From 17 to 19 September 2026, Venice will host the sixth stop of Navigare Insieme: l’Italia senza Barriere (“Sailing Together: Italy Without Barriers”), a project conceived by the Italian Sailing Federation and supported by UniCredit through the Carta Etica Fund. The initiative aims to make sailing accessible to people with disabilities, while also creating a strong network connecting sailing clubs, schools, associations, families and local institutions.

The event will take place at the Punta San Giuliano Nautical Centre, home to the Circolo della Vela Mestre, with the support of the FIV XII Zone Committee. Three intensive days will involve young people and adults with physical, sensory and intellectual-relational disabilities, alternating training sessions on land with practical activities on the water.

The programme will begin on Thursday 17 September at 10.00 a.m. with a workshop dedicated to the development of Para Sailing at local level. The workshop is intended for volunteers, associations and families interested in learning more about the discipline, exchanging experiences and exploring opportunities to practise sailing locally.

Friday 18 and Saturday 19 September will focus instead on activities directly involving participants. Mornings will be dedicated to schools, while afternoons will be reserved for associations. Each day will include a theoretical session on orientation and sailing techniques, followed by practical experience at sea, with participants accompanied throughout by staff from the Italian Sailing Federation. Participants will board Hansa 303 boats, specifically designed to ensure accessibility, including for people with reduced mobility.

Adding a further special dimension to the initiative will be the presence of Marco Gualandris, ambassador for the project and athlete on the FIV Para Sailing Team. His sporting record speaks for itself: Gold Medal at the 2023 CICO, fifth place at the 2012 London Paralympic Games and Bronze Medal at the 2014 World Championships in the SKUD 18 class. Gualandris will not simply share his experience, but will also give participants the opportunity to interact with him, ask questions and learn about his journey of challenges and achievements.

Now in its second edition, Navigare Insieme looks beyond the practical experience itself: its ambition is to build lasting connections that continue after each stage of the project has concluded, bringing sailing clubs into contact with local organisations working in the field of disability.

With the Venice stage, the project continues its nationwide journey, with the aim of further promoting awareness of Para Sailing and creating new opportunities to practise the sport within an inclusive framework.