Vespa and RED together in the battle against AIDS!

PRESS RELEASE

THE PIAGGIO  GROUP  AND (RED) TOGETHER IN THE BATTLE  AGAINST AIDS

(VESPA)REDDRESSES IN RED TO SUPPORT THE GLOBAL  FUND

ROBERTO COLANINNO: “COLLABORATION BETWEEN TWO OUTSTANDING GLOBAL

ORGANISATIONS”

Rome, 27 June 2016 - The Piaggio Group and (RED) announce  the start of a partnership  in support of raising funds to finance programmes that battle against AIDS. Attending the event that launched collaboration between Piaggio and (RED) was also Bill Gates who, with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is one of the main global protagonists in the battle for health and wellbeing in developing countries.

It will be Vespa, the most beloved and famous two-wheeler brand in the world, that develops a (RED) vehicle. From the sale of each unit, $150 (USD) will go toward supporting the activities of the Global  Fund  for the battle  against  AIDS,  tuberculosis  and malaria.  Two  prestigious brands, recognised all over the world, combine forces in the battle for a world where no child will be born with the HIV virus.

“The partnership  with (RED), one of the most prestigious  institutions  in the world, represents another  concrete  commitment  by  Piaggio  in  this  area.”  The  Piaggio  Group  CEO  and  MD, Roberto Colaninno, emphasises “We are happy and proud today to have been chosen by (RED) to represent  the mobility  sector as one of their partners.  This will be a global collaboration between  two organisations  recognised  all over the world  as symbols  of professionalism  and excellence.”

The Vespa (RED) that will be presented in its definitive form at the next Eicma show (Milan from 10 to 13 November) was on display today in Rome as a sneak peek during a Global Fund event at the National Institute of Health.

The Vespas that are manufactured in partnership with (RED) will be sold in Europe, Asia, the Pacific  and  the  United  States.  The  first  group  of  Vespa  (RED)  vehicles  will  go  on  sale  in December 2016, to coincide with (RED)’s Shopathon campaign.

Founded in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver, (RED) has contributed $350 million (USD) to the Global Fund in the battle against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. These funds have arrived in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia, with 100% of the resources destined to activities on site. (RED)'s support for the Global Fund has had an impact on more than 70 million people with prevention, treatment and consulting operations, as well as HIV tests and assistance services.

Deborah Dugan, CEO, (RED) said: “We’re honoured to have Piaggio join the AIDS fight with the launch of their iconic (Vespa) RED  that will raise money to support the critical work of the Global

Fund.”

With more than 18 million vehicles sold around the world since 1946, Vespa is a unique casein  the  history  of  individual  mobility.  First  introduced  as  the  vehicle  that  would  relaunch Europe in the post war era, it has become a symbol of freedom, uniting different generations all over the five continents and today it is a globally recognised icon of Italian style.

The Piaggio Group has historically been sensitive to the problems connected with protectingthe  health  of children.  An  example  of this  is the  recent  Vespa  For  Children  initiative,  an international  charity that, in collaboration  with the Bambino  Gesù Hospital of Rome, paved the way for a medical-surgical  programme at the National Hospital For Pediatrics of Hanoi in Vietnam.