by InTrieste
Interview: Pierpaolo Roberti, FVG Councilor for Local Autonomies; Elisa Lodi, Trieste Councilor for Sport, City of Trieste
Trieste’s waterfront comes alive today as the city hosts the third edition of Vola Alto con lo Sport (“Fly High with Sport”), a festival celebrating athletics and the ongoing transformation of the old port into Porto Vivo.
The event, organized by Trieste Atletica in partnership with the City of Trieste, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, and Coni FVG, transforms the Generali Convention Center into a “sports village,” with free admission and activities beginning at 9 a.m.
Elisa Lodi, Trieste’s municipal sports councillor, said the festival embodies the spirit of the future Cittadella dello Sport, part of a generational project aimed at regenerating the old port. “Our goal is to foster sport, engage our youth, and bring families together while promoting values of well-being and community,” she said during a Friday press briefing.
The day features a broad range of activities for children and adults, including soccer, basketball, volleyball, track and field, archery, aerial silks, pole dance, orienteering, martial arts, and dance performances from classical ballet to breakdance.
A special component is the Marathon for Mental Health, which begins at 10:30 a.m. The 4.2-kilometer run raises awareness about mental well-being and is part of the national “Pro-Bene-Comune” project, funded by Italy’s Ministry of Universities and Research and supported by the University of Trieste and SISSA (International School for Advanced Studies). The initiative brings together ten academic institutions to promote health across psychological, relational, and physical dimensions.
Regional councillor Pierpaolo Roberti and representatives from Pro-Bene-Comune joined city officials at Friday’s press briefing, highlighting the collaborative nature of the festival.
Ms. Lodi said the event is designed to introduce children to new sports, offer families opportunities for quality time, and foster community engagement. The celebration also ties into broader ambitions for Porto Vivo, the city’s ambitious urban regeneration project for its historic waterfront.
