Zecchino d'Oro ([dzekˈkiːno ˈdɔːro; tsek-]; meaning "Golden Sequin") is an international children's song festival that has taken place every year since 1959. It is broadcast by Rai 1.
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It was started by Cino Tortorella, and the first two festivals were held in Milan. In 1961, the festival was taken up by the Antoniano Institute and moved to Bologna. In 2009, Cino Tortorella left Zecchino d'Oro.
In 1963, Mariele Ventre, a conductor and director of young performers, created the Piccolo Coro dell'Antoniano Children's Choir (called Piccolo Coro "Mariele Ventre" dell'Antoniano after her death in 1995, and directed by Sabrina Simoni). From 1976 the festival took on an international perspective - each year seven Italian songs and seven foreign songs are sung by children and voted for by a children's jury. The winning song is rewarded with the Zecchino d'Oro award.
As has been regularly stated during the event, the winners of the Zecchino d'Oro and Zecchino d'Argento are the writers and composers of the songs, not the children who interpret them. This rule applies to all editions.
Younger songwriters are Yumiko Ashikawa (芦川祐美子, 7, who also has sung her song), Miruna Oprea (13), Ioachim Octavian Petre (13) and Lara Polli (13).