Sport is life-changing | Luigi De Micco | TEDxMilano
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0:06 - 0:10Once upon a time the field of Via Moscova.
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0:10 - 0:14This story is set a few short steps
from this theatre, -
0:14 - 0:17a stone's throw from Duomo Square.
-
0:17 - 0:20It was 1979.
-
0:21 - 0:25The year when this photo was taken,
-
0:25 - 0:29Jody Scheckter, in Monza,
becomes Formula 1 champion, -
0:29 - 0:33and AC Milan earns its tenth star
in the national title, -
0:33 - 0:36and Pietro Mennea sets
an unbelievable record, -
0:36 - 0:3919"72 in the 200 metres.
-
0:39 - 0:43Just imagine that 40 years on, even now,
-
0:43 - 0:45the record is unbeaten
at a European level. -
0:45 - 0:49No European has ever run faster than him.
-
0:49 - 0:52But above all, something happens
-
0:52 - 0:57that changed forever the history
of an area of Milan. -
0:57 - 1:02The United Nations proclaim 1979
the International Year of the Child. -
1:02 - 1:05Something that would normally
make no difference. -
1:05 - 1:08And yet Carlo Tognoli,
back then mayor of Milan, -
1:08 - 1:10decides to do something.
-
1:10 - 1:12So he seizes the opportunity
-
1:12 - 1:16and clears the area
in front of Via Moscova 26 -
1:16 - 1:19from the rubble of a bombing
of the Second World War -
1:19 - 1:22and he realises a football field.
-
1:22 - 1:24All right, it isn't a glamourous place,
-
1:24 - 1:29it's an esplanade with two goals,
which soon rust, and a basketball court; -
1:29 - 1:32but I assure you,
it was a magnificent place, -
1:32 - 1:35because it had a noble mission:
-
1:35 - 1:37sports for the youth.
-
1:37 - 1:41I remember that field
as if it were yesterday. -
1:41 - 1:44I went there every day,
with my ball under my arm, -
1:44 - 1:48it was five minutes from home,
but it only took me three to get there. -
1:48 - 1:50I couldn't wait to get to the field.
-
1:50 - 1:52It was the neighbourhood's Maracanà.
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1:52 - 1:55A theatre of memorable battles.
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1:55 - 1:57For instance, I remember the derby
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1:57 - 2:00between the clerks of the INAIL building
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2:00 - 2:03and the funeral home
employees in Porta Nuova. -
2:03 - 2:05(Laughter)
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2:05 - 2:09So no applauses: people would keep
their hands in their pockets. -
2:09 - 2:10(Laughter)
-
2:10 - 2:12And then there was -
-
2:12 - 2:14(Applause)
-
2:17 - 2:18And then there was the super-classic
-
2:18 - 2:22between the Carabinieri
from the barracks you see up there, -
2:22 - 2:25and the male nurses
of the Fatebenefratelli hospital, -
2:25 - 2:29and they beat each other like drums:
Florentine football, more than football. -
2:29 - 2:33Regardless, aside from
these unmissable fixtures, -
2:33 - 2:36the field had become in the 1980s
-
2:36 - 2:40an exceptional meeting, socialisation spot
for the neighbourhood, -
2:40 - 2:44where kids like me were doing -
without knowing, and this is key - -
2:44 - 2:49one of the healthiest things
anyone can do in life: sports. -
2:49 - 2:52So up to here
the story goes nice and dandy. -
2:52 - 2:53But it didn't.
-
2:53 - 2:56Because something big arrives,
something huge, -
2:56 - 3:01which puts an end to the story
of the field, and of the 1980s. -
3:01 - 3:03Do you know what? The 1990s.
-
3:04 - 3:06And Milan turns into Swiss cheese,
-
3:06 - 3:09holes were dug up everywhere
to build underground car parks. -
3:09 - 3:12Even under your house
I'm sure there was some big hole: -
3:12 - 3:18there were holes in Gramsci Square,
one in San Ambrogio, 25th April square - -
3:18 - 3:22Guys, could a hole be missing
in Via Moscova? Of course no. -
3:22 - 3:26And guess where did they dig?
Where the field was. -
3:27 - 3:30Here was the end of the endless games,
-
3:30 - 3:32the end of the memorable battles.
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3:33 - 3:35Does the story of the field end here?
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3:37 - 3:38No. It depends.
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3:38 - 3:40Good, that's how I like you.
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3:40 - 3:45It depends. On whom? On us.
-
3:45 - 3:48Because, if there's one thing I learnt,
one thing I learnt over these years -
3:48 - 3:50is that it everything
always depends on us. -
3:50 - 3:53So, if we don't want this story to end
-
3:53 - 3:55with only a handful of extra car parks,
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3:55 - 3:58I'm asking for your help,
because I won't go very far by myself. -
3:58 - 4:02So I'm asking all of you
to stand up with me. -
4:02 - 4:04I'll make you work even on a Sunday.
-
4:06 - 4:08Everybody up?
-
4:08 - 4:12Put your hands behind your backs,
-
4:12 - 4:13so we'll also beat the record
-
4:13 - 4:16of the highest number of old dudes
watching a construction site. -
4:16 - 4:17(Laughter)
-
4:17 - 4:21And imagine how this story may end.
-
4:21 - 4:27Because it is true that a void
is a problem; it must be filled. -
4:27 - 4:30Some do so buying a motorcycle,
or a pair of shoes. -
4:30 - 4:34This is a huge void,
we need to fly higher. -
4:34 - 4:38So who says that, in the end,
on top of the car park layers -
4:38 - 4:40we can't put some icing
-
4:40 - 4:43and realise a football field
that is nicer and stronger than before? -
4:43 - 4:46[It takes] a bit of creativity
and enthusiasm. -
4:46 - 4:50So we can pick up from where we left off,
-
4:50 - 4:54so no one is taking away
our football field. -
4:55 - 4:58And what about Mennea's record?
Shall we try to beat it? -
4:58 - 4:59We need an athletics track,
-
5:01 - 5:02and a building licence.
-
5:02 - 5:06François said so, I'm from Cagliari,
and I miss the beach so bad, -
5:06 - 5:08so let's dream big,
-
5:08 - 5:11let's pick up some sand
and let's build a beach volley court. -
5:11 - 5:13Don't ask me to bring over the sea,
-
5:13 - 5:16we'll do instead "Italian style",
something creative, -
5:16 - 5:20let's build a basketball court,
and let's paint it blue, sea-like. -
5:21 - 5:24Thank you, you may sit down now,
-
5:24 - 5:26because we declare
the construction complete, -
5:26 - 5:29the fastest building job in history.
-
5:29 - 5:31We finished it in one minute.
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5:31 - 5:33You won't believe it, but -
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5:33 - 5:35(Applause)
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5:40 - 5:41Unity is strength.
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5:41 - 5:47But what we daydreamt for a minute
-
5:47 - 5:50is exactly what I was faced with
-
5:50 - 5:54when I took a walk and went to see
the end of works, in 2013. -
5:55 - 5:57We owe this to a group of citizens,
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5:57 - 6:00who, just like we did,
did not get discouraged, -
6:00 - 6:02they fought with patience and tenacity.
-
6:03 - 6:07They built all the car parks,
the Green Moscova Cooperative, -
6:07 - 6:09but they also put on the icing.
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6:09 - 6:13So can we open it now, can't we?
-
6:13 - 6:15Because the centre is closed.
-
6:15 - 6:17They haven't opened it yet.
-
6:17 - 6:20And incidentally, I find out
that in those days -
6:20 - 6:23the city of Milan was looking
for an administrator. -
6:23 - 6:25So I run home, full of enthusiasm,
-
6:25 - 6:30and I jot down a 52-page project
on how I'd manage that place. -
6:30 - 6:34I place it in an envelope,
and I send it to Chiara Bisconti, -
6:34 - 6:38alderman of sport,
2, Via Marconi, Milan City Hall. -
6:39 - 6:40And I wait.
-
6:40 - 6:41(Laughter)
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6:41 - 6:44With much optimism,
come on, we'll manage the field. -
6:44 - 6:49A week, two weeks, two months,
three months, four months - -
6:49 - 6:51The phone doesn't ring.
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6:51 - 6:55It finally does, at eight at night.
-
6:56 - 6:59Unknown number. Shall I pick up?
It's dinner time, after all. -
6:59 - 7:02Yes. Guess who it was.
-
7:02 - 7:06It was Fastweb wanting to sell me
the mega fibre - No, I'm joking. -
7:06 - 7:10They told me, "Don't say that,
it's a sponsor", but I did. -
7:10 - 7:11(Laughter)
-
7:11 - 7:12No -
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7:12 - 7:14(Applause)
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7:14 - 7:16It must have happened to you too.
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7:16 - 7:17Worse, it was the alderman.
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7:17 - 7:20They had loved the project,
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7:20 - 7:23and the next day I had to go to her office
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7:23 - 7:26to collect the keys
because "Soon", in a hurry, -
7:26 - 7:28"Luigi, you have to open within 30 days."
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7:28 - 7:33You understand how the enthusiasm
and the happiness last about one minute -
7:33 - 7:35and soon turns into -
-
7:35 - 7:36(Laughter)
-
7:36 - 7:38absolute terror.
-
7:38 - 7:40And I assure you that if you only knew
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7:40 - 7:43what I put in that envelope,
in that project, -
7:43 - 7:46you would also panick big time.
-
7:46 - 7:47Let's read it together,
-
7:47 - 7:51so we take up a little dose of fear
all together, which is good for you. -
7:51 - 7:54I won't read all 52 pages.
-
7:54 - 7:58I wrote: creating a sports area
that acts as a model for the whole city, -
7:58 - 8:01managed according to ethical
and innovative criteria -
8:01 - 8:04to promote sports, wellbeing and health
-
8:04 - 8:10fostering participation and integration
beyond any differences and prejudices. -
8:10 - 8:12How do you do all that stuff?
-
8:12 - 8:18I had really shot high, because I wanted
to manage the field, but - -
8:18 - 8:19(Laughter)
-
8:19 - 8:22(Applause)
-
8:29 - 8:30Settle down,
-
8:30 - 8:35you follow the other 51 pages
of the project methodically, -
8:35 - 8:37and if we want to create a model area
-
8:37 - 8:40we need to improve
the structure that was already there, -
8:40 - 8:41because there indeed were a few flaws.
-
8:41 - 8:45A 20,000-euro loan
by a friendly bank, immediate liquidity, -
8:45 - 8:47my dad, who's here somewhere.
-
8:47 - 8:48(Laughter)
-
8:48 - 8:51And we build the locker rooms -
-
8:51 - 8:53there were no hot showers, no benches,
-
8:54 - 8:58and we cover the athletics track,
which was made of asphalt, -
8:58 - 9:00with technical material.
-
9:01 - 9:04And while we are at it,
we make the real dream come true: -
9:04 - 9:10we receive truckloads of sand
for the beach volley court. -
9:11 - 9:14Then, over the years,
little by little, after two years, -
9:14 - 9:16we also realised a gym,
-
9:16 - 9:20so we put up a roof on a sports centre,
which had been entirely outdoor. -
9:20 - 9:24We're halfway through the
construction, we've built the roof, -
9:24 - 9:27which we celebrate
with "malloreddus alla campidanese" -
9:27 - 9:30prepared by my mom that morning.
-
9:30 - 9:33I hadn't prepared them.
Is Pietro Palvarini here? -
9:33 - 9:35My mom had prepared them,
I can tell you now. -
9:35 - 9:39So the sports centre
is the atomic bomb, guys. -
9:39 - 9:40It's sensational,
-
9:40 - 9:45the first people we want to welcome
once we open the gates -
9:45 - 9:48are the children,
those of the Year of the Child, -
9:48 - 9:49who are now in their 50s,
-
9:49 - 9:53but they have their own children,
so more people in the neighbourhood. -
9:55 - 10:01But there isn't much time,
because we only have 30 days. -
10:01 - 10:06So myself and my partner,
-
10:06 - 10:10who's the first person I called
-
10:10 - 10:11when I saw the ad from the city,
-
10:11 - 10:15together with him
and the old five-a-side friends -
10:15 - 10:18we quickly put together a non-profit
-
10:18 - 10:22to realise that mission
and open the field. -
10:22 - 10:23So, here we are.
-
10:23 - 10:26We look more like those guys
welcoming you onto the ferry, -
10:26 - 10:28but I assure you it's us.
-
10:28 - 10:33Over time, we create over six years
a veritable team, -
10:33 - 10:36made up of educators, coaches
and project managers. -
10:36 - 10:40The projects are the heart
of the sports centre; -
10:40 - 10:43they are intended
-
10:43 - 10:46for those whose life's starting blocks
-
10:46 - 10:49were a few steps behind ours,
-
10:49 - 10:53due a condition of physical
or social disadvantage. -
10:53 - 10:57And those like me who had all the fortunes
in the world are pleased to wait, -
10:57 - 11:01and support them to take a journey
of sports and life together. -
11:01 - 11:04So there are plenty of activities.
-
11:04 - 11:08We have 100 free courses
for low-income families, -
11:08 - 11:13so those in need have
a fair chance to play sports. -
11:13 - 11:17And then there's the issue
of welcoming migrants, -
11:17 - 11:22so we have multicultural football,
basketball teams that are open to anyone. -
11:22 - 11:27During Saturday mornings trainings,
the centre becomes the navel of the world. -
11:27 - 11:31There are kids from Palestine,
Kosovo, Senegal, Mali -
11:31 - 11:37who play with Italian kids
to have an enriching experience? -
11:37 - 11:40The more diverse the cultures,
the richer the people. -
11:41 - 11:47We also focus on the accessibility
of sports to people with disabilities. -
11:47 - 11:51So we have a program
of crossdisciplinary activities -
11:52 - 11:57open to people of every age and ability.
-
11:57 - 12:02Because if we get different people
to do sports together, -
12:02 - 12:05the experience is far richer.
-
12:05 - 12:10This mix of individuals
and this variety of people on the field -
12:10 - 12:16is the key that makes this centre
the home of sports for everyone. -
12:16 - 12:17To realise our mission there,
-
12:17 - 12:21otherwise it's useless,
it remains just a sheet of paper. -
12:21 - 12:25So there are kids on wheelchairs
who come to the centre to play -
12:25 - 12:27with the staff of the non-profits
accompanying them, -
12:27 - 12:31there are families who take
their children to attend our courses -
12:31 - 12:36and they join gym courses
alongside kids with disabilities. -
12:36 - 12:40There are phenomenal
visually impaired baseball players, -
12:40 - 12:42who open the eyes of those
-
12:42 - 12:46who sometimes forget
how good sports are for you, -
12:46 - 12:48and they do it together.
-
12:48 - 12:50And of course running cannot be missing:
-
12:50 - 12:54the easiest of sports,
you only need a pair of shoes. -
12:54 - 12:57We have a free running club
-
12:57 - 13:02where disabled children and volunteers
train to run marathons and relays. -
13:02 - 13:04We began tentatively with five people
-
13:04 - 13:07then, after three years, step by step,
-
13:07 - 13:10the whole world arrived
there are 500 of us, -
13:10 - 13:14with firms, partners, institutions
that have joined us, -
13:14 - 13:1550 youths with disabilities,
-
13:15 - 13:19and the day of the marathon
is an extraordinary event. -
13:19 - 13:25With all these activities,
all these projects, -
13:25 - 13:28with the necessary enthusiasm,
-
13:28 - 13:31leaving home, rain or shine,
-
13:32 - 13:35winning, losing, sweating,
falling and getting back up, -
13:35 - 13:40in other words, doing sports,
change begins. -
13:41 - 13:44The most profound one.
The one within yourself. -
13:45 - 13:48So the mood is lifted,
-
13:50 - 13:51you breathe -
-
13:51 - 13:54It shows that I started doing
yoga last Monday, huh? -
13:55 - 13:56You bunch of phonies.
-
13:56 - 13:59So you just feel better.
-
13:59 - 14:03You're more sociable,
you laugh more, you joke more, -
14:03 - 14:05you reconnect with yourselves.
-
14:05 - 14:09I saw this change in the face of a person
who one day came to the centre, -
14:09 - 14:12a company manager
who had supported our projects. -
14:12 - 14:15"I want to come and play
with the disabled kids." -
14:15 - 14:17"Great, come over."
-
14:17 - 14:21He came in tensed,
after a presumably hellish day at work, -
14:21 - 14:24with all the muscles
in his face contracted. -
14:24 - 14:27He held out his hand
to greet the first kid, -
14:27 - 14:30and this boy with down syndrome
just sprang into a wonderful hug -
14:30 - 14:34I'm jealous, I'd have liked
to receive a hug like that. -
14:34 - 14:36It wasn't your everyday hug.
-
14:36 - 14:42It was warm, human, long, therapeutic.
-
14:42 - 14:44And this person got better immediately.
-
14:44 - 14:46He had fun, he relaxed,
-
14:46 - 14:51and he played with the kids;
he still thanks us today. -
14:51 - 14:53A hug was enough to trigger all this.
-
14:53 - 14:56What an ability!
-
14:56 - 15:00After you witness episodes like these,
you ask yourself some questions. -
15:00 - 15:01I know.
-
15:01 - 15:02Who's disabled?
-
15:04 - 15:07And I gave myself some answers.
-
15:08 - 15:12We all have disabilities and abilities.
-
15:12 - 15:16Everyone of us is able to do
one thing perfectly, -
15:16 - 15:19and everyone of us
is incapable of doing other things, -
15:19 - 15:22we have our disabilities,
possibly because we've worked too much? -
15:23 - 15:27Because we've been looking at our
mobile everywhere like dowsers, -
15:27 - 15:30and we have the world's
most nimble thumbs, -
15:30 - 15:33but we've let other parts of us wither?
-
15:33 - 15:35Can it be?
-
15:36 - 15:39So sports are always round the corner,
-
15:39 - 15:42there's always a gym open 24 hours a day,
-
15:42 - 15:44seven days a week,
-
15:44 - 15:47to help us train the most important parts.
-
15:48 - 15:50Our body? Easy bet.
-
15:50 - 15:53The head? The Romans said it already.
-
15:53 - 15:55The heart, above all.
-
15:55 - 16:00So it is a gym where each of us can bring,
first and foremost, our abilities. -
16:00 - 16:04Let's start from the nice things,
because we share those first, -
16:04 - 16:06then the not-so-nice ones,
our disabilities, -
16:06 - 16:09will look more human,
more manageable, overcomeable. -
16:09 - 16:15This is why sports are magic,
and sports change lives. -
16:16 - 16:18And just like it changed mine,
-
16:18 - 16:20and in small or large part
-
16:20 - 16:22the lives of the other
protagonists of this story, -
16:22 - 16:24I am sure that it can be achieved
-
16:24 - 16:29in other places with similar
social challenges. -
16:31 - 16:34Because Milan,
Italy and even other countries -
16:34 - 16:38are full of fields ready to take flight.
-
16:38 - 16:40And, I hope, there are plenty of people -
-
16:40 - 16:43maybe even in this theatre,
at home, around the world, -
16:43 - 16:46ready to invest in the magic of sports.
-
16:47 - 16:50The sports revolution, I feel it,
-
16:50 - 16:54can explode anywhere and in anyone,
-
16:54 - 16:57provided one condition.
-
16:57 - 17:02One condition must be fulfilled:
our willingness to light the fuse. -
17:02 - 17:05Our willingness to take the first step,
-
17:05 - 17:11our willingness to dare more,
to get involved, play more. -
17:11 - 17:13That's it, play more.
-
17:13 - 17:15I'm actually terrible at this myself,
-
17:15 - 17:17because I too forget this thing some time.
-
17:17 - 17:20So I wanted to write it down
-
17:20 - 17:23in the most visible place I could find,
-
17:23 - 17:28a place I would have in front of my nose
ten, a hundred, a thousand times a day, -
17:28 - 17:32together with the other protagonists
who have joined me in this story. -
17:32 - 17:35I wanted to write it
in the name of the project -
17:35 - 17:38and in the name of the sports centre,
which is called, "Play more". -
17:38 - 17:40Thank you.
-
17:40 - 17:41(Applause)
- Title:
- Sport is life-changing | Luigi De Micco | TEDxMilano
- Description:
-
Once upon a time there was a small playground (campetto) in Moscova street: it was 1979.
Changes leave empty spaces, but sometimes these same spaces can be filled with something bigger and better than before. Luigi De Micco invites us to think that a page left blank can give us the opportunity to start from scratch and invent new projects, that involve the body, mind and soul, and that are able to overcome any barrier.This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
- Video Language:
- Italian
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 17:49
Muriel de Meo approved English subtitles for Lo sport cambia la vita | Luigi De Micco | TEDxMilano | ||
Muriel de Meo accepted English subtitles for Lo sport cambia la vita | Luigi De Micco | TEDxMilano | ||
Muriel de Meo edited English subtitles for Lo sport cambia la vita | Luigi De Micco | TEDxMilano | ||
Muriel de Meo edited English subtitles for Lo sport cambia la vita | Luigi De Micco | TEDxMilano | ||
Muriel de Meo edited English subtitles for Lo sport cambia la vita | Luigi De Micco | TEDxMilano | ||
Claudia Di Lorenzo edited English subtitles for Lo sport cambia la vita | Luigi De Micco | TEDxMilano | ||
Claudia Di Lorenzo edited English subtitles for Lo sport cambia la vita | Luigi De Micco | TEDxMilano |