Is 2023 the Year of the Donkey?

With a champion on the football field, three award-winning feature films, a long-awaited emoji, and even a philosophical movement in their image; donkeys, it seems, are having their moment.

The bond between donkeys and humans stretches back over millennia. In just one year, donkeys have come a long way to capture the public’s imagination and challenge what it means to be a donkey – in film, football and philosophy.

An unlikely champion

A Premiership footballer is not the most obvious advocate but in Kai Havertz donkeys have found a champion in a very literal sense. Long-used as a term of derision in football, the Chelsea star has given new meaning to the nickname ‘donkey.’

When winning-goal scorer Kai revealed that his team-mates call him donkey, not for his football but because of his calm and thoughtful demeanour, he was changing the narrative about what it is to be a donkey. Kai was given a toy donkey as a child and from there went on to sponsor donkeys at a local sanctuary, where he discovered an affinity with the animals: He said: "From day one, I felt a special relationship with donkeys. It’s a very calm animal: maybe I personalised myself in them because I’m calm too. They chill all day, don’t do much, just want to live their life. I loved them always”.

Donkeys in the spotlight

Kai is not the only one to publicly celebrate the emotional intelligence of donkeys. When Polish film director Jerry Skolomowski won the 2022 Jury Prize at Cannes for his movie EO, a movie that shows our imperfect world from the perspective of a donkey, he gave a memorable acceptance speech, dedicating the award to every donkey that appeared in the film.

Another feature film followed. Martin McDonagh’s tragicomedy, The Banshees of Inisherin, featuring Jenny the miniature donkey in a central role, won four BAFTAs in January, including Outstanding British Film. Although it didn’t take home an Oscar, history was made when a miniature donkey appeared on stage, posing as Jenny, at the ceremony for the Academy Awards.

Aside from the awards ceremonies, what was remarkable about EO and Banshees was their accurate and sensitive portrayal of their donkey protagonists. There was no ridicule involved; these donkeys were not stubborn nor stupid. On the contrary, in both films donkeys were chosen because of their intelligent and calm demeanour, to contrast with the often cruel and foolish pettiness of the human characters. For once, donkeys were playing themselves and to great effect.

Being more donkey

If there is one trait that donkeys embody more than any other animal, it has to be stoicism. The Philosophy of Stoicism is also having a moment in 2023, popular among tech billionaires, entrepreneurs and influencers seeking a more meaningful approach to life. Stoic, when associated with donkeys suggests both acceptance and resilience. Modern Stoics describe it as about being steadfast, strong and in control of yourself – much like a donkey.

It’s hard to know if there’s a link between the re-emergence of stoicism and a growing appreciation of the traits that make donkeys such dependable and loyal companions. Perhaps it’s a reflection of the politics of the day or our treatment of the planet, but if the ultimate purpose of Stoicism is to live in agreement with nature, that is something, given the opportunity, both humans and donkeys can get behind.

A future for donkeys

Despite their new found fame, donkeys remain in peril. They need our help. Earlier this year we launched our ambitious new strategy - a global plan to improve the lives of five million donkeys over the next five years.

Seeing the world from a donkey’s perspective is at the heart of our new strategy. We believe that by making the world a better place for donkeys, we make it better for all of us. For a long time donkeys have been hidden in plain sight, existing in some of the most challenging environments on earth, providing vital support to the communities that rely on them.

Time will tell how long this zeitgeist moment will last but as an organisation we remain committed to elevating the status of donkeys - a shift we believe will strengthen the belief that all donkeys deserve a good quality of life. With so many calling 2023 the Year of the Donkey, we hope this will be the year donkeys are finally appreciated as the sensitive and intelligent animals they are, deserving of our kindness and respect.

This year, and every year, we will continue to work tirelessly to improve the lives of donkeys everywhere, toward a vision where every donkey has a good quality of life. It’s good to know we have film-makers, footballers and philosophers behind us.