Fun, culture, mutual acquaintance: these are the ingredients of the GO! Games 2024, the first edition of the cross-border neighbourhood games to be held as part of GO! 2025 which was presented yesterday with the three mayors (Gorizia, Nova Gorica, Šempeter-Vrtojba), EGTC GO director Romina Kocina and Javni zavod GO! 2025 director Mija Lorbek.

Competing on the field on Saturday 15 June will be 13 teams representing as many neighbourhoods of the municipalities of Gorizia, Nova Gorica and Šempeter-Vrtojba, i.e. Nova Gorica, Rožna Dolina, Solkan, Šempeter-Vrtojba, Lucinico, San Rocco-Sant'Anna, Piuma-San Mauro-Oslavia, Piedimonte, Madonnina, Sant'Andrea, Centro, Straccis-Montesanto-Piazzutta and EGTC GO (cross-border team with employees also of the GO! 2025). Each team will have a maximum of twenty members, aged 16 and over.

Culture will remain central to the event, thanks above all to the Treasure Hunt that includes a 7-kilometre route through the three municipalities, starting from Salcano with stops at the main historical sites in the area and as many questions to be solved. The research contribution of the Borgo San Rocco association was important. The Games will take place in an area of the Valletta del Corno Park, i.e. the area from the Gymnasium to via del Boschetto, which, for the occasion, will be reopened after the redevelopment work to make it even more versatile, beautiful and welcoming. The initiative, conceived and organised by the Municipality of Gorizia together with the neighbourhood associations, in collaboration with the EGTC GO and the Municipalities of Nova Gorica and Šempeter-Vrtojba GECT GO immediately found the important support, including financial support, of Cassa Rurale FVG and the support of Goriziana Caffè and Irisacqua. EGTC GO is also producing the diversified T-shirts for the 13 teams.

The participants will meet at 3.30 p.m. in Piazza Vittoria, and then move all together to the Valletta del Corno. The opening will be at 4.20 p.m. with the mowing of the grass with the three mayors as protagonists, a moment also inspired by the tradition of the Borderless Games. At 5 p.m. both the trials in Valletta and the treasure hunt will begin. Competitors will try their hand at board games and trumps, tug-of-war, water games, and skill courses until the grand finale, which will involve all the teams at the same time. Participants in the treasure hunt, on the other hand, will have to tackle a seven-kilometre route, on foot or by bike, that will wind through the territory of the three municipalities to discover monuments and our history, and then return to Valletta. This will be followed by a convivial moment organised by the National Alpine Association for members, culminating at 9.30 p.m. in the prize-giving ceremony.
All citizens are invited to take part in the Games: for registration they can apply directly to the representatives of the city districts or to the municipalities of Gorizia, Nova Gorica and Šempeter-Vrtojba.