Fiaccolata della Croce Rossa a Solferino

The Solferino Torchlight Procession

The Fiaccolata della Croce Rossa a Solferino (Red Cross Torchlight Procession in Solferino) is one of the most meaningful commemorations of the international humanitarian movement. Every year, in the municipality of Solferino (Province of Mantua), thousands of Red Cross volunteers from all over the world gather for a torchlight march that retraces the sites of the Battle of Solferino on June 24, 1859.

The roots of a humanitarian idea

It was precisely here, in front of the tens of thousands of wounded left on the field after the battle between the Franco-Piedmontese and Austrian armies, that the Swiss philanthropist Henry Dunant conceived the idea of a neutral relief organization, giving birth to the Red Cross movement and inspiring the Geneva Conventions. The Torchlight Procession was created to keep this memory alive and renew the humanitarian commitment of new generations of volunteers.

The 2026 Edition and the Humanitarian Village

The edition on June 27, 2026, marks a historic turning point: Solferino hosts the inauguration of the first Italian Red Cross Humanitarian Village, an area of approximately 5.5 hectares in Via Circonvallazione Cavallara intended for emergencies, training, and logistics. According to the CRI, it will be the most inclusive and international torchlight procession ever, with spaces accessible to volunteers with disabilities and the participation of National Societies from around the world.

A global event

The Solferino Torchlight Procession is not a simple reenactment: it is a global gathering that transforms this village in Lombardy into the symbolic heart of world humanitarianism every year. Walking with torches between Solferino and Castiglione delle Stiviere means reliving the moment when, from one of the darkest pages of European history, an idea destined to change the world was born.