The Olympic Flame in Vibo Valentia
President Francesco Augurusa Torchbearer of the Olympic Truce
On the occasion of the Journey of the Olympic Flame toward Milano Cortina 2026, our President Francesco Augurusa was selected as Torchbearer of the Olympic Truce in the Vibo Valentia stage. A recognition of great symbolic value that accompanies Italy toward the upcoming Winter Olympic Games and which we welcomed with deep satisfaction and pride. This appointment represents the recognition of a collective commitment that our Foundation has carried forward for years, with consistency and dedication, in service of the territory and the most vulnerable communities.
The Olympic Truce torchbearers initiative represents a significant innovation introduced by Milano Cortina 2026 within the Olympic Truce promotion Program, sanctioned by the United Nations resolution “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal” and adopted by the UN General Assembly since 1994 on the occasion of each edition of the Games. The Truce Torchbearers are selected at each stage of the Flame Journey for their civic commitment to promoting peace and supporting the most vulnerable communities, embodying the universal values of sport and Olympism.
The Journey of the Flame toward Milano Cortina began on December 6 in Rome and, on Saturday, December 20, traveled its second Calabrian stage. The route began in the morning in Gioia Tauro and concluded in Catanzaro, passing through Rosarno, Tropea, Vibo Valentia, and Lamezia Terme.
In the Vibo Valentia section, our President carried the Olympic Flame through the streets of his city—a gesture of strong symbolic value that was for us a source of emotion and pride and that represents the recognition of the social commitment we have carried forward for years as a Foundation in the territory.
The relay in the Vibo Valentia section departed at 12:30 PM from Viale Affaccio, crossed via Dante Alighieri and corso Vittorio Emanuele, and concluded on via Bucciarelli, after a route of approximately 3.2 kilometers. The event saw the participation of representatives from the local sports world, institutions, and the territory’s business community, demonstrating the strong bond between sport, community, and citizens. With the appointment of our President as Torchbearer of the Truce, we renew our commitment to being bearers of a message of peace, solidarity, and inclusion, remembering how sport must be an instrument of dialogue and encounter among peoples.
“I dedicate this moment to all the collaborators of Fondazione Augurusa,” the President declared before beginning the route. “I run for the young people who, with us, have found dignity and hope, and I do so as a commitment in honor of my brother Antonio.”
