Milano 4Mental Health 2025: Where Sport Meets Mental Wellbeing

On Friday, October 3, in the elegant setting of Sala Alessi at Palazzo Marino, the 2025 edition of Milano4MentalHealth was officially launched — an initiative promoted by the Municipality of Milan to place mental health at the heart of public debate.

This year, just months before the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the spotlight was on the link between sport and mental wellbeing — a theme long championed by the Wellness Foundation.

The opening session, introduced by Milan’s Councillor for Welfare and Health, Lamberto Bertolé, reaffirmed mental health as a shared public good and emphasized the need for collective commitment among institutions, professionals, the non-profit sector, and citizens.

Speakers included Martina Riva, Councillor for Sport; Diana Bianchedi, Chief Strategy Planning & Legacy Officer of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 and Deputy Vice President of CONI; and Federica Alberti, Director of the Wellness Foundation, who highlighted how “sport is a powerful driver of inclusion, social cohesion, and psychological wellbeing in urban communities.”

The morning featured three panel discussions.

The first panel explored the role of cities in fostering citizens’ wellbeing, showcasing initiatives launched by the City of Milan in partnership with the non-profit sector — backed by a €4 million investment over three years.

The second panel addressed emerging needs and barriers to accessing mental health services, underscoring the importance of integrated collaboration between social and health services, professionals, and the Third Sector. Speakers included Antonella Costantino (Director, UONPIA – Fondazione Policlinico), Armando D’Agostino (Head of Psychiatry, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo), Caterina Viganò (DSMD – ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco), Tamara Rabà (DSMD – ASST GOM Niguarda), and Valentina Di Mattei, President of the Lombardy Order of Psychologists.

The third panel focused on the social value of sport in promoting mental health, with insights from institutional representatives and the sports world. The discussion highlighted how inclusive urban policies can foster social cohesion and create environments that support psychological wellbeing.

The day concluded with a conversation among prominent figures from the world of sport: Ettore Messina, Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations for Olimpia Milano; Martina Caironi, Paralympic champion and Legacy Specialist at Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026; and Valentina Marchei, Olympic figure skater and Head of the Milano Cortina 2026 Ambassador Program. The event also featured a video message from Federica Pellegrini, who shared her personal experience balancing performance, self-awareness, and mental wellbeing.

The Milano4MentalHealth 2025 program — supported by the Wellness Foundation and Lundbeck Italia — will continue throughout October, with over 130 events dedicated to mental health, prevention, and the promotion of holistic wellbeing.

By taking part in this initiative, the Wellness Foundation reaffirms its commitment to spreading a culture of health and wellbeing, supporting projects that build a more conscious, inclusive, and healthy society — starting with body and mind. Milano4MentalHealth is a key step toward Milano Wellness City 2030, the Foundation’s vision to make Milan a model for urban wellbeing, where sport, prevention, sustainability, and social cohesion serve as real drivers for improving citizens’ quality of life.