Run for Autism

The Associazione Sport e Società - Progetto Filippide Roma with the collaboration of the A.S.D. Lazio Olimpia Runners Team and with the patronage of the Regione Lazio, Comune di Roma, Coni, Cip, Fidal Lazio, Fisdir and Protezione Civile is organising the 12th edition of the Run for Autism - Viridiana Rotondi, the eagerly awaited FISDIR national and FIDAL regional competitive and non-competitive road race.

Conceived by Progetto Filippide in 2012, and since then organised to inform and draw attention to the issue of autism, to date it is the only running race entirely dedicated to raising awareness of autism spectrum disorders not only in Italy, but also in Europe.

Involving all the athletes from the various regional sections of the Progetto Filippide, delegations from the EU countries that participated in the ECAP (European Competition for Autistic People) project in 2017, parental associations, school institutes and many amateur running clubs in Rome, it is an integrated race, where athletes with autism and neurotypical athletes run together, facing the same hardships.

In fact, the ultimate aim of the race is to demonstrate how, through sports, individuals with autism can be given the opportunity to bring out their abilities and skills, and above all improve their capacity and potential.

Distances:

• Competitive: 10.050 km;
• Non-competitive: 10.050 km;
• Fitwalking, Nordic Walking and free walking at your choice: 4.800 km or 10.050 km.

Meeting point: Piazza Bocca della Verità, 08.00 a.m.

Departure from Piazza Bocca della Verità. The competitive race and the non-competitive 10.050 km race will start at 09.30, followed by the other non-competitive distances of Fitwalking, Nordic Walking and free pace.

Participants will run on a five kilometre course, to be repeated twice for those taking part in the competitive and non-competitive 10 km, which will wind through the most famous streets of Rome such as Via del Teatro di Marcello, Piazza Venezia, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Piazzale del Colosseo and also the inside of the Circus Maximus.

Progetto Filippide delegations from three continents will be present for the first time. Participating in the competition will be a delegation from Albania, with athletes with autism coming from Tirana thanks to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Progetto Filippide and the Albanian government, in particular the Ministry of Sport and Health and the Ministry of Education, one from the Dominican Republic where Project Filippide is a consultant for the United Nations, and one from Lebanon, from the UNIFIL zone of interposition under Italian command, with children with autism from the Al Hanan association in Abbasyah, thanks to the collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, in particular the Undersecretary of Defence Sen. Isabella Rauti, and a delegation from Tunisia.

The Run for Autism, a public-interest event of the Municipality of Rome that enjoys the support of the Lazio Region, is the central moment within the International Event of the Progetto Filippide that will take place in Rome from 4 to 8 April. This Event is articulated in sporting moments, such as the "Trofeo Filippide di Nuoto" (Filippide Swimming Trophy), the exhibition of the artistic swimming team and the run, characterised this year by the opening ceremony that will take place on Saturday 6 April at the Auditorium del Massimo dell'EUR with an original music and dance show, with the involvement of the athletes of the Project itself on the theme of Africa.

Registration: the deadline for registering for the Competitive Race expires at 8 p.m. on Wednesday 3 April 2024; at 2 p.m., for individuals and Sports Clubs.

Read the Regulations