The week-long annual GVS Solidarity week, now in its 19th year, came to a fitting and colourful climax this morning with a parade led by the drummers and flag throwers of the Gallicano Sbandieratori who marched from the Fosso down to the site of the “Friendship Games” in piazzale Matteotti in Barga Giardino.

Along the way local schools joined the various participants from groups and voluntary associations from around the province on the march with banners, flags and coloured balloons.
A message of friendship attached to some of the brightly coloured helium filled balloons was launched into the clear blue sky – who knows where it will end up?