Parma 4 February 2025 - The Philadelphia Junior Cup | Keep Racism Out season officially started. The national 7-a-side tournament is for boys and girls from 12-14 years old living in one of the 17 different cities represented by the Serie A Enilive 2024/2025 clubs. Parma and Parma Calcio chose Edoardo Corvi to be their ambassador for this event.

“I believe that this project is crucial in the development of these children, both as athletes and as humans. Football is my life and it has taught me many values that I embody everyday such as respect within a team, inclusion, perseverance towards a goal, humility and ambition. Even when something does not go well, football teaches you to pick yourself back up again and to learn from your errors. When you have a great day, football helps you to stay humble without being arrogant or self-righteous, and thus you begin to enjoy these successes by being wholeheartedly yourself. I am a big fan of this project and I want to thank the Philadelphia Junior Cup and Parma Calcio for this opportunity to help these kids to grow and learn”, Edoardo Corvi stated. 

The main contributors to the tournament are Philadeplhia, a Mondelēz Group brand, Lega Serie A, the competition’s main sponsor, and the Centro Sportivo Italiano (CSI). The project was presented in Milan on Monday 3rd February and will involve more than 5 thousand young boys and girls that play football. The competition aims to unite sport, education and inclusion both on and off the field of play through promoting values such as friendship, respect, teamwork and inclusion. The campaign will support Serie A’s “Keep Racism Out” campaign which fights against racism and all forms of discrimination alongside the UNAR - The Italian National Office Against Racial Discrimination. The tournament will take place between February and March 2025 and will end on the 14th March at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, on the same day as the Frecciarosa Coppa Italia final. The winner of the competition will be awarded a complete pitch upgrade at their ground thanks to Philadelphia’s generosity. 

Many different guests attended the event including Francesco Meroni, Mondelēz International’s Italian Marketing Director, Michele Ciccarese, Serie A Marketing and Sales Director and Vittorio Bosio, CSI National President. Amongst other guests were Saidou Oumar Daffe from Lega Serie A’s Corporate Social Responsibility team, as well as many other players acting as ambassadors for their clubs. Alongside Parma’s Edoardo Corvi were Alex Pinardi (Atalanta B.C.), Andrea Ranocchia and Fabio Galante (Inter Milan), Claudia Zoretto (Como 1907), Karen Appiah (AC Milan), Vincenzo Iacopino (AC Monza), who all spoke to the children about the importance of the tournament’s values.

“This new edition of the event continues to embody and spread values that we are very proud of. While this project aims to create long-lasting friendships, the CSI has found a new friend in Philadelphia, who we welcome as the competition’s new Main Sponsor. Football is  based on friendship, respect, inclusion and teamwork: these values make up the Philadelphia Junior Cup” - stated Michele Ciccarese, Serie A Marketing and Sales Director - let’s make a difference alongside our Keep Racism Out campaign that fights against racism and discrimination in any form.”