International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS) is delighted to announce that the renowned Piedmont wine estate Castello di Verduno will be supporting an exclusive event at the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART) 2025 in Pamplona.
The event is intended as a thank you for all those Mixed Ability champions, allies, sponsors and stakeholders who have made IMART and MAGIC 2025 possible, working tirelessly over the past 24 months to deliver the biggest and boldest Mixed Ability event in our ten-year history.
From 22–27 June, in fact, the capital of Navarre will host more than 1,400 players of all abilities from over 24 countries, gathering to compete in over 70 rugby matches as part of the 4th IMART. The event will take place at Universidad Pública de Navarra and represents the heart of MAGIC 2025 – a week-long celebration of Mixed Ability sport that also includes international competitions in football, basketball, boxing, rowing, curling, golf, handball, goalball, and more.
The event hosted by IMAS, IMAS Spain and Iruña Rugby Club, with additional support from Flutter Entertainment as global strategic partner and headline sponsor, is also co-funded by the European Commission through Erasmus+ Sport and has received the official patronage of UNESCO. We’re also honoured to be backed by the Gobierno de Navarra, Ayuntamiento de Pamplona and many others who believe in a more inclusive sporting future.
Although Mixed Ability has grown over the past 15 years to become a global movement in grassroots sport, it does not forget its strong ties with Italy – and Piedmont in particular. It was in Turin, in fact, that Chivasso Rugby, one of the first-ever Mixed Ability rugby team, was founded in 2009, harnessing and combining the power of sport, education and advocacy to with the ambition to create a fairer and more equal society.
And to celebrate this historic milestone in Spanish soil, we are thrilled to be assisted by an Italian excellence. Once owned by the House of Savoia and King Carlo Alberto, the legacy of Castello di Verduno is now taken good care of Burlotto and Bianco’s families. Their vineyards span across the hills of Verduno and Barbaresco, producing gems of the Piedmont tradition such as Barolo, Barbaresco and Pelaverga.
The ‘thank you’ event is going to take place on Thursday 26th of June at 8pm at the NH Iruña Park Hotel and will be an occasion to talk about the future of Mixed Ability, accompanied by a tasting of the most iconic wine from Castello di Verduno, presented by the estate’s sommelier Fabio Ceste.
This occasion will also be the opportunity to showcase how the inclusion of people with disability can successfully work in other areas, exemplified by the project 8PARI, of which Castello di Verduno is one of the partners. The project – led by Progetto Emmaus to support the job placement of people in vulnerable situations within local wine cellars – will feature our Fringe Festival during the week, demonstrating that inclusion is a powerful force that can support people’s rights whilst generating sustainable, viable and just initiatives.
Martino Corazza, IMAS Director said “It’s a great pleasure to partner with Castello di Verduno and we are truly grateful for their support, enthusiasm and generosity. They completely embraced the idea as soon as we presented it, and we couldn’t have hoped for a better way to thank all the people that have helped us over the past decade!”.
Marcella Bianco, from Castello di Verduno said: “The care for our terroir and the production of quality wines have always been two of the main pillars of our company. In recent years, we have met people who have given us the opportunity to know amazing projects and develop collaborations aiming at integrating our production philosophy with a look on a more sustainable future. We thank the likes of 8Pari, SportABILI and La collina degli Elfi for this, because an environment is rich and thriving only if all those who live and love it are involved in its growth.”
From IMAS and the whole IMART organising committee, we want to express our gratitude to Castello di Verduno for their support and enthusiasm and look forward to working together to deliver an unforgettable experience.
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