ONAV / WINE WITHOUT BARRIERS

Wine is enjoyed with all the senses, and sight is just one of them. This is the premise behind the course organized by ONAV Catania in collaboration with UICI Catania, with the support of the Municipality of Catania, the Al-Cantàra winery, and the Lions Club of Catania.

The course featured 15 members of UICI (Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired), who delved into the world of wine, discovering its many facets. A course that, in addition to being personally enriching, will hopefully also open up new career opportunities.

The interest in the initiative from institutions and wineries was confirmed by the presence at the ceremony, held at the Palazzo degli Elefanti municipal headquarters, of Enrico Trantino, Mayor of Catania, ONAV National President Vito Intini, UICI Catania President Rita Puglisi, and ONAV's head of social projects, Pia Donata Berlucchi. Many wineries from across Sicily also came to the event, not only to participate in the meeting but also to receive diplomas from Prosit, the first permanent guide to Italian wines.

"Wine unites and is, by definition, an inclusive product, " says Vito Intini, president of ONAV. " For several years, ONAV, the first in Italy, has introduced courses for the blind and visually impaired so that everyone can learn about this extraordinary world. Many students have participated in various editions to date, throughout Italy. For this reason, we have created a textbook in Braille."

"When ONAV proposed this course, we enthusiastically agreed ," says Rita Puglisi, president of UICI Catania. " Our members are of all ages, and many of them have long-term conditions that have left them disabled and limited their lives. We hope this initiative will open up job opportunities, thanks to the commitment of many Sicilian wineries."

< >- says Pia Donata Berlucchi.

The event, organized by ONAV Catania and coordinated by delegate Danilo Trapanotto, attracted numerous producers from all over Sicily to receive the Prosit diploma, the perennial guide established by ONAV to promote Italian winemaking.

" We are very satisfied with the day, which took on a special meaning," says Danilo Trapanotto. " The event saw the appointment of 15 new UICI-registered tasters, 20 tasters, and the awarding of Prosit diplomas to over 30 wineries. This is a first step toward an increasingly important growth in wine culture, in which ONAV Catania will play a key role."