Merry Christmas

Salvatore Cimmino with Yoel Viterbo,

( Tsad Kadima student )

There is a principle above us, beyond our experience and our life: it is the common good. The good of the people.

It’s Christmas and I want to wholeheartedly wish a bright future, one as protagonists to all persons with disabilities and to their families, who would otherwise be forced to stand by and watch life as spectators and no longer (or never) as actors .

I want to wish a Merry Christmas and a bright year 2011, full of joy and great opportunities to all politicians around the globe, right, left and center, so that they can legislate and promote freedom, equality, respect and dignity and support and implement policies that can:

improve the living conditions of people with disabilities and their families;

make modern technology and innovation available to those who need it;

provide society with the cultural tools which will make it inclusive and welcoming;

tear down architectural, moral and psychological barriers, so that work, dignity, freedom and autonomy do not remain on paper but become a reality.

create the conditions to make sure that progress and prosperity finally become shared values for all.

I want to wish Merry Christmas and a Happy 2011 to Filippo Tassara, my coach and to Luca Baldini, Riccardo De Martino, Riccardo Rosa, Stefano Di Segni and Gianandrea Strekelj for their close support.

I want to wish a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2011 to Kibbutz Tsada Kadima and Beit Eyal, to the Italian Embassy in Israel and to all the Arabs and Israelis, to the Municipalities of Koper, Trieste and Muggia, together with their people and institutions, to the organizers of the Santa Fe – Coronda Maraton de Natacion del Sumidero, to the United World College, to John Kirwan, together with all the New Zealanders, to John and Francesca Lauro and to all the Australians, to the New York Swim Marathon Team, to the missions of the Caracciolini and of the Dorotee of Cemmo and finally to all the Congolese people. Your generosity and sympathy made my “Swimming in the Seas of the Globe.” project happen.

Finally, I want to wish Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2011 to the Circolo Canottieri Aniene and to the Fondazione Roma, whose joint support has made my dreams and propositions become real.

Best wishes,

Salvatore Cimmino