THE PIAGGIO GROUP AND VESPA SUPPORT THE 2025 “SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD WINTER GAMES”

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  Frank Gehry

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  Ilaria Ghinka Bonanni

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  Urs Fischer

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 organization 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 1,500 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.

SOCIAL CORNER – THE ARTISTS AT WORK – VIDEO CLIPS ON VESPA FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/vespa.it/

VESPA SUPPORTS SPECIAL OLYMPICS - Where innovation meets art. The visionaries Frank Gehry, Urs Fischer and the artist and Special Olympics Italy athlete Ilaria Ghinka Bonanni come together to transform the iconic Vespa into extraordinary creations in support of Special Olympics. Every detail tells a story.

Among them is Ilaria Ghinka Bonanni, an Italian Special Olympics athlete, artist and performer (known for her stage monologues focused 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 organization, 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 realize 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 organizers and athletes.

VESPA:
https://www.vespa.com/en_EN/
https://www.vespa.com/en_EN/vespa-world/news/special-olympics/

SOCIAL CORNER – VIDEO VESPA & ARTISTS - SPECIAL OLYMPICS FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/SpecialOlympics/videos/1526090998085767

SPECIAL OLYMPICS ORG:
https://www.specialolympics.org/

SPECIAL OLYMPICS ITALIA:
https://specialolympics.it/

“Moly” is the mascot of the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025: the friendly otter sports a hat in the shape of the Mole Antonelliana, symbol of the Piedmontese capital.
Moly is the result of the “ScuolaArteSpeciale” artistic competition:
https://www.turin2025.org/en/news/moly-the-mascotte-of-the-games
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9cq0QjF3jQ&t=26s