PBZ and Generali Announce Soccer Camp

Zadar, July 16, 2021 – After a break in 2020, Italia Soccer Camp is back in Croatia! This sports event is intended for children aged 7 to 14 years and Privredna banka Zagreb, as a member of Intesa Sanpaolo Group, is the main partner of this project, also supported by Generali. The camp will provide its participants with a unique opportunity to learn about the skills and secrets of this sport by working with the best Italian coaches.
The press conference was attended by Alessandro Del Piero, an Italian football legend, who spoke about the concept of the Soccer Camp. 
Also, other press conference participants were: Marco Elio Rottigni, Intesa Sanpaolo,  Chief of the International Subsidiary Banks Division;  Dinko Lucić, Privredna banka Zagreb,  President of the  Management Board;  Luciano Cirinà, CEO Generali CEE Holding, Regional Officer Generali Austria, CEE & Russia - Member of the Group Management Committee of the Generali Group;  Tina Baričević, Zagreb Children’s Home, Head of Laduč Branch; Marco Schembri, representative of event organizer World Camp International.  We are particularly pleased and honoured by the presence of the Croatian National Team head coach and captain, Zlatko Dalić and Luka Modrić.
“It´s a pleasure to be here to launch this event which gives talented children a chance to be awarded and maybe discovered as future Croatian champions” said Alessandro Del Piero, the official testimonial of the project and legendary footballer who was the flag and captain of FC Juventus football club and who is the second best scorer in the history of Italian soccer and the fourth best scorer for the Italian National Team.
The Soccer Camp will be held in Zagreb from 30th August to 3rd September 2021 for around 100 children, including children from the Zagreb Children’s Home and beneficiaries of the Centre for parenting support Growing Up Together programmes. 
Within its CSR program, Privredna banka Zagreb supports numerous sports activities involving children and the young and, with the support of the parent company, Intesa Sanpaolo, it has made it possible for the children to train in one of the best football schools  where they will gain valuable football experience.
"After a year break, I am very glad that we have gathered again to present this fantastic project for children, owing to which young players can train with experienced trainers and players. Football is the most popular sport in the world and Croatia is well-known for its numerous successful football players and we hope that some of young football talents will once successfully represent our country as big football stars, just like today’s top player Luka Modrić", said  Dinko Lucić, President of the Management Board of Privredna banka Zagreb.
“Being a bank that acts in the general interest of a country means supporting its economy as well as having a long-term commitment and being aware of one’s social responsibility. The new edition of the Soccer Camp and our support to the areas affected by the recent earthquake are demonstrations of our engagement”, said Marco Elio Rottigni, Chief of the International Subsidiary Banks Division of Intesa Sanpaolo. „Intesa Sanpaolo, one of the leading banking groups in Europe, has operated in Croatia since 2000 through its subsidiary Privredna banka Zagreb, the country’s leading bank. This enables us to offer financial solutions and advisory at the highest international standards to families, individuals, businesses and significant asset holders“.
“We are very pleased that the children from the Zagreb Children's Home have been able to participate in the Soccer camp this year as well, which they are looking forward to as soon as we announce it to them. We thank PBZ for the invitation and for its long-term support and cooperation”, said Tina Baričević from Zagreb Children’s Home, Head of Laduč Branch.
The Italia Soccer camp project in Croatia is also supported by Generali osiguranje which will enable participation in the camp for beneficiaries of the Centre for parenting support Growing Up Together programmes. 
“I’m proud to support a life-changing initiative for underprivileged children in Croatia, a country where Generali set roots since 1832, investing and supporting local communities. Children have been among the most affected categories during the Covid-19 pandemic; therefore, gathering on a soccer pitch learning new skills with top-level Italian coaches is a unique opportunity to come back to a normal life. I genuinely believe sports have the power to provide a universal framework for learning values, thus contributing to the development of soft skills needed for future responsible citizens”, said Luciano Cirinà, CEO Generali CEE Holding, Regional Officer Generali Austria, CEE & Russia - Member of the Group Management Committee of the Generali Group.
“After the last difficult year, we perceive Italia Soccer Camp as a significant investment into children’s way back to normal life. Thanks to PBZ and Generali, which believed in this project and gave their support, the event will be free of charge for all the participants“ said Marco Schembri, CEO of World Camp International. 

The Soccer camp will be held at the football courts Sportski centar ZAGREBello in Zagreb, Veslačka 1 (from 30th August to 3rd September 2021), and it will include technical, physical and tactical trainings. The Italia Soccer Camp, recognized among the public for its educational and fun character, is a project which gathers former Italian national football team members. This year, as many as five top-level Italian coaches will hang out with the young football prospects, teaching them the secrets of the art of football. This Soccer camp is free-of-charge for 100 children who will have the opportunity to learn and have football training lessons based on the well-known and proven method and technique used by top football players. Detailed information on registration and organization of the Camp will be published soon through the PBZ communication channels.

Once again, this year, the three most talented camp participants will get an opportunity to visit Italy and attend the Italia Soccer Camp Day, together with kids from other countries. Young football players will get to hang out for three days at the Coverciano Academy training ground, and boys and girls who get selected will not only get to enjoy the trainings, matches, special courses, visiting the Italian Football Museum and a Serie A match, but they will also get to experience other interesting content, through which they will learn the secrets of football, receive practical advice and acquire numerous skills that make real football superstars. 
Also, we would like to point out that our host of this event, Falkensteiner Resort Punta Skala, has decided to join this project by donating weekend accommodation in its Family Hotel Diadora for all children from the Children's Home and Centre who will be attending this Soccer camp. It is a fantastic opportunity for children to attend numerous sports and entertainment activities that are held in the resort whole year and resort team will gladly host them to create the perfect time and unforgettable memories. Falkensteiner Resort Punta Skala is a Premium Active Leisure Resort with infrastructure, facilities and activities that perfectly match those who are especially in to active lifestyle. “We have fantastic sports facilities: tennis courts, volleyball courts, padel, mini-golf and special treat as of this summer - a modern, stylish and unique sports entertainment club Fortis. There our guests are able to enjoy Fitness and Health Club, which is spread on 800m2, offering wide range of daily water activities and sports programs like CrossFit, yoga, training camps for adults and children – all of that guided and led by international sports experts and sport celebrities.”

Alessandro Del Piero, one of the most iconic soccer players of all times, mainly played as a deep-lying forward, although he was capable of playing in several offensive positions. A technically gifted and creative supporting forward who was also a free-kick specialist, Del Piero is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation and as one of the best Italian players of all time, winning the Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year award in 1998 and 2008. He is currently the second highest all-time Italian top-scorer in all competitions, with 346 goals, behind only Silvio Piola, with 390 goals. He began his career with Italian club Padova in Serie B in 1991 and then moved to Juventus in 1993, where he played for 19 seasons (11 as captain) and holds the club records for most goals (290) and appearances (705). During his time at the club, he won six Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia, four Supercoppa Italiana titles, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the UEFA Intertoto Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup. Del Piero has also represented the Italian national team at three FIFA World Cups and four UEFA European Football Championships, most notably winning the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and reaching the final of UEFA Euro 2000 with Italy.

Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ) was founded in 1966 and has consistently been a leading financial institution in many areas in the Croatian market.  PBZ is a member of one of the largest banking groups in Europe - Intesa Sanpaolo.  The PBZ  is the second largest financial group and Bank in Croatia by assets with a market share of up to or slightly above 20% in various operating segments, and it is also a market leader in many areas, such as card business. PBZ has kept its leading role in new technologies, continuously developing new and innovative products and services for retail, corporate and SME clients and taking a significant part in the financing of the country’s economy. PBZ is also the centre of excellence for many areas of banking within the International Subsidiary Banks Division of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group and has recently become a regional banking hub following the acquisition of the majority ownership of Intesa Sanpaolo banks in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. PBZ has a proactive role in encouraging CSR initiatives and projects, with constant dedication to supporting the local community. PBZ is the leading donor in the country and unrivalled among banks regarding donations to healthcare institutions in combating the Covid-19 pandemic as well as repairing the consequences of the devastating earthquake that hit Zagreb and its surroundings and Sisak-Moslavina county. On top of that, it is noteworthy to recall also the unique charity project of the PBZ Group „Doing good every day“, which has been helping the community for more than 10 years and has made more than 57 donations to hospitals and social care homes across Croatia thus far. 
 
Intesa Sanpaolo is the leading Bank in Italy and one of the soundest and most profitable banks in Europe. It offers commercial, corporate investment banking, asset management and insurance services. The Intesa Sanpaolo Group has approximately 13.5 million customers in Italy who are assisted through both digital and traditional channels. The Group’s international subsidiary banks serve 7.1 million customers comprising subsidiaries operating in commercial banking in 12 countries in Central Eastern Europe and Middle Eastern and North African areas and an international network of specialists in support of corporate customers across 25 countries. Intesa Sanpaolo is considered one of the most sustainable banks in the world. For the Group, creating value means being a driver for growth, for the benefit of both society and the economy. With environmental concerns in mind, the Group has set up a 6-billion-euro fund for the circular economy. Intesa Sanpaolo supports major economic inclusion and poverty reduction projects, including an impact fund of 1.5 billion euro for loans available to social groups who struggle to access credit. Intesa Sanpaolo has a high level of involvement in cultural initiatives, organized by the Bank or in collaboration with other entities in Italy and further afield. These include permanent and temporary exhibitions showcasing the Bank’s impressive artistic heritage at the Gallerie d’Italia, the Group’s museums located in Milan, Naples, Vicenza and soon Turin. https://group.intesasanpaolo.com/en/newsroom/news

Generali osiguranje d.d. is part of the Generali Group, one of the largest global insurance and asset management providers. Established in 1831, Generali is present in 50 countries in the world, with a total premium income of € 70.7 billion in 2020. With more than 72,000 employees serving 65.9 million customers, the Group has a leading position in Europe and a growing presence in Asia and Latin America. Commitment to sustainability is one of the enablers of Generali’s strategy, inspired by the ambition to be the Lifetime Partner to its customers, offering innovative and personalized solutions thanks to an unmatched distribution network. In Austria, Central and Eastern Europe and Russia the Group operates through its Austria, CEE & Russia Regional Office (Prague) in 13 countries as one of the top three insurers in the Region. Generali Group has founded an Extraordinary International Fund, valued at up to 100 million euro, with the aim of solving emergency situations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund is accessible in countries where Generali operates, to provide immediate help in this fast-evolving crisis, while in the medium-term it is there to support the efforts of economic recovery in countries hit by the pandemic. As part of the donor initiative, Generali donated 150,000 EUR to the Croatian Institute of Public Health, which will use the funds to renew their buildings on Rockefeller street in Zagreb, damaged during the earthquake in March 2020, as well as to support further efforts in ensuring all the necessary resources to the health system in managing the COVID-19 pandemic at the local level.