20/05/2022

IHP President Richichi: “In 2022, let’s find more civilised ways to celebrate traditions. No more exploiting animals”

After a break of two years due to the pandemic, the Donkey Palio returns on Sunday 29 May in Torrita di Siena, organized as a concluding event of an eight-day festival of the contrade. IHP asks for a ban of the Palio of the Donkeys. 
“In 2022 it is time to put an end to the folk festival concept attached to using animals” says IHP President, Sonny Richichi. “Exploiting animals, acting against their will and making them suffer for the fun of human beings must be considered a legacy of the past: animals do not find it amusing to take part in a contest. These parades are not worthy of a mature and civilised like Tuscany. We ask the organizers and the City Council to replace the donkey race with activities that do not require the use of animals, following the example of Italian towns such as Lodi, Pavia, Mola di Bari, Castelfiorentino and several other towns that have chosen not to exploit animals during their civil and religious celebrations ".
“We appeal directly to the President of the Region, Eugenio Giani, a profound connoisseur of local popular traditions, to make every effort to promote a cultural shift and a regulatory change with the ability to adapt popular events to the present time and to the changed cultural sensibility of an increasing number of citizens”, concludes the IHP President.