Last May saw the annual ‘Challenge between Municipalities’, coordinated by the Swiss Moving Organisation and sponsored by Coop, aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle among the Swiss population through regular physical activity and healthier diets.
The project, launched by the Swiss Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO) in 2005, has become a regular event in late spring, during which the most ‘active’ municipalities of the Confederation meet each other, divided into categories based on housing density, with the aim of raising awareness among the population against the side effects of sedentary lifestyles.
This year also Brissago (as happened a decade ago) participated in the initiative, which in practice consists of accumulating as many hours of movement as possible over several days by the residents who take up the challenge, and recording these activities on a specially created application, ‘Brissa-Go!’. Both the hours dedicated to the real sport and the walks, excursions, cycling are valid; In short, any opportunity to stay on the move is good and contributes to the count, even if only the walk in the home-school journey. Of course, there are rules to be followed (business as usual in housework, for example, is invalid), but the motto spread through the app, ‘Every minute counts’, is in itself evocative.
This year, the event was held from 1 May to 2 June and saw the participation of around 250 municipalities at Swiss level. However, the presence of Ticino is not very strong, with only Cadenazzo, Novazzano and Stabio – in addition of course to Brissago – representing the Canton.
For our small village, however, the event was a novelty that was a great success: 145 people have downloaded the App, and if you think that ours is a municipality with a high percentage of elderly people, normally not accustomed to mobile phones and technology, it is a great result. Not only that; in the national ranking, Brissago ranked 41st (in its reference category, i.e. municipalities with 0 to 2000 inhabitants).
Also satisfied the president of the Federal Gymnastics Society Brissago (SFGB) Martina Corti: “First of all, I would like to warmly thank and welcome all those who took part in this initiative. It is a valuable reward for the efforts made in organising the event. Given the positive feedback, we will certainly repeat the experience in the future. However, for next year we are thinking about different ideas and proposals, so as to offer new stimuli and not become repetitive, but in the years to come we will participate again", he says.
Alessio Franconi, municipal head of the Sports Dicastery, is also very satisfied: “I think it was a wonderful initiative to raise people’s awareness of motor and sports activities, an initiative that involved children, young people and adults. Of course, having been almost a first, I am sure that interest in these and other similar initiatives will only grow over time. And that is clearly my wish.”
Franconi also highlighted the success of the Gymnastics Festival, the academy held at Campo Rosso on Saturday 4 May: ‘It was a beautiful afternoon, involving school pupils and their families, and also an opportunity to enjoy a convivial evening together.’
Beyond the undeniable satisfaction, Martina Corti hopes that in the future other local sports associations can also be involved in this type of initiative, ‘because working together we can achieve better results’.
The preconditions for making Brissago a ‘country on the move’ every day are: those who live in such a pleasant, welcoming and quiet village, with a mild climate and breathtaking views, can already explore and enjoy daily in every season the privilege of being able to cycle along the lakefront or go to school on foot (thanks to the other praiseworthy and appreciated initiative of the Pedibus).
"From this point of view - adds Martina Corti - Brissago is the ideal place to get children used to keep moving from an early age by doing activities, possibly outdoors, as recommended by the Swiss medical guidelines that recommend at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity".
Established in 1972, SFG Brissago is part of the Cantonal Gymnastics Association of Ticino. Aware of the risks of a sedentary lifestyle, society – with more than 100 active members – offers a variety of gym classes throughout the year, both for adults and children: volleyball, pilates, crossfit, spinning, and gentle gymnastics for the elderly. Not to mention gymnastics for children in kindergarten and elementary school. An informative leaflet of the activities proposed by SFG Brissago is sent by mail to families, in addition all the news and information are also published on the website gymnasticbrissago.ch.