®Harvest Solidarity: Paolo Kessisoglu winemaker for a day at the Le Manzane winery

Like true winemakers, almost 550 people took part yesterday in the manual grape harvest immersed in the splendid scenery of the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a charitable purpose: to raise funds to combat youth hardship. The proceeds will be donated to C'è Da Fare ETS , the non-profit organization founded in 2023 by the popular Genoese actor and comedian Paolo Kessisoglu, present at the event together with his team of volunteers and Marco Varisco, president of the "XI di Marca". Young and old took ritual selfies with the well-known Genoese actor and comedian.

"We are also trying to export to Veneto - explained the founders of the association, Paolo Kessisoglu and Silvia Rocchi - We need to do Safe Teen, a high-intensity assistance system aimed at young people that we started with the Niguarda hospital in Milan. This means guaranteeing all the kids who come to the clinic with various types of problems, such as suicidal intent, cutting, eating disorders and depression, a service with multidisciplinary teams, that is, made up of several professionals such as educators, psychotherapists and psychologists, which the national health system would not be able to pay for".

The event began with the grape harvest, continued with visits to the cellar, a show for the little ones by juggler/equilibrist Manuele Pascal and a test drive of Manzotti Automobili. The long-awaited aperitif was not missed with Prosecco Superiore Docg Le Manzane, products from Distilleria Fratelli Brunello, also protagonists of a cocktail competition, the delicious fish “cicchetti” from Ca' del Poggio and cheeses from the award-winning Latteria Perenzin. The pleasant musical accompaniment of the dynamic band Fuori Orario Reunion and Alberto Ceschin provided the backdrop. The day continued with a delicious snack in the “caneva” and a lottery with prizes.

The ®Vendemmia Solidale 2024 wanted to dedicate a moment to Riccardo, a special child who passed away a year ago, on September 8, 2023. His parents, Loris De Pasqual and Marvi, remembered him by donating the proceeds from their son's paintings sold during the event to C'è Da Fare ETS.

"We have harvested 9,130 kilos of grapes - said the owner of the Le Manzane winery, Ernesto Balbinot -, after the rain the grapes look beautiful, I think we will have a good product". "Relieved and cleansed from the whole issue of adverse weather conditions, this has been a historic year in the sense that this is the harvest that we will go on to approve as the harvest of the century, we will certainly have a product of the highest quality", commented the president of the Veneto Region, Luca Zaia who complimented the Balbinot family, owners of the Le Manzane winery, for the initiative: "If it didn't exist, it would have to be invented. It has been able to fully carry forward an idea of social commitment in agriculture done in an important way because this is a celebration for those who come here, but it is a big commitment for the company, just think of how many people have been helped in 13 years". "I take this opportunity - concluded Ernesto Balbinot - to thank all those who harvested and all those who worked for the success of the event."

Also present at the 13th edition of the ®Vendemmia Solidale was the regional councilor for tourism, agriculture and European funds Federico Caner , who commented on the latest data on the increase in tourist presences in the Hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019: «In recent years we have grown a lot, 2024 shows us still growing from 25% to 30%. For this I have to thank the entrepreneurs, the institutions and the Association for the Heritage of the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene for the great work it is doing in the area which is not only linked to the Prosecco product, but also to everything these places offer in terms of art, culture, nature, such as walking in the hills, and organization of new services for tourism».

The event was attended by numerous authorities, including the mayor of San Pietro di Feletto Cristiano Botteon, the deputy Gianangelo Bof, the regional councilors Roberto Bet and Sonia Brescacin, the director of the Consortium for the Protection of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG Diego Tomasi and the vice president of the Association for the Heritage of the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene Vincenzo Sacchet.

This year too, there are numerous partners and sponsors who have shared the charitable objectives of the 2024 solidarity harvest : Arti Grafiche Conegliano, Banca Prealpi SanBiagio, Battistella Capsule, Crai, Dersut Caffè, Distilleria Fratelli Brunello, Foto Francesco Galifi, Generalvetri, Icas, Manzotti Automobili, Ondulkart, Ortensia Isola Pâtisserie, Perenzin Latteria, Pez Panificio Pasticceria, Ristorante Relais Ca' del Poggio, Rotas, Savno Servizi Ambientali Veneto Nord Orientale, S. Bernardo Tappi Spumante, S'Paul n' Co. Design, Studio Cloè, Suber and TeleChiara.

The initiative is sponsored by the Veneto Region, the Province of Treviso and the Municipalities of San Pietro di Feletto, Conegliano and Valdobbiadene with the support of the Consorzio Tutela Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, the Association for the Heritage of the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, the social promotion association XI di “Marca” and the Club n° 40 Frecce Tricolori Conegliano.

The Le Manzane winery is located in San Pietro di Feletto ( Treviso ), halfway between the Dolomites and Venice , in the hilly area of the province of Treviso, in the heart of the Prosecco Superiore Hills , proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 7 July 2019. The family-run company is deeply rooted in the Treviso area as a producer for 40 years . The winery, one of the most dynamic and interesting in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene wine scene, distributes both in Italy and abroad, reaching over 30 countries .

There's To Do ETS is a non-profit association, founded in 2023 , from an idea by Paolo Kessisoglu who is committed to breaking down the stigma of mental illnesses in adolescents . It designs and launches concrete projects , scalable throughout the country, that can take the hand of kids without a compass, gradually bringing them closer to life and everyday life. It collaborates with hospitals, UONPIA and other organizations able to provide support to adolescents and families in serious distress. It informs on the topic of mental health, launches structured fundraisers , creates events , sports and cultural initiatives to support projects.