Locations
The first World Children's Day will take place in St. Peter's Square and the Olympic Stadium.
Olympic Stadium, Rome
The Foro Italico is an extraordinary complex located on the slopes of Monte Mario, which combines history, architecture and sport in a single experience.
In this iconic place, there is the Olympic Stadium, the hub of sporting events - and not only - of global importance, and where the first World Children's Day will also be held.
It was designed in the 1920s by Renato Ricci, then president of the Opera Nazionale Balilla, with a project by the architect Enrico Del Debbio.
The complex was initially intended for the education of young people through sports.
At the center of the Foro Italico stands the Olympic Stadium, originally built for the 1960 Olympics. With its capacity of over 70,000 spectators, the stadium has been the venue for world-famous sporting events, including football World Cup finals and concerts by international artists.
In addition to the Olympic Stadium, the complex hosts the Foro Italico Swimming Center, which includes the Olympic Swimming Stadium, a modern structure that has hosted numerous international swimming competitions, and the Central Tennis Stadium which every year hosts the "International BNL d'Italia”, one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments on clay.
The Foro Italico will be one of the stages of World Children's Day, offering participants a unique opportunity to share moments of joy, fun and spirituality in a unique and evocative context.
St. Peter's Square, Rome
St. Peter's Square, the beating heart of Christianity and a meeting place for millions of faithful from all over the world, is a place where you can breathe an atmosphere of sacredness and beauty that fascinates and inspires every visitor.
The Square owes its elliptical shape and grandeur to the masterful work of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, commissioned by Pope Alexander VII Chigi. With 284 columns arranged in four rows, the colonnade creates an atmosphere of welcome and union, symbolizing the universal embrace of the Church, not only to the faithful, but also to all those who come to visit it.
Eleven years of work and over 40,000 cubic meters of travertine transported from Tivoli contributed to creating this extraordinary square. The optical illusions designed by Bernini give the colonnade a dynamic and spectacular appearance, while the view of St. Peter's Basilica, dominated by the majestic dome designed by Michelangelo, leaves you breathless. In the center of the square stands the ancient Vatican Obelisk, witness to millennia of history and guardian of a relic of the Holy Cross.
In addition to St. Peter's Basilica, it is possible to explore the treasures of the Vatican Museums, rich in extraordinary works of art and of inestimable historical and spiritual value, such as the Sistine Chapel and its famous Last Judgment by Michelangelo, a timeless masterpiece that continues to excite and inspire.
Every Sunday at midday, the square comes alive with a large crowd that comes from all over the world to attend the Angelus Domini and receive the Pope's blessing. It is a moment of communion and prayer that remains imprinted in the hearts of all those who visit participate.
Among the places in the city where the first World Children's Day will take place, St. Peter's Square is certainly the most fascinating: here children and their companions will be able to celebrate this magnificent event immersed in architecture and spirituality.
