Youngsters from three countries enjoy competitive and emotional experiences at ‘Remembrance Tournament’ in Poland

The second edition of the ‘Remembrance Tournament’ ended in Proszowice, just outside of Krakow, after a competition that featured the participation of as many as 14 teams (six in the men’s event and eight in the women’s) representing three countries: Poland, Italy, and Ukraine. The event open to young players under the age of 16 and 17 was organised by the volleyball clubs involved in the Experience group, a member of the NGO Moxa (Modena per gli Altri), with the vital support of the National Volleyball Federations of Italy and Poland. 

In addition to enjoying a highly competitive Volleyball environment, with matches and other social activities planned for the participants, the young players did also join a guided visit to the Nazi extermination camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau where over 1.1 million deportees died between 1940 and the spring of 1945. 

The women’s tournament was won by the Italian club of Susegana, while Poland’s Hutnik Kraków emerged triumphant from the men’s competition. The awards were presented by Rodolfo Giobbe Giovenzana – the real ‘soul’ of the Organising Committee – and the local legend Edward Skorek (world and Olympic champion with Poland in the 70s), who is also a former teammate (and Italian champion) of Giovenzana during the days they spent together in Modena in 1975 and 1976. 

The 2026 edition is already being planned, with the intention of expanding the event further to include additional teams to share key societal values with more and more young people. “The Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV) is proud to participate, together with the Polish Federation, in this project,” said Giusi Cenedese during her stay in Poland, where she represented the FIPAV Board of Directors. “The event has a competitive side to it, but also a very important an ethical, human tone, with knowledge and awareness of historical facts made available to these young boys and girls. It was a nice journey, whereby we could meet with young people from other countries, and where very deep values were shared.”