“Ludis iungit” – united by sport and for sport – is Panathlon’s motto and encapsulates a history that began on 12 June 1951 in Venice, before spreading, within a few years, throughout Italy and across the world.
On Saturday 19 September, Panathlon International returned to the city of its origins to celebrate its 75th anniversary alongside that of the Panathlon Club Venezia, the Movement’s founding club. In the prestigious setting of the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, around 300 participants, alongside representatives from institutions and the worlds of sport and culture, came together for a day dedicated to the values that have always inspired Panathlon’s work: ethics, fair play, inclusion, respect for the individual and social responsibility.
The highlight of the celebrations was the presentation of the ‘Flambeau d’Or – in memory of Antonio Spallino’, Panathlon International’s highest honour. Awarded every four years, the prize pays tribute to individuals who, through their sporting and personal journeys, have embodied values that go far beyond competitive results.
The award was presented to two leading figures in international sport: Francesca Porcellato and Bashir Abdi, athletes with vastly different backgrounds, yet united by extraordinary determination and the ability to use sport as a tool for personal growth, inclusion and inspiration.
Francesca Porcellato, one of the most prominent figures in Italian Paralympic sport, has built an exceptional career at the very highest level in athletics, Nordic skiing and handcycling. Having competed in twelve Paralympic Games, right up to Paris 2024, her journey stands as an extraordinary testament to perseverance, the ability to reinvent oneself and a willingness to constantly take on new challenges.
Bashir Abdi, a Belgian athlete of Somali origin and one of the leading figures in world marathon running, won Olympic bronze at Tokyo 2020 and silver at Paris 2024, as well as bronze at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene. His competitive career is complemented by a significant commitment to social causes: having arrived in Belgium as a child after leaving Somalia, through Sportaround – the association he founded – he promotes sport as a tool for inclusion and personal development for children and young people.
The Flambeau d’Or ceremony was moderated by journalist Luca Ginetto, former President of the Panathlon Club Venezia, who interviewed the two award winners in a conversation that went beyond sporting achievements, giving them the opportunity to share the experiences, challenges and values that have shaped their journeys.
This gave rise to an intense and authentic dialogue, which brought to the fore the human side of Francesca Porcellato and Bashir Abdi and the deeper meaning of their experiences. Their testimonies thus turned the award ceremony into a moment of reflection on the educational power of sport and the value of setting an example, particularly for the younger generations, who are called upon to recognise sport not only as a competitive challenge but also as a school of life, commitment and responsibility.
The day was further enriched by contributions from Professor Andrea Rinaldo, winner of the 2023 Stockholm Water Prize and a former international rugby player, and Professor Mattia Losi, who explored the relationship between sport, ethics, culture and civic responsibility, with the session coordinated by Roberto Papetti, Editorial Director of Il Gazzettino.
Seventy-five years after that first meeting in Venice in 1951, Panathlon’s return to the city where it all began has taken on a significance that goes beyond the celebration of an anniversary. It was an opportunity to reaffirm a vision of sport founded on excellence, respect, friendship, inclusion and the education of the younger generations – principles that bring Panathlon International’s work very much in line with the ideals of the Olympic Movement.
"Ludis iungit" continues, after 75 years, to represent not just a motto, but a commitment: to unite through sport and to turn sport into a tool for building a better society.