FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° with Parma mayor Federico Pizzarotti and Italy Volleyball Federation President Carlo Magri
Parma, Italy, March 11, 2014 - FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° received the full support and encouragement from the mayor of Parma Federico Pizzarotti for the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship Italy 2014 to be a great success in a meeting held on the eve of Monday's spectacular Drawing of Lots at the Farnese Theatre in Parma, Italy.
Although Parma is not one of the host cities for the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship Italy 2014, which will take place from September 23 to October 12, Mr Pizzarotti and his deputy mayor and councilor Nicole Paci and Sport and Youth Policies Minister Giovanni Marani were fully supportive of the FIVB's premier volleyball property in a country which has a rich tradition in the sport.
"Sport represents an important opportunity for young people and their families also in Parma, where thousands play volleyball in the city and the province," Mr Marini said.
President Graça was welcomed at City Hall as part of the meeting and was accompanied by Italy Volleyball Federation President Carlo Magri. "Parma is like an open air museum and the Drawing of Lots represents not only a good world-wide promotion of volleyball, but also the city of Parma," he said.
"Moments of high visibility, such as that at the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship Italy 2014 Drawing of Lots, is certainly an important showcase for the city," Mr Pizzarotti said, who stressed that "sport and tourism represent two important aspects that the City intends to promote through new opportunities."