Carnival Corporation's Costa Cruises and Kinder Unite for a Social Responsibility Project
The historic Ferrero Group brand comes on board Costa's ships with Kinder+Sport Joy of moving
CIVITAVECCHIA, Italy, May 10, 2019 /3BL Media/ – Kinder and Costa Cruises sign an important partnership based on shared values to bring the “Kinder+Sport Joy of moving” project and the right to play into the life of children, on board and on land, all over the world.
An international social responsibility project launched by the Ferrero Group and supported by Costa Cruises currently involves 4 million children in 30 countries around the world, with the aim of developing specific forms of exercise for children and families that are engaging and joyful, in the belief that a positive attitude to movement and sport can make the children of today better adults tomorrow. The initiatives in this project are inspired by Joy of moving: an innovative and scientifically validated educational method that promotes not only motor skills but also the cognitive, emotional and relational development of children.
“Our goal is to bring happiness to the people who board our ships, particularly children” – says Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises – “This Kinder+Sport Joy of moving project therefore integrates perfectly with our values. The starting point is specifically our flagship Costa Diadema, where we have applied the method within a ship environment for the first time. This has allowed us to extend Joy of moving to all the other ships in the Costa fleet and to get over 34,000 girls and boys and their families involved in almost 5,000 hours dedicated to games”.
Joy of moving has become an integral part of the activities run by the Squok Club, the kids' club that operates on all Costa ships. Implementing the program required specific training to be given to over 200 Costa entertainment staff by specialized Kinder+Sport Joy of moving trainers at the Village of Alba, as well as finding areas and spaces on board for the ad hoc games and exercises that are based on the Joy of moving method. At the Squok Club, all girls and boys (between 3 and 12 years old) can enjoy an extraordinary range of games that encourage movement, some of which involve the whole family. Monitored by qualified Costa staff, the youngest guests star in a daily program of activities that combine physical movement and fun with making friends, while improving their mental and life skills at the same time.
“Our Kinder+Sport /Joy of Moving social responsibility project – explains Ambassador Francesco Paolo Fulci, Chairman of Ferrero S.p.A. - is inspired by the innovative 'Joy of moving' educational method which, during the current school year, has also become one of the educational projects to have been promoted nationally by the Italian ministry of education with the involvement of over 10,000 elementary school classes. With the Kinder+Sport Joy of moving project, we want to commit to encouraging the natural predisposition of children to move and play: with the aim of ensuring that movement can bring joy to children over and above the sports themselves, the playing field and performance. This partnership represents the commitment of two large companies to promote and support the right to play for all children, for whom play is another way to develop, learn the rules of the world, relate to others and use their ingenuity to deal with real life.”
Ambassador Cornado, the Representative of Italy at the International Organizations in Geneva, pointed out that “this year is the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Committee of which meets in Geneva three times a year. Among the measures contained in the Convention – continued Cornado – is the one in article 31, according to which Member States must recognize the right of children to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to their age”.
"Companies must be strongly committed to support sustainable development. It is about their future and the future of all of us" - commented Enrico Giovannini, Founder and Spokesperson for the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS).
The Joy of moving program continues “ashore”, involving local communities in the countries where the ships call, also targeting the weakest groups to create value and share projects aimed at supporting local economic and social development, with a particular focus on new generations: "The sustainable development strategies of Costa Cruises focus on the theme of sharing, in order to ensure that the projects we promote are not only run on board but also contribute to improving the lives of people in the communities visited by our ships. For this reason, we will be extending Joy of moving to our fleet's main ports of call, enabling children who find themselves in difficult situations to join a unique and stimulating experience" – adds Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises.
A concrete example of this is the activity carried out last winter in South America, particularly in Brazil, where high unemployment, widespread violence and extreme poverty risk compromising the future of the young generations. In the cities of Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and then Montevideo, working with local NGOs that support children and adolescents in situations of distress and deprivation, over 800 children have had the opportunity to board the Costa Favolosa and Costa Fascinosa, visit the ships and participate in the "Joy of moving" activities with our entertainment staff, to stimulate their motor and mental abilities, their creativity and their life skills in a context of joy, which can help them imagine a better future.
The aim of Kinder has always been to offer children and their families small but significant opportunities for joy, designed just for them, and for many years it has been committed to encouraging their natural inclination to move and play. This has led to the establishment of Kinder + Sport Joy of moving, an international social responsibility project run by the Ferrero Group involving 4 million children, in 30 countries around the world, that is able to bring children and families closer to physical activity in an engaging and joyful way, in the belief that a positive attitude towards movement and sport can make today's children better adults tomorrow. The initiatives included in this project are inspired by Joy of moving, an innovative, scientifically validated, educational method that stems from play, capable of promoting children's motor, cognitive, emotional and relational development. With the aim of ensuring that, above all, movement brings joy, beyond discipline and performance, Kinder + Sport joy of moving organizes and supports educational programs and sports events, student championships, multidisciplinary campuses, working with athletes and former champions and supporting research projects focused on the benefits of an active life. It operates worldwide with important qualified and expert partners, including institutions, ministries and universities, 4 Olympic Committees, 132 Federations and Sports Associations and the ISF (International School Sport Federation).
Costa Cruises is an Italian company that is part of Carnival Corporation & plc, the largest cruise group in the world. For over 70 years the ships of the Costa fleet have been travelling the world's seas offering hospitality and authentic Italian style holidays, distinguished by exquisite food, fine wines, unique shopping experiences, and a comprehensive selection of famous Italian brands. Currently the Costa fleet has 15 ships in service, all flying the Italian flag. Two new latest generation vessels are expected in 2019 and 2021. They will be fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world's "cleanest fossil fuel", and a real environmental innovation. Costa represents Italian excellence, and every day surpasses the expectations of its guests with a unique and unforgettable holiday experience. It does this thanks to the approximately 19,000 employees around the world who work to provide the best of Italy on board, with 140 different routes, 250 destinations and 60 ports of embarkation.
For further information - kinderPlusSport.com – www.costacrociere.it/sostenibilita
Ferrero Press Office
Marco Brambilla, Corporate Communication Manager Ferrero Italia marco.brambilla@ferrero.com +39 3470648550
Raoul Romoli Venturi, Communication and Public Relations Director comunicazione@ferrero.it +39 011815 2324
Costa Cruises Press Office:
Tel. +39 010 5483523 / 010 5483068 - costapressoffice@costa.it
Gabriele Baroni - Communication Director - Cell +39 3497668013 - baroni@costa.it
Davide Barbano - Media Relations Manager – Tel. +39 010.5483523 – Cell +39 334.6525216 - barbano@costa.it
