The history
Lake Garda has always been a popular destination for German and Dutch tourism. The Trentino region, a bridge connecting Italy with the rest of Europe, fascinates passers-by with its natural, historical and architectural beauty. Rovereto and Vallagarina, with its reputation for sports combined with its hospitality, is a welcoming land open to socialisation. These are the peculiarities that, more than 30 years ago, gave birth to the first International Football and Handball Tournament Città della Pace, a tournament that has seen in 2017 its 30th edition. It began with a few friendly matches between the Dutch, German and Italian teams, organised by Gianni Tumicelli (G.S. Rosmini) and Bert Staal (Eurosporting Foundation), and the very first training camps in Trentino, lasting only few days and seeing the participation of the Central-European football clubs.
The first occurrence of the Tournament took place in 1988, thanks to the combined effort of the newly born Organising Committee with the Eurosporting Foundation and the Councilman Carmelo Pintarelli of the Sports Council of the Municipality of Rovereto.
In this first tournament there were only three categories and the first organised matches (mainly between Dutch, German and Italian teams) were played out on four different fields in Rovereto. In 1993, we saw the birth of the Handball Tournament, appearing in Italy for the first time, with both male and female categories.
In 2021 the event becomes multi-sport and opens the doors to new sports, involving football, basketball (after the first edition of 2018), water polo and tamburello, thus allowing more and more children to be part of the Tournament.
During the years these encounters have grown fast, involving youth coming from every continent. So far we hosted teams from every European country, but also young athletes coming from the USA, Brazil, Japan, Kuwait, Canada, Russia, and Australia.
Also, the side events have consequentially improved to the point of becoming a fundamental part of the Tournament itself: the playing of the national anthems; the ceremony of the Oath, a solemn promise of fair play made by one athlete per participating
nation, followed by the 100 strikes of the Maria Dolens, the Bell of Peace; the colourful parade through the streets of the city centre; the Saturday night party in the club; the always crowded Sunday finals with the traditional fireworks for the closing ceremony at the Quercia Stadium.
The charm of our land, the hospitality of our people, the effort and sheer determination of the Organising Committee could, year after year, enrich and improve this event, making the International Tournament Città della Pace known in all of Europe as one of the most important Youth Sporting Events.
The event and its core values
Every year, during the Easter holidays, thousands of young people from across Europe and from all over the World gather together in Rovereto, Vallagarina, to compete with each other on the field or in the gyms. The Tournament’s core values lie in the true spirit of sportsmanship and fair play – a sport will be enjoyed for its own sake, respecting and abiding by its rules, with proper consideration for fairness, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one’s competitors. Gaming enhances the social activity and encourages socialization, promoting cultural exchange between young players coming from many different nations; together they compare and learn about different traditions, cultures and societies sometimes very different from their own.
The Easter period and the strikes of Maria Dolens, the Bell of Peace, encourage participants to reflect on peace, tolerance, and promote understanding.
The International Tournament Città della Pace is a massive celebration of sport that combines in itself those messages that better represent the true spirit of Rovereto, City of Peace and Sports.