“Nando and Elsa Peretti” Bosco Vivo – Living Woodland Inaugurated at the Order of Malta’s San Giovanni Battista Hospital in Rome
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On 5 October 2026, The Association of Italian Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (ACISMOM), with the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation support, inaugurated new outdoor spaces dedicated to animal-assisted therapy; the “Nando and Elsa Peretti” Bosco Vivo – Living Woodland an area of around 14,500 square metres and a Rehabilitation Garden, both designed to integrate clinical and physiotherapy treatment with outdoor activities. The initiative marks a further milestone in the longstanding partnership between the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation and the Order of Malta and strengthens a shared commitment to improving patients’ wellbeing and quality of life through innovative, person-centred rehabilitation.
Equine-assisted therapy has long been one of the distinctive activities of San Giovanni Battista Hospital, where rehabilitation takes place within the hospital’s own equestrian facilities. The new spaces expand opportunities for therapeutic activities by bringing together clinical care, movement, contact with nature and interaction with animals. Together, they support a holistic approach to rehabilitation that considers not only patients’ physical conditions, but also their psychological and relational needs.
The inauguration was attended by Lorenzo Borghese, President of the Association of Italian Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, alongside healthcare professionals and representatives of Italian institutions, including Marcello Gemmato, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Health, Francesco Rocca, President of the Lazio Region, Antonello Aurigemma, President of the Regional Council of Lazio and Svetlana Celli, President of the Capitoline Assembly.
Representing the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, Executive Coordinator, Stiven Shala, conveyed the greetings of Stefano Palumbo, Board Member of The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, and highlighted the significance of the project within a longlasting collaboration with ACISMOM.
The programme included the inauguration of the new animal-assisted therapy area, a demonstration of the therapeutic activities, and visits to the Bosco Vivo and rehabilitation garden. The event also offered an opportunity to highlight the hospital’s work in motor and neurological rehabilitation, as ACISMOM prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2027.
“Elsa had a deep sensitivity to care, to the needs of the most vulnerable, and to nature and animals. Her relationship with the Order of Malta was particularly meaningful to her, and she was also awarded the Grand Cross pro Merito Melitensi. This is why the project we are inaugurating today is especially close to our hearts. These new spaces embody a very tangible vision of care: rehabilitation, nature, movement, interaction with animals, and the quality of the surrounding environment all become part of a single, integrated journey.”
Stiven Shala
