Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto, left, welcomes Majang Elementary School students and faculty during the Sport IT Day event held at the ambassador's residence in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin

The Italian Embassy in Seoul hosted Sport IT Day on Friday, offering a unique blend of sports and cultural exchange.

The event, which took place at the Italian ambassador's residence in Seoul, featured notable figures from the sports world, including volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung, bicycle racer Park Sung-baek and Italian volleyball coach Marcello Abbondanza.

This year, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched a series of initiatives to celebrate the significance of sports. The first week of September has been designated as the primary week dedicated to Italy and sports worldwide.

This is part of the country's "growth diplomacy" strategy, serving as a catalyst to encourage exchange in innovative areas like sports within the broader context of cooperation with a strategic partner like Korea, according to the embassy.

"For the first Sport IT Day, we thought of bringing to the residence that same passion that accompanied us in the recently concluded Olympics experience. So we have opened the doors to young people, sports enthusiasts, but above all to the friendship between our two peoples, which I feel is growing stronger every day," Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto said.

Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto, right, gives a welcome speech next to Korean volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung during Sport IT Day held at the ambassador's residence in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin

The day began with an opening press conference where the sports personalities shared their experiences and insights.

The embassy invited 18 students from Majang Elementary School, providing them with an exciting introduction to soccer through a hands-on session.

These young participants were given a glimpse into the world of sports with recreational training that emphasized the fun and fundamentals of soccer.

The event's agenda was packed with engaging activities, including recreational soccer training for both adults and children.

Attendees also had the opportunity to learn about volleyball techniques from seasoned professionals.

Additionally, entertainment sessions were organized during which coaches explained the convergences and differences between Korean and Italian training sessions, fostering a deeper understanding of the two countries' sports cultures.

Marcello Abbondanza, a renowned Italian volleyball coach, shared his thoughts on coaching in Korea, highlighting the challenges and opportunities he has encountered.

"I understand that Korean volleyball presents a big challenge for me, but I came here with great motivation to share my skills and experience," he said. "Volleyball in Korea is fantastic, with a lot of interest from the media, schools and the general movement. It reminds me of how it was in Italy. However, I think they need to take a step toward a broader vision and become a bit more international."