Panacea OdV, an association based in Ariano Irpino, won second prize in the national "Donare Mi Dona 2026" contest for its clown-therapy work in care facilities in Ariano and the wider Irpinia area.
The award was collected in Genoa by coordinator Maria Spina Pratola, together with volunteers Emanuela Riccio, Leonardo Russolillo, Michelina Mariano and Fernando Sicuranza. The ceremony took place at the Sala Trasparenza of the Liguria regional government in Genoa.
Two Irpinia outlets, IrpiniaNews and Ottopagine, independently reported the second-place result. No official Istituto Italiano della Donazione results page confirming the ranking was located in the validated research, and the full ranking, scoring method and complete list of finalists were not provided in the acquired sources.
Clown therapy in Ariano and Irpinia
The recognised activity was Panacea's clown-therapy work in care settings in Ariano and Irpinia. Local reporting described the volunteers' contribution as bringing "sorrisi, ascolto e leggerezza" to care settings.
Panacea summed up its approach with the message "Ogni gesto conta, ogni dono resta."
What DonoDay 2026 is
DonoDay 2026 was scheduled for 4 October 2026 and marked the twelfth Italian Day of Giving. The Istituto Italiano della Donazione describes DonoDay as an initiative involving schools, municipalities, associations and citizens.
The "Donare Mi Dona" contest was promoted by the Istituto Italiano della Donazione within a broader programme focused on solidarity, participation and everyday giving.
Why the award was presented in Genoa
Genoa's municipal information places the 2026 Day of Giving programme within Liguria's role as Italian Giving Capital. The same municipal source identifies #DonareMiDona as an Istituto Italiano della Donazione contest held with the Ministry of Education and Merit and the Municipality of Genoa.
The acquired sources describe both the award ceremony and the 4 October DonoDay date, but do not clearly establish whether the ceremony itself took place on 4 October.
What this means for readers
For readers in Ariano Irpino and Irpinia, the result gives a clear reference point: a local association's clown-therapy work in care facilities has been recognised at national level.
For readers following DonoDay more generally, the 2026 edition connects local association activity with a national framework coordinated by the Istituto Italiano della Donazione, with schools, municipalities, associations and citizens listed as participants, and Genoa as the institutional setting for the award.
