Giovanni Guidetti awarded GQ magazine ‘Equality Award’ in recognition of ground-breaking social responsibility project
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The ‘Men of the Year’ Awards recently organised in Istanbul by GQ magazine provided an opportunity to celebrate stars from across the world of culture, sports, and fashion who have made 2022 a year to remember. The long-time head coach of VakifBank ISTANBUL, Giovanni Guidetti, was among the recipients of such a coveted prize – with the GQ Men of the Year ‘Equality Award’ going to the Italian-born Guidetti in recognition of his social responsibility project ‘Yarının Sultanları’ (aka Sultans of Tomorrow).
“I am pleased to receive this award for a project that is engraved on our hearts. Yarının Sultanları is proof of what the girls of this country can achieve when they are given an opportunity. We visited dozens of cities and worked one-on-one with thousands of girls. I went to places like Bitlis, Elazig for the first time with this project. Türkiye is not only Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir. Türkiye is a beautiful country from east to west, north to south,” Guidetti said.
Giovanni Guidetti“This country has given me a beautiful family. My wife Bahar is here tonight. I want to thank her. I also want to thank Alison, my daughter. I would like to thank my team, who has been working with me on this project. And I say it again very loud: Trust the girls and women of this country. They are the main asset of Türkiye’s bright future."
Yarının Sultanları is a social responsibility project aimed at fostering girls to realise their full potential by using the unique power of Volleyball. Giovanni Guidetti has been using Volleyball as a solid tool to empower girls around the country and tear down the existing barriers preventing them from enjoying equal access to sports. In recognition of his efforts, he has been appointed as a Gender Equality Advocate by the United Nations - the first time a sportsperson has enjoyed this honour.
Earlier this year, Guidetti helped VakifBank claim a historic fifth CEV Champions League title at the Super Finals held in Ljubljana, thereby completing a clean sweep of all five domestic and international competitions that the team took part in throughout the 2021-2022 season. Further to these achievements, Guidetti received the award for the ‘Women’s Team Coach of the Year’ at the annual European Volleyball Gala organised this past September by the CEV in Brussels.