TDP2025, an amazing edition!
The 2025 edition was a fantastic one: the 37th International Tournament “Città della Pace” in Rovereto, which took place from 18 to 20 April, was a success!
Three sports disciplines were involved this year: football (categories U8, U11, U13, U15, U15 female, U17), water polo (U12) and fencing (from 10 to 13 years old). Fencing was an absolute debut at the Tournament, thanks to the collaboration with RoveretoScherma: on Saturday 19 April in the gym of the Don Milani Institute, about 100 boys and girls from all over Northern Italy competed. As for football and water polo, the participating teams were about 120 in total, for a total of more than 2000 athletes of all ages who experienced a weekend of sport and celebration in Trentino. There were 10 nations participating in the Tournament, with the confirmation of Germany (with Burk from the twinned city of Forcheim, and Anhausen, Ilshofen and Landshut), Austria (with the other twinned city of Kufstein), Albania (with the traditional participation of AK Shkodra and the debut of Djelmnia Shkodrane), Poland (which returned with Gornik Zabrze) and the Czech Republic, with the Under 8s from Dolni Dobrouc. Switzerland (with the Under 15 women’s Au-Berneck) and Malta (with FC Gozo) also returned after a few years. Japan (with the Milan Academy of Aichi, Under 11) and Kuwait (Milan Academy Loyac, with five teams from Under 8 to Under 13) were also confirmed. The tenth nation was obviously Italy, with a strong presence of local teams, but also of other teams that traveled many kilometers to be there, such as Barbato Football Academy (Lazio).
Sky-high enthusiasm from all the participants during the events, which make this tournament truly unique. This year the tournament actually started a day earlier, with the show by Federico Buffa “Due Pugni Guantati di Nero”, sold out at the Melotti Auditorium. The traditional Welcome Show was also packed on Friday, again at the Melotti Auditorium, a show in which the Tournament wanted to welcome and welcome the participating teams, full of emotional moments. The Opening Ceremony at the Bell of the Fallen on Saturday morning was as always a suggestive moment, in a place that is a symbol of universal peace, each participating nation took the oath and sang its national anthem. This was followed by the colorful and exciting parade through the streets of the center, ending in the beautiful Mart museum square. And at the end of all the matches, a thrilling Closing Ceremony, with the awarding of the teams that reached the podium of their category and the fair-play prizes, followed by the fireworks display, an enchanting way to say goodbye to everyone in view of the next tournament.
