A new cultural and community hub, set to open in Milan`s Isola district before the upcoming Winter Olympics, will be a sports library dedicated to Gianni Mura. The `Altropallone` association, spearheading the initiative, calls on the public to “donate sports books, just as Gianni would have wished.”
Gianni Mura, who would have celebrated his 80th birthday on October 9, 2025.
October 9, 2025, would have marked Gianni Mura`s 80th birthday. Mura, a true master of journalism and life, a profound chronicler of sports in all its intricate facets, is now receiving a fitting birthday gift from his beloved city: Milan. In the vibrant Isola district, a Sports Library dedicated to the esteemed reporter and author—born in 1945 and sadly passed away on March 21, 2020—is on the cusp of creation. This significant project, championed by the `Altropallone` association, is slated for completion in the months leading up to the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, which are scheduled to commence on Friday, February 6, 2026.
New Stories and Community Spirit
For nearly three decades, Altropallone has been committed to projects across Italy and worldwide, leveraging sport as a powerful tool for inclusion and a stand against all forms of discrimination. With this new library initiative, their vision is to create a space that is free and accessible to everyone. It is not intended as an exclusive enclave for specialists but rather a vital cultural beacon. The library aims to be a lively gathering place where people can meet, learn, and connect, consistently using the vast world of sport and its countless narratives as a unifying element.
“We want the Gianni Mura Library to simply be a bridge capable of fostering dialogue between different generations,” explains Paolo Maggioni, a Rai journalist, host of the new Domenica Sportiva program, and president of Altropallone.
The immediate next step involves filling the library`s shelves with both classic and contemporary volumes. Maggioni further articulates: “We would like to ask the citizens to donate sports-themed books, in good condition, which will form the heart of the collection and be cherished as a communal asset within the city`s library network. This is a way to remember Gianni in the manner he would have most appreciated: through words, books, and community.”
To make a donation, please request an appointment via email at [email protected].
