We Run Together: from 8 June, the sports charity auction promoted by Pope Francis

A Specialized personalised bicycle donated to Pope Francis by the world champion Peter Sagan, a limited edition Rome jersey and captain’s armband both autographed by Francesco Totti, a competition bodysuit autographed by Filippo Tortu and training and dinner with the athlete in Milan, a swimming costume and cap autographed by Federica Pellegrini, and competition boots signed by the ski champion Sofia Goggia. And in addition, a visit for two to the Luna Rossa logistical base in Cagliari and the team jersey autographed by the entire squad, a dinner for two at the home of the fencing champions Valerio Aspromonte and Carolina Erba, dinner in Castellamare di Stabia in the company of Beppe and Carmine Abbagnale and the shirt worn by Alex Zanardi at the Olympics in Rio in 2016. These are some of the first prestigious prizes that may be won at auction on the platform CharityStars.com, starting from Monday 8 June 2020.

The extraordinary support and participation of Pope Francis

Pope Francis himself, during an extraordinary audience last 20 May, promoted and supported the charity initiative We Run Together, organised by Athletica Vaticana, the sports group Fiamme Gialle of the Financial Police, the “Courtyard of the Gentiles” and and Fidal-Lazio. The Holy Father, who has always been committed to promoting sport as an instrument of inclusion, sharing, peace and solidarity, indeed invites everyone to “run with the heart”, participating in the initiative, because "the true values of sport are particularly important in facing this period of the pandemic and above all, the difficult aftermath”. The prizes available for auction include, in fact, some truly prestigious sports items made available by Pope Francis and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi.

How does the We Run Together charity auction work?

From 8 June and for around two months, all enthusiasts will have the opportunity every week to win at auction exclusive autographed objects and/or sports-related experiences thanks to the active participation of a number of champions, companies and clubs. Simply go to the site www.charitystars.com, in the section dedicated to the We Run Together auction, select the object or experience you are interested in and make an offer higher than the previous one or the starting figure. Every object or experience will be up for auction for ten days, at the end of which the prize will be awarded to the highest bidder.

Every week, from 8 June and for around two months, new items will be available. All the updates on the available objects and experiences will be published each week on charitystars.com, www.athleticavaticana.org, www.cortiledeigentili.com, www.fiammegialle.org and the respective social channels of the three organisations.

Where will the proceeds of the auction go?

The proceeds of the We Run Together charity auction will go to the healthcare personnel of two hospitals, the Papa Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo and the Fondazione Poliambulanza in Brescia, both of which were especially affected by the Covid-19 healthcare emergency. Indeed, We Run Together, as Pope Francis underlined in the video message with which he presented the campaign, is “an initiative to help and thank the nurses and hospital staff, who are all living their profession as a vocation, heroically, placing at risk their own lives to save others”.

Is it possible to make a donation without participating in the individual auctions?

Yes, all those who wish to contribute to the fund without participating in the auctions can donate freely, again in the section dedicated to We Run Together on the site www.charitystars.com. Participating in the auctions or making a free donation, there is the possibility of being selected to receive special prizes, including an Athletica Vaticana shirt signed by Pope Francis.

Which sports personalities and clubs are participating in the initiative?

Athletics, motor racing, basketball, football, football, canoeing, judo, karate, swimming, volleyball, boxing, rugby, fencing, winter sports, tennis, shooting, sailing and many Paralympic disciplines: there is something for everyone. Indeed, many personalities, representing all disciplines, athletes and champions - Italian and international - have chosen to join in the solidarity competition, putting up for auction personal items or truly fascinating experiences.

In the coming weeks it will therefore be possible to make offers to win objects and experiences with, among others: Beppe and Carmine Abbagnale, Valerio Aspromonte, Enrico Berre’, Thiago Braz Da Silva, Samuele Burgo, Tania Cagnotto, Martina Caironi, Niccolò Campriani, Daniele Cassioli, Cristina Chirichella, Chiara Oltri, Monica Contrafatto, Yeman Crippa, Roberto Di Donna, Fabrizio Donato, Carolina Erba, Arianna Fontana, Daniele Garozzo, Kristian Ghedina, Sofia Goggia, Christof Innerhofer, Carolina Kostner, Assunta Legante, Andrea Lo Cicero, Matteo Lodo, Stefano Maniscalco, Pietro Mennea, Annalisa Minetti, Sara Morganti, Federico Morlacchi, Sandi Morris, Manfred Mӧllg, Manuela Mӧllg, Nicole Orlando, Antonella Palmisano, Giulio Maria Papi, Federica Pellegrini, Flavia Pennetta, Giulia Quintavalle, Davide Re, Massimiliano Rosolino, Antonio Rossi, Giada Rossi, Clemente Russo, Katerina Stefanidi, Gianmarco Tamberi, Ruggero Tita, Filippo Tortu, Francesco Totti, Giuseppe Vicino, Bebe Vio, Alessandra Vitale, Dorothea Wierer, Blanka Vlasic, Alex Zanardi and Ivan Zaytsev.

In addition, Milan, Juventus, Lazio, Brescia Calcio, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Armani will participate, and there will be further surprises in the weeks to come.