The Regional Project M.I.A. – Movement, Inclusion, Nutrition was created with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyles among students through an integrated approach combining physical activity, nutrition education, inclusion and scientific research.
Within the project, the Fondazione Italiana Fegato (Italian Liver Foundation) actively contributes to the development of nutrition education activities, with the aim of raising awareness among children, young people, schools and families about the importance of prevention from school age. The project also involves the University of Trieste, for aspects related to inclusion, and the University of Udine, for research in the field of physical activity and sport.
M.I.A. represents a shared pathway between the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, schools, universities and the research community, aimed at promoting health, inclusion, well-being and awareness, while helping to build a healthier future for new generations.
The M.I.A. Project – Movement, Inclusion, Nutrition is part of a broader regional programme dedicated to promoting sport and physical activity in schools. This programme was presented on 12 May in Udine during the conference “The Region for Sport in Schools”.
The programme aims to strengthen the structural link between schools and physical activity, involving institutions, the school system, universities, CONI and local sports organisations. The initiative is based on Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Law 12/2025, which provides a unified framework for sports promotion initiatives across all school levels.
The law supports projects promoting physical and sports activity within the educational programmes of nursery, primary and secondary schools, with the aim of encouraging healthy motor habits and healthy lifestyles, also from an inclusive perspective.
This measure makes Friuli Venezia Giulia a unique laboratory at national level: physical activity is no longer considered an optional addition, but is recognised as an essential component of the educational pathway. The law is supported by an agreement allocating €1.36 million to strengthen hours and projects related to movement, from nursery school through to upper secondary school.
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The Regional Project M.I.A. – Movement, Inclusion, Nutrition is not limited to physical aspects: alongside physical education hours, it offers nutrition education pathways, inclusion initiatives and activities dedicated to psychosocial development, in collaboration with the university and healthcare sectors. The stated objective is to build a stable network that uses sport as an educational tool for the overall growth of children and young people.
The Region also describes the initiative as aimed at promoting physical and sports activity “from nursery schools to upper secondary schools” through a framework agreement involving the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the Regional School Office, the University of Udine, the University of Trieste, CONI Friuli Venezia Giulia, CIP – Italian Paralympic Committee and Sport e Salute S.p.A., a public company dedicated to the promotion of sport and healthy lifestyles.
The results of the first implementation, in the 2025/26 school year, show very broad participation: approximately nine out of ten comprehensive schools joined the programme, involving a total of almost 2,500 classes. At the same time, sports federations brought orientation activities related to Olympic and Paralympic disciplines into schools, reaching more than 1,600 classes.
Another important aspect concerns employment opportunities for young graduates in sports science. Thanks to the new law, 75 contracts have been activated to strengthen the presence of specific professional expertise in gyms and classrooms in the first cycle of education.
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