This is no longer a time to speak of differences, nor of integration. The future is in those who look out for people and work towards inclusion. For this reason, the Italian branch of Mitsubishi Electric has decided to sponsor the Special Olympics Football Week 2017 by producing 1,000 special balls. The distribution of these special balls, produced in the colour red, supports the #PlayUnified project for "unified sport" and is a contribution towards spreading the fundamental message of inclusion and respect, of which the Special Olympics has always been the flag bearer.

From the 27th of May to the 4th of June, some 45,000 athletes with and without mental disabilities, from over 50 different countries, will join together in the sports field to reaffirm how sport can be a powerful means of promoting personal development, autonomy and the full integration of people with learning difficulties. In Italy, the Special Olympics Football Week plans 29 stages and the involvement of over 4,000 athletes - with and without learning difficulties. Furthermore, games and tournaments of unified football will be organised, with the involvement of schools and Special Olympics teams. There are eleven regions in Italy involved in a project which goes beyond all geographical and social confines.

Mitsubishi Electric collaborates with the Special Olympics Italy 2010. These last few years have seen very many sponsored events and the company volunteers have been ever more active and present at the national and local sporting events in support of the special athletes, following them, encouraging them and helping them throughout the event. This important collaboration is part of a large programme of Company Social Responsibility initiatives, which has for a few years now, supported projects in numerous other spheres: Safeguarding the artistic and environmental heritage, collaboration with museum organisations and with the world of scholastic and university education, contributions to associations operating in the field of medicine and scientific research, help with childhood and parenting matters.