Forty years of work on behalf of animals, from its earliest initiatives to thousands of adoptions. Apas is celebrating the milestone with a commemorative volume and stamp, presented this morning to the Captains Regent Gerardo Giovagnoli and William Casali in the Hall of the Throne at Palazzo Valloni.
Leading the delegation from the San Marino Animal Protection Association (Apas) was its president, Emanuela Stolfi. The audience, opened by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Security, Massimo Andrea Ugolini, traced the association’s history and the efforts of those who have supported it over the years.
It all began on 4 September 1986, in the law office of Renzo Bonelli. Around thirty founding members established Apas with the goal of giving animals a voice and protecting them. Since then, the association has organised fundraisers, public open days, school projects, partnerships with institutions and other associations, and initiatives to promote protective legislation.
This journey is recounted in the book “Quarant’anni con loro, per loro – Una storia di cuore” (“Forty years with them, for them – A story of heart”), which also collects stories tied to adoptions. Stolfi recalled the value of every encounter between an animal and its new family, highlighting the contribution of volunteers, staff, members and supporters.
The book’s graphic design was curated by 3 Studio, represented at the meeting by Sabrina Fabbri and Antonio Cecchetti, while the illustrations are the work of Stefania Maragna, who also attended the audience.
The Director General of Poste San Marino, Gian Luca Amici, presented the philatelic issue dedicated to the anniversary. The design, created by San Marino illustrator Viola Diletta Felici, depicts a stylised dog and cat in Apas’s colours. For Stolfi, the stamp entrusts a civic message — respect and protection for animals — to a small image.
The president thanked Ugolini for his attention to the anniversary and pointed to the ongoing collaboration with institutions on animal welfare and public health. The Captains Regent expressed their appreciation for the commitment shown by the association over its forty years.
“The honour of this audience,” Emanuela Stolfi concluded, “encourages us to keep going, knowing that every life protected, every suffering eased and every abandonment prevented gives meaning to our work. Because caring for animals also means nurturing and strengthening our humanity and the conscience of the whole community.”
