Adidas Double D has been a sponsor of the EJU for many years, contributing far more than one might think. Sponsorship Manager for Adidas Double D, Palma Ferracci, works with federations and athletes and has made a personal commitment to the development of social impact projects that can enhanced through collaborations such as these.
Ms Ferracci believes in the Adidas brand and sees its alignment with the international judo community as a natural relationship. “The family feeling throughout the judo community is what we want to show. We want to share it because it is also how the Adidas family is.
We don’t just sell judogi, we are sharing in something. Our champions under the spotlights are important but these EJU Kids Camps are what it is all about. Not all children have the same chances in life. Even accessing judo is not always easy, even in parts of Europe. In certain places it’s much more difficult so we participate here as part of a big project that helps them to formulate their dreams. All children must have dreams.
The friends you make and the way the community supports young people, teaching them how to hold themselves, how to behave in different situations, this is the point. Judo and social interaction together teach children how to solve challenges, how to find the mental capacity to work hard. Perhaps the judogi or belt they receive from the EJU Kids Camp is not simply a judogi or belt, but is a unique memory and a feeling that will stay with them throughout their lives.”
What makes the EJU Kids Camp in Tbilisi such a positive experience for you?
“I have visited here for the last three years for the grand slam because we have so many Georgian champions under contract. We have worked with a journalist to open the doors to the champions’ homes, telling their stories. I really fell in love with Georgia.
When we travelled to Gori and to other places we often saw children without judogi but the dojo remained important for them, everywhere. For some villages, judo is the only activity available and everyone respects the dojo. So, to participate in this amazing camp makes us happy.
This camp includes more than just local children too. Clubs have travelled to be here from several countries. Now the children are making new friends from Ukraine, Greece, Armenia and Romania. This brings an extra dimension.”
The EJU Kids Camp is now an annual fixture on the calendar and is a clear illustration that judo is more than sport.
Author: Jo Crowley