by InTrieste
A 125-kilometer charity relay linking two of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s leading medical institutions will take place on Sept. 25 and 26, bringing together runners, local authorities and healthcare organizations to raise funds for pediatric and cancer research.
The inaugural Staffetta del Cuore (“Relay of the Heart”) is organized by the ASD Gruppo Sportivo San Giacomo of Trieste and was conceived by its president, Ruggero Poli. Proceeds from the event will support research, patient care and treatment projects at the Fondazione Burlo Garofolo, the region’s pediatric hospital, and the Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (CRO) in Aviano.
Ten relay runners will cover the route from the CRO in Aviano to the Burlo Garofolo in Trieste, combining sport with fundraising in an initiative supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and the Municipality of Trieste.
Organizers said the event also commemorates two milestones: the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Friuli earthquake, remembered for the region’s widespread solidarity and resilience, and the 170th anniversary of the Burlo Garofolo.
Two-day route across the region
The relay begins Friday afternoon in Aviano after an institutional ceremony, while Saturday’s final stages will pass through several towns before reaching Trieste.
At 10 a.m. on Friday, participants and officials will gather in Piazza Unità d’Italia for a farewell ceremony and group photograph before transferring to Aviano. The relay officially starts at 2 p.m. from the CRO following a second institutional greeting.
On Saturday morning, runners resume from Palmanova, with additional athletes joining the relay at Miramare, Largo Santos and Piazza della Borsa. Trieste Mayor Roberto Dipiazza is expected to greet participants in Piazza della Borsa before the final leg departs at 4 p.m.
The relay is scheduled to conclude at 5 p.m. at the Burlo Garofolo, where organizers will hold the closing ceremony.
