MILAN - "It all began 15 years ago in a favela in Rio de Janeiro," Massimo Moratti told the United Nations. "We couldn't simply turn a blind eye to those children's plight when we had the chance to put a smile on their faces, to make them feel a part of the world. Then we went to war-torn Kosovo. The kids came from families living in terrible conditions and we felt the need to help them. That's something we've felt wherever we've been. Today, the time really has flown by, we work in 25 different countries, with the same passion and desire to improve, but also with experience which allows us to help very different communities, families and of course, the stars of this project, the children themselves. Children are different in terms of culture, language and the colour of their skin, but the same when it comes to emotions. Inter has become a friend to them, a friend who makes them feel brave and gives them the freedom to express themselves. When all is said and done, what we remember is the look in their eyes, the smiles on their faces. Happy to play together, to wear the Inter shirt. We work in tough situations, often cut-off because of how dangerous they are but the trust the families put in us means we can work in an easier, more settled way."
