy.

When we started in 2009, Corviale was a great challenge for us. Across from the largest low-income housing complex in Italy known to the Romans as the “Serpentone”, with 1,300 apartments (many of which are illegally occupied), we were to turn a totally abandoned public space into a place of unity and inclusion.

“Italian Best Practice for Sport and Social Inclusion” in the Italian Semester of European Presidency in 2014″

Calciosociale’s educational approach involves redefining soccer rules.

We totally rewrite the rules of soccer to encourage nurturing relationships, which rise above mere sports competition:

• mixed teams
• boys and girls of any age, origin, religion play together
• no referees
• penalties are struck by the weakest players
• to strengthen this approach, matches are not only played on the soccer field, but participants compete in “off-field” active citizenship actions (recovery of spaces, moments to discuss issues concerning legality, inclusion, protection of the environment) that contribute to collect points.

Players contribute to changing their territory and learn to protect it.

ONLY KEEPERS WIN.  Those who safeguard the beauty that lies inside each of us, the potential and strength inside each of us.

We have the opportunity to breathe new life into another suburban area. We can create another space where we can continue to work more effectively with our children. We would build the first 11 v 11 Soccer Field in Corviale to host both women’s and men’s national teams.

Indeed, thanks to this soccer field we will be able to:

• involve more and more children between 5 and 17 years of age and have a greater impact on the ground and on the social inclusion activities we are carrying out
• launch a campaign that will focus on the importance of women’s soccer and of overcoming gender discrimination that affects women’s access to this sport
• give continuity to the boys and girls of the Accademia del Talento di Calciosociale (the first football school founded on Calciosociale’s principles) who are over thirteen years of age to participate in the Federal Tournament and complete the educational path they have begun at the Campo dei Miracoli.

Beauty in the suburbs is possible. Beauty heals.