On the occasion of the 160th year since its foundation, the Italian Red Cross organizes a non-competitive cycling relay which will touch the first CRI committees for symbolically embrace all the volunteers CRI of Italy and to celebrate their humanitarian commitment. Each stage of the journey will ideally be dedicated to one of the seven fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, volunteerism, unity and universality.
The initiative will start from Milan on 15 June, the date of the foundation of the Italian Red Cross, to arrive in Solferino on 22 June, the date on which the traditional celebratory torchlight procession of the Red Cross will be held which every year involves volunteers from all over the world. Participants will cross 3 regions (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto) to unite 21 historical committees of the Italian Red Cross. In addition to Milan and Solferino: Bergamo, Brescia, Busto Arsizio, Castiglione delle Stiviere, Como, Crema, CremonaFerrara, Gallarate, Mantua, Monza, Lecco, Lodi, Padua, Pavia, Reggio Emilia, Sondrio, Varese, Verona.
The one in Cremona was the third committee founded in Italy, after Milan and Bergamo. The relay will also touch the city of Torrazzo. The arrival of the volunteers from Milan is expected in Piazza del Comune on Saturday between 6.30pm and 7.30pm and seven volunteers from Cremona will leave from Piazza del Comune on Sunday morning at 9.00 to head towards Mantua.
The initiative enjoys the patronage of the Italian Cycling Federation and will involve CRI volunteers and two-wheel enthusiasts from the committees involved who will join together in a 1,000 kilometer journey to bring a symbolic flag of the Red Cross from Milan, the city where Cesare Castiglioni gave life to the Italian Red Cross, in Solferino, on the sites of the famous battle that inspired the idea of the Red Cross in Henry Dunant.
The choice of cycling, the endurance sport par excellence, is intended to be a concrete tribute to the perseverance and dedication that have characterized the history of the Red Cross and the altruistic spirit of the volunteers. “This relay,” he said Rosario Valastropresident of the Italian Red Cross, “it represents not only a journey through our history, but also a journey in the values and principles that constitute the heart of the Red Cross. An opportunity to remember and celebrate the tireless commitment of our Volunteers.”
The route will develop along two different routes, for the duration of seven stages, with a last common stage in the final stretch, from Brescia to Solferino which will involve the participants of the caravan and the volunteers of the Italian Red Cross in a symbolic embrace of solidarity. To close the day, the course organized by the “CRI in bici” group.
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