Italy – 14th Corsa dei Santi, All Saints’ Run: "The most precious diamond is education"

27 October 2022

(ANS - Rome) - The traditional solidarity run of the “Corsa dei Santi” will take place on 1 November in Rome for the 14th time, a marathon promoted by the sports association, ASD Corsa dei Santi, which is always associated with international solidarity projects. This year, the initiative supports the project of the Salesian NGO "Missioni Don Bosco" of Turin, in favor of the school in Tshikapa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and will bring together runners, men and women, from different countries, all committed to spreading the word that "the most precious diamond is education."

The All Saints' Run, so named because of the date on which it takes place, namely November 1, All Saints' Day, is a sporting event that has gradually grown to reach its 2022 edition with thousands of participants, while at the same time remaining true to its institutional purposes:

- to give “popular” visibility to the celebration of All Saints' Day, from which it takes its name;

- to bring a humanitarian emergency that calls for solidarity to the forefront;

- to foster the values of sports according to the Salesian educational tradition.

Professional and non-professional athletes, champions, and beginners are invited to the race, which is divided into two main categories, competitive athletes and amateurs. Its route winds within the historic center of Rome, among squares, churches and noble palaces, starting and finishing in St. Peter's Square. This peculiarity, together with the presence of athletes in the race along with entire families in celebration, makes it one of the world’s most beautiful races.

Each edition of the race has seen the support of famous testimonials, models of sportsmanship or professionals, role models for their lives and life-stories as well. This year's testimonials will be Marcell Jacobs, the Olympic 100-meter champion, and Chiara Vingione, the Fisdir (Italian Federation of relational intellectual paralympic Sports) women's basketball world champion.

They are also joined by Fiona May, the long jump and triple jump champion, testimonial of "Missioni Don Bosco" and Godmother of the 2022 Solidarity Project. A project that this year supports the Tshikapa school in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Tshikapa, on the Kasai River about 950 km from the capital Kinshasa, is one of the country's most important mining centers. The search for diamonds, which also takes place with child-miners in slave-like conditions, is the mirage that confuses families, who prefer to send their children to work rather than to school. The country's education system is inadequate, and the distance of school sites from poor neighborhoods further discourages attendance.

That is why the Salesians decided to open an educational center in the outskirts of Tshikapa. In just a few months they erected the masonry structure that will house the elementary school, and classes have begun in recent weeks. "Missions Don Bosco" has encouraged its construction, and aims to support it until it can "run with its own legs."

This year, the Race of Saints taking place in Rome on 1 Nov. 1 2022 was intended to raise awareness among participants and spectators about the need to fight illiteracy, a consequence, and cause of ongoing child exploitation, and the participants, who come from five continents, will "jog awareness" concerning the efforts of Congolese Salesians and "Missioni Don Bosco."

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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