Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
VERONA – Rural Sicily and its finest produce are in Verona for the 2026 edition of Fieracavalli, delivering a powerful message focused on safeguarding biodiversity and social inclusion. From 5 to 8 November, inside Pavilion 1 Future Riders, the Department of Rural and Territorial Development of the Region of Sicily has opened the “Borgo dell’Asino” to the public, an experiential space where digital technology and direct contact with native donkey breeds offer a values workshop aimed especially at schools and young people.
On the opening day, the Island’s exhibition area received a visit from the minister for disability, Alessandra Locatelli, who stressed the importance of making Sicily’s nature trails accessible.
Minister Alessandra Locatelli’s words
While visiting the immersive facility designed to showcase the Region’s nature reserves, the minister highlighted her bond with Sicily and her commitment to accessible tourism:
“Sicily is a place that always steals my heart, as the member of the municipal executive responsible for agriculture, Luca Sammartino, knows, and as everyone knows, because I go there very often and very willingly. Seeing these immersive images of its nature makes me want to discover it all the more. The fact that there are also accessible trails for people with disabilities is a real added value: we must continue to work with determination in this direction.”
The “Borgo dell’Asino” and the protection of native breeds
The area set up by the regional department is a meeting point between animal welfare, natural resources and environmental education. The spotlight is on the region’s rare donkey breeds:
- Asino Pantesco: one of the rarest species, with just 70 specimens worldwide.
- Asino Ragusano: present with about 4,000 specimens in Sicily, 50 of them inside the oriented reserves.
- Grigio Siciliano: currently represented by 14 specimens now undergoing official recognition.
The route turns direct interaction into experiential learning for families and professionals, leveraging the donkey’s empathetic qualities – intelligence, caution and memory – as a tool to promote respect, sustainability and collective wellbeing.
