Reggio Emilia cyclists ride to Brussels with Parmigiano Reggiano to promote disability sport inclusion

A group of friends from Reggio Emilia, operating under the name “La Pandita,” will embark on a bicycle journey from Reggio Emilia to the European Parliament in Brussels. The ride starts on 29 August and is scheduled to finish on 9 September 2026. A wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano, supplied by the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, will be carried in a small cart as a symbol of the region’s culinary heritage.

The expedition supports the provincial “All Inclusive Sport” project, which integrates disabled youth into mainstream sports. Organisers aim to raise €18,000 through events held before departure, a sum that would enable the inclusion of 20 additional children in the program. The initiative is backed by the Emilia‑Romagna regional delegation to the EU, the municipality of Reggio Emilia, CSV Emilia, and local businesses. It follows a 2023 ride to Cape North that also raised funds for a hospital.

The cyclists will present the project and the cheese at an auditorium of the Parmigiano Reggiano consortium, highlighting regional excellence and a model of territorial inclusion to European policymakers.