Italy marks World Blood Donor Day with local celebrations

On 14 June 2026, Italy observed World Blood Donor Day with a series of community events organized by AVIS and local partners. In Fano, the municipal‑sponsored walk through the historic centre combined cultural heritage with blood‑donation awareness, concluding with a healthy fruit‑based aperitif. Brescia’s provincial AVIS network hosted collective donations, concerts and illuminated the Palazzo Loggia in red to highlight the cause. In the Romagna region, AVIS distributed QR‑coded bread bags in bakeries of Cesena, Forlì‑Cesena, Ravenna and Rimini, linking everyday food to donation information. Aosta displayed a new mobile blood‑collection unit (auto‑emoteca) in Piazza Chanoux, with volunteers from Fidas and AVIS providing on‑site education. Pescara’s Fidas held a concert‑styled evening for its 14 618 members, featuring local officials and reporting 11 285 donations in 2025. Lombardy introduced a dedicated “Plasma Day” on 13 June, promoting plasma collection after a successful 2025 campaign that raised plasma units by nearly 9 %. Saronno continued its traditional “Cherry Festival” in Piazza Avis, handing out cherries while informing residents about donation. All activities echoed the WHO theme “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives” and aimed to sustain regular blood and plasma supplies for health services across the country.