I’m sitting at my desk, up to my elbows in work, when an exciting phone call comes through. It’s from Simone Elmi, President of Dolomiti Open ASD, who has a request for me.
Think what you like, I was rather moved, because, ever since I began climbing in 2017, I realize I’m surrounded by incredible people with whom I can share this passion, people that are giving me so much.
But let’s take things in order.
Foto: Filippo Frizzera
Sportfund
About a year ago, sustained by the enthusiasm of Alberto Benchimol, President of the Fondazione Sportfund, I began to translate their site into English, partly for fun, partly because I wanted to spread beyond the Italian borders their wonderful message: “to pursue aims of social solidarity by performing activities in the amateur sports sector for the benefit of disadvantaged people.”
Dolomiti Open: the story of a few becomes the victory of many
And it was Alberto who invited me to come climbing, in July 2021, on the occasion of the spectacular Brenta Open initiative (organized by Dolomiti Open and with the collaboration of Sportfund).
During those days, at the Rifugio Tuckett e Sella on the Dolomites of Brenta, I met Simone: an Alpine guide unlike any other, bursting with ideas to transform the mountain into a place of social and relational connection.
The goals of Dolomiti Open, an amateur sports association, include personal growth. So, with the idea of expanding my own horizons and those of the people at my side, a few weeks before Simone called me, I had arranged with the Gruppo Alpinisti “G. Ferrari” (CAI Sezione di Ravenna, of which I am a member) to include a couple of special outings in the 2022 programme: one to the Falesia Dimenticata [Forgotten Cliff] in March (a cliff reopened to the public by Dolomiti Open with a crowdfunding project), and one on the occasion of the Brenta Open in July.
So what can I say, imagine my surprise when Simone phoned to ask me to translate the Dolomiti Open site into English! What more magnificent opportunity could there be to convey this important content to people who do not know Italian, and to be able to speak once more in my Blog about the inclusive mountain. Before starting, though, I needed to contact Christopher Howell, a British translator-colleague who has for many years helped me to transform my ideas into English. Assured of his support, I was ready to start.
I don’t want to wait a moment more, let’s get to know Dolomiti Open and its initiatives!
Foto: Filippo Frizzera
Dolomiti Open: Mission
Dolomiti Open is an amateur sports association born and operating in Trentino Alto Adige. Its goals are the following:
To stimulate and disseminate the culture of sport in a natural environment, and in particular that of the mountain as a place of personal growth and social/relational connection.
To convey the concept of “Everybody’s Heritage” (a shared common asset) through concrete territorial projects capable of stimulating personal growth through the values of respect for diversity, attention towards and appreciation of the territory, sharing of common assets, rediscovery of the territory and profound respect for the environment.
Dolomiti Open: Goals
To increase “wellbeing” in daily living through concrete examples, passion and enthusiasm for projects and ideas that unite us and make us feel a community.
To succeed in transmitting the universal values – never to be taken for granted – of respect for nature and awareness of its absolute importance as a gymnasium in which to experiment moments of intimate and community life.
To improve all that is around us through commitment and dedication, developing projects for the entire community.
We’ll be in touch soon to discover the projects of this Association!
