n the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Spezia Calcio is taking the field alongside those who fight gender-based violence every day, choosing to collaborate with Differenza Donna – an NGO that operates nationally and internationally against male violence against women, as well as the management centre of 1522, the Italian national toll-free number for Anti-Violence and Stalking. Aware of their global platform as a Serie A club, Spezia Calcio is launching an awareness initiative to clearly position itself in favour of women and against all types of gender violence.

The result is the #WeForShe campaign. The wording was chosen to emphasise that only through coming together can we make a real difference and help the victims of violence and abuse to overcome the challenges they face.

On November 25, a short video shot in collaboration with Cestistica Spezzina (a women’s basketball club currently playing in Serie A2) will be distributed on social media. The video will feature the words #WeForShe for the first time. The hashtag will also be printed on the front of players’ shirts during the Spezia – Bologna Serie A match, scheduled for November 28 at the Stadio Alberto Picco. These unique one-of-a-kind shirts will then be auctioned on the “Charity Stars” platform with all proceeds heading to Differenza Donna.

In addition, during the Bologna match day, Spezia Calcio will host Rahila Saya, a young Afghan girl who fled from her homeland and was welcomed by the Liguria region. Rahila, who dreams of becoming a journalist, will work with Spezia Calcio’s communication team for the day and receive an award from club management as the face and symbol of all the women who – every day, all over the world – are forced to live in unimaginable situations.

“It is a source of great pride for us to be able to collaborate with an association that fights day after day, all over the world, to lift women and their children up from terrible situations, and who too often suffer helplessly from the blind rage of unscrupulous men. We believe that being able to do something concrete to help those who suffer is not only important, but absolutely necessary, so we hope that this small gesture of ours can be followed by many others because, as in a football match, only the strength of the group can lead us to victory. #WeForShe,” said Spezia Calcio President Philip Platek