“WoW – Wheels on Waves” was presented at the Pirelli Auditorium in Milan, the new project promoted by the Lo Spirito di Stella Association of the disabled sailor Andrea Stella: the presentation was attended by numerous partners who support this initiative, supported by only a few of the many friends of Andrea Stella who with their presence wanted to bear witness to the sharing of his values.
Breaking down architectural and psychological barriers, giving resonance to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, spreading a message of peace and equality by crossing the ocean aboard a fully accessible catamaran: these are the goals of “WoW – Wheels on Waves”, a six-month journey that will start on April 26 from Miami and that will transfer the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from the Secretary General of the United Nations to Pope Francis, spreading the message of this important document in various stages from the United States to Europe.
The Lo Spirito di Stella catamaran will make the ocean crossing in 19 stages departing from Miami on April 26 and arriving in Trieste in October, where the boat will participate in the Barcolana 2017. On board there will be as many crews made up of people of origin, culture , ages and abilities, all united by a history of courage and determination: for this "inclusive family" the boat will represent a place to learn to live in harmony, respecting and valuing one's diversity. Andrea Stella will be present at the departure from Miami to greet the first crew and will be on board Lo Spirito di Stella in the leg from New York to Portugal.
Between 17 and 24 May, during the stop in New York, there will be a meeting with the UN Secretary General who will hand over the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The document, which has been ratified by 166 countries around the world, will then be handed over to Pope Francis when Lo Spirito di Stella stops in Rome in September.
"WoW - Wheels on Waves" will thus become a traveling sounding board to raise awareness of the Convention and contribute to the removal of architectural barriers, but above all mental ones that limit the rights of people, even if they are disabled. The "WOW - Wheels on Waves" project is only the latest of the many projects promoted by the Lo Spirito di Stella Association, founded in 2003 to promote the experience of "Lo Spirito di Stella", the first barrier-free catamaran in the world architectural.
The boat represents the realization of a personal dream of Andrea Stella, confined to a wheelchair after an accident in 2000 in Miami. Acknowledging that in the world there was no boat on board which a disabled person could be autonomous and able to participate in the manoeuvres, Andrea Stella found a way to have a completely accessible catamaran built, with the fundamental support of his family. A commitment that has also gathered important industrial sponsors over the years: "WoW-Wheels on Waves" takes place in fact with the partnership of Pirelli, Rigoni di Asiago, Klaxon Mobility, Montegrappa, Tigotà, Estel, Generali, Formaggio Piave Dop, Sgambaro, Acquaviva, Disney Pirates of the Caribbean, Alkemy Creative Partner, Acamedy and Cura.
