Born out of a collaboration between the SPI Società Paleontologica Italiana (Italian Palaeontological Society) and its group of young members "Palaeontologist in Progress", and realised with the contribution of numerous Italian palaeontologists, the Fossili Regionali initiative (Regional Fossils) aims to promote knowledge and public awareness of our country's rich paleontological heritage by selecting a representative fossil for each Italian region.

Drawing on mammoths, dinosaur footprints, fossilised plants, and invertebrates, expert palaeontologists, working in ad hoc committees, selected up to five representative specimens for each region, each accompanied by an information sheet. Thanks to social media, the initiative was widely publicised, enabling the collection of preferences through an official vote and ultimately determining which fossil best suited each Italian region.