by InTrieste
Once regarded as a peripheral concern, workplace safety has increasingly become a central priority in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Regional officials say it is now considered a shared responsibility, deeply integrated into schools and community programs.
At the presentation of the fifth edition of We Love Safety FVG — a regional initiative promoting safety awareness through schools — Alessia Rosolen, the regional councillor for Education, Training and Labor, emphasized how far the effort has come. “Safety, and especially workplace safety, was once considered residual,” she said. “Today we can say it has become a shared responsibility in Friuli Venezia Giulia. We were the first in Italy to introduce safety into education, and this program is a very incisive contribution because it involves so many students.”
The project, organized by the four construction workers’ funds of Friuli Venezia Giulia in collaboration with the region’s construction training schools, takes a novel approach each year. For 2025–26, the theme is table tennis. Middle school students will design graphics on ping-pong paddles to convey safety messages, high school students will decorate the playing tables, and — for the first time — teachers will take part by working on the nets.
Participation has grown steadily since the program’s launch. According to project coordinator Marco Svara, the number of student participants has increased from 700 in its first year to 1,200 today, with 24 schools expected to join this year. Registration remains open until September 26.
Rosolen framed the initiative as part of a broader civic education effort. “Safety is the synthesis of all duties and rights,” she said. “No one is safe alone; everyone must do their part. The region has worked in depth to build a network: a three-year safety program, the Carta di Lorenzo, and initiatives across schools, workplaces, and communities. Our collaboration with training bodies and construction funds has proven invaluable.”
The contest offers a prize pool of €20,000, including tablets, iPads, and other devices, aimed at appealing to students. The final jury will include Matteo Parenzan, a Paralympic table tennis champion, who joined the launch event at the Formedil auditorium in Gorizia’s Montesanto district. Also present was Giulio Daidone, Gorizia’s municipal councillor.
