The Piaggio Group and Vespa support the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter
Games
1500 ATHLETES FROM MORE THAN 100 DELEGATIONS GATHER IN TURIN FROM 8th
TILL 15th MARCH TO COMPETE IN 8 DISCIPLINES.
Three unique-edition Vespa Primavera Electric Mopeds designed by
internationally-renowned artists Frank Gehry and Urs Fischer and Italian
Special Olympics athlete Ilaria Ghinka Bonanni will be up for auction at
a gala dinner in Milan on 6 March. Proceeds from the Vespas, along with
six helmets also designed by the artists, will go to support the
international organisation whose mission is to promote inclusive sport
for athletes with intellectual disabilities. "The Special Olympics team
work tirelessly to create possibilities for them" declares Michele
Colaninno, CEO of the Piaggio Group.
25 February 2025 - The 2025 Special Olympics World Winter
Games promise to be
an extraordinary celebration of sport, acceptance and inclusion. The motto
for the international event featuring 1500 athletes from over 100
delegations will compete in eight disciplines (alpine skiing, cross country
skiing, dance sport, figure skating, floorball, snowboarding, snowshoeing
and speed skating) is "The future is here". The games will take place from
8th to 15th March in the Piedmont region of Italy, based in Turin and the
mountain locations of Sestriere, Pragelato and Bardonecchia.
With eight years elapsing since the last edition, there is much anticipation
and enthusiasm for these Special Olympics World Winter games which have a
mission to promote inclusive, barrier-free sport and abolish prejudices held
about intellectual disabilities. Certainly, the Special Olympics athletes
taking part, who hail from over 100 countries, are raring to show what they
are capable of.
Among them is Ilaria Ghinka Bonanni , an Italian Special
Olympics athlete,
artist and performer known for her stage monologues centred on the theme of
autism. Supported by Piaggio Group's Style Centre, she has decorated a
Vespa
Primavera Electric Moped. Internationally-renowned artists
Frank Gehry
(Canadian-American architect and designer) and Urs Fisher
(from Switzerland,
living and working in New York) have also created their own Vespa Unique
Edition, with distinctive designs inspired by the Special Olympics. The
three Vespas and six helmets, also decorated by the artists, are up for
auction on 6th March at a gala dinner in Milan. Proceeds will go to the
Special Olympics international organisation, which was founded in 1968. The
brainchild of Eunice Kennedy, it was established with the aim of creating
opportunities for intellectually-disabled individuals by encouraging them to
realise their potential through sport.
"If any of us have the chance to do something to foster the power of
people
with special needs, we must do so. Every moment of our life, we need to
remember to look after each other. It's been a wonderful journey and an
honour to work and speak with the Special Olympics team who work
tirelessly
to create possibilities for these extraordinary individuals all around
the
world. Today we're celebrating art as part of our soul. We say thank you
to
Ilaria 'Ghinka' Bonanni, Frank Gehry and Urs Fisher for sharing their
minds
and their hands to help people with special needs." -
Michele Colaninno, CEO
Piaggio Group.
The Piaggio Group will a further support role during the 2025 Special
Olympics World Winter Games. A team of employees from a range of the
company's locations will be official volunteers, providing support for the
event organisers and athletes.