Parma, 13 January 2026 – Parma celebrated its patron saint, Sant’Ilario, with a solemn ceremony held at the Teatro Regio, during which two Gold Medals and seven Civic Merit Awards were presented.

Parma Calcio extends its congratulations to all those honoured at the 40th edition of the awards, with a special mention for the recipients of the Gold Medal: Paolo Nori and COLSER-Auroradomus. Paolo Nori – writer, translator, essayist and podcaster – was born in Parma and has always been a devoted supporter of the Gialloblu, holding a deep-rooted, heartfelt passion for his hometown club: during the recent promotion to Serie A in 2024, Nori narrated a video shared on the Club’s official channels, retracing Fabio Pecchia’s team’s title-winning campaign and adding further emotion to an extraordinary sporting season.

Congratulations also go to COLSER-Auroradomus, founded in 1975 by CISL Parma with the support of Confcooperative, which today received the prestigious recognition through its President, Cristina Bazzini. COLSER has been one of the longest-standing local partners collaborating with Parma Calcio, supporting the Club for over ten years. In addition to being a commercial partner, it is a key supplier for services related to cleaning, portering and waste management, actively contributing to Parma Calcio’s transformation into an increasingly eco-sustainable model. The cooperative also promotes pathways of inclusion, community integration and support for local volunteering.

Paolo Nori was awarded the Sant’Ilario 2026 Gold Medal for the value of his literary and essayistic work, which has established him as one of Italy’s leading experts in Russian literature and culture, while never losing his artistic and identity-driven bond with his hometown. COLSER, meanwhile, was recognised for its ability to combine economic growth with social responsibility.

The seven Civic Merit Awards were presented to Emiliano Bozzetti (physiotherapist of the Italian National Football Team, formerly part of Parma Calcio’s Youth Sector, and son of Claudio, the Club’s former masseur), Enrica Valla (Corale Verdi), Ascom Confcommercio Parma, the National Carabinieri Association and the National State Police Association, the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) of Parma, the Parma Concert Society APS, and the Parma Quality Restaurants Consortium, the latter supported by Parma Calcio for its voluntary, free and unconditional commitment to the area's social responsibility initiatives.

The ceremony opened with Il Coro delle Sfide Impossibili, a performance by the Opera in Prison Choir directed by Gabriella Corsaro, with piano accompaniment by Gianluca Ascheri. This was followed by the opening address from the President of the City Council, Michele Alinovi, and the subsequent entrance of the Mayor of Parma, Michele Guerra, the Bishop of Parma, Monsignor Enrico Solmi, and the Authorities.

After the institutional greetings, Bishop Solmi addressed the audience, in the presence of the Prefect Antonio Garufi, the President of the Province Alessandro Fadda, the Rector of the University of Parma Paolo Martelli, the President of the Chamber of Commerce Stefano Landi, and the President of the High Schools Council Giacomo Storti.

The ceremony concluded with a moment dedicated to local tradition: the Maschera di Parma, Dsèvod, delivered greetings on behalf of the city, renewing an identity-driven bond that has always accompanied the Patron Saint celebrations.