The decision follows on from last November when the club’s Vice President Barbara Berlusconi signed an agreement on behalf of AC Milan with His Holiness and in which a commitment was made to back Scholas as well as to organise Derbies for Peace. This weekend and ahead of the kick-off, the aim is to carry out the ‘olive-tree ceremony’ at the San Siro with the captains from each team. This symbolic gesture will close an initiative that started in August 2013 when the Pope handed the olive-tree, the universal symbol for peace, to the captains of Argentina and Italy, Messi and Buffon, before the match for peace at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. On that same night there was also the official unveiling of Scholas.

“After identifying the social role that football plays, the large numbers of young people involved and the importance of their integration through sport, art and technology, Scholas is now carrying out its projects in 82 countries.” – José María del Corral, Director General Mondo Di Scholas created by Pope Francis.

“Football is without doubt the most extraordinary means of global communication and way of bringing people together. With this in mind, sport and its values become a fundamental element for social development and through which to invest in the potential of young people, getting the best out of their abilities and supporting their development. From this premise, a collaboration between Scholas Occurrentes and Milan Foundation was created and which begins in occasion of the Derby for Peace and foresees the support of the Play for Change project carried out across Italy.” – Barbara Berlusconi AC Milan Vice President and President of the Milan Foundation. 

Thanks to the Milan Foundation, you can give your support by sending a text message to 45598. The funds raised via the text messages will go towards the Play for Change project which helps youngsters regain confidence in themselves and gradually start studying again or enter the job market. Backing the project in occasion of the derby Milan-Inter will be Scholas Occurrentes. The funds raised by Scholas meanwhile will be for the Scholas Ciudadania – Scholas Cittadinanza projects and the initiatives in Africa and Latin America. 

More on Scholas:

Scholas is an International Organisation of Pontifical Right, approved and established by Pope Francis on August 13, 2013 in the Vatican City. It uses technology, art and sport to promote social integration and the bringing together of cultures for peace. The organisation is present in 82 countries through its network of more than 400.000 schools and educational centres with headquarters in the Vatican City, Argentina, Spain, Paraguay and Mozambique. The mission is to achieve integration between people, especially amongst those with fewer resources, through the efforts of all social partners. It works with schools from both the private and public sector and of all faiths. Sport, art and technology are the tools to make the aforementioned goals possible with some of the most important characters and organisations across the world already responding to the appeal of Pope Francis through Scholas and working for a peaceful and integrated world. 

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Scholas Cittadina: this is an educational programme for the training of secondary school students and that seeks to promote civil participation in young people, starting from the most pressing issues and generating changes in themselves and their surroundings. The programme works with students from different schools situated in different districts, both in the public and private sector, religious and non-religious. It was valued as a highly innovate and effective integration experience. 

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FutVal: this is a programme with the aim of instilling values through football which teaches young people to interact and work as a team and prioritise the good of the team ahead of the individual. This experience aims to help the development of children and young people in vulnerable situations and is for those between 7 and 18 years in testing social situations and difficulties. FutVal reaches out to these young people through football schools, oratories and organisations that educate through sport. The objective is to enrich the lives of children, young people and communities through sport and football. 

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