Paralympic athlete Jimmy Pelletier of Québec has launched the Italian leg of an extraordinary world tour from Rome, undertaking a 400,000-kilometer journey by handbike across 27 countries on five continents. The tour, running from June 2025 to June 2027, aims to raise public awareness about disability and promote the values of diversity and inclusion through sport.
Following a car accident that left him paralyzed and using a wheelchair, Pelletier chose to continue his athletic pursuits and advocate for greater participation and inclusion for people with disabilities, adopting the motto: ‘Anything is possible.’
His global tour is supported by Intercultura Odv, a volunteer association with 70 years of experience in organizing student exchanges across 50 countries, the Delegation of Québec in Rome, and the Embassy of Canada in Italy. The event also received patronage from Rome’s XIII Aurelio Municipality. The symbolic start of the tour’s third phase took place this morning along the Passeggiata del Gelsomino bike path.
With Italy preparing to host the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Pelletier’s arrival in Rome serves as an opportunity to engage citizens and youth on the values of resilience and accessible sport.
Andrea Franzoi, Secretary General of Intercultura, stated: “We are honored and proud to support Jimmy Pelletier’s world tour, which uses sport to raise awareness on disability, diversity, and inclusion. These are fundamental values that perfectly reflect those Intercultura has promoted for 70 years through international student exchanges: building bridges between people, breaking down prejudices, and promoting a culture of peace. We need this now more than ever.”
Laurence Fouquette-L’Anglais, Québec’s Delegate in Italy, remarked: “From the Turin 2006 Paralympic Games to today’s departure from Rome for his world tour, Jimmy Pelletier’s story comes full circle in a deeply meaningful way, just as Italy prepares to host the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games. Québec is proud to support him on this cross-continental journey that demonstrates how the greatest strength comes from the ability to share and inspire others.”
Andrea Clark-Grignon, Counsellor for External Relations at the Embassy of Canada in Italy, emphasized that the Italian stop of Pelletier’s tour is “an opportunity to highlight how sport can be a driver of resilience and inclusion, core values that Canada promotes globally. As we prepare for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, it is a powerful reminder of how determination can create opportunities that inspire everyone.”