Twinning Project: Lorenzo Pellegrini meets with inmates from the second training and rehabilitation course held at Rebibbia

On November 22, to celebrate those who participated in the first cycle of classes that ended in June and to coincide with the conclusion of the second course, the inmates received a visit from Giallorossi captain Lorenzo Pellegrini and AS Roma Chief Football Operating Officer Maurizio Lombardo, accompanied by Twinning Project Italy CEO Sasha Fugazzola and the Assessor for Cultural Policies, Sports, Labor and Civil Rights of City Hall IV, Maurizio Rossi.

The Roma delegation, welcomed by the director of the male prison, Maria Donata Iannantuono, and the director of the female section, Nadia Fontana, wanted to make a tangible contribution to the inaugural day by donating several adidas balls and new goal nets for the pitch where the practical part of the courses take place.

The course coaches Fabrizio Ferrari, Jacopo Carrucola, Alice Fabbri, Giulia D’Elia, Maria Iole Volpi and Jacopo Ciotti with Lorenzo Pellegrini

During the meeting with inmates, held in the prison's theatre hall, Lombardo and Fugazzola signed the new grant agreement for the Twinning Project, while Pellegrini spent a bit of time with the inmates, taking photos, signing autographs and offering words of encouragement. 

“The Friedkin family are always committed to bringing benefits to our community through initiatives such as this one,” commented Maurizio Lombardo during the signing of the new grant agreement. 

The Rebibbia educators who followed the project, Dr. Sara Macchia and Dr. Alessia Giuliani with Lorenzo Pellegrini

“I was keen to meet these people who dedicate their thoughts, passion and affection to us, but who are unable to express them to us directly,” said Lorenzo Pellegrini while addressing the participants. “As a captain and a Romanista, I’m really happy to see how the love for football and for our team in particular can be used as an opportunity for redemption in life.”

“One of the mottos of Twinning Project is ‘we all make bad choices in life, but it doesn’t necessarily make us a bad person’,” Sasha Fugazzola told the inmates. “We believe that everyone deserves a second chance and we look forward to working together with this new group of participants to provide many transferable skills through preliminary training courses to become a coach that will resonate long after you leave this place.” 

The Twinning Project, which originally launched in the UK and was first brought to Italy by AS Roma in March 2024, involves partnerships between professional football clubs and penal institutions to offer specific opportunities to better prepare inmates for their release, help them find employment and reduce the rate of reoffending, which poses a huge cost to the country and local communities. The initiative is being held with the help of the FIFA Foundation.

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