The heart of rural Sicily is buzzing with creative energy these days, thanks to the sixth edition of MiFaSol, the “Milena Festival Sociale”, hosted by Magazzino Culturale in Milena. We are there too: a group of our international volunteers is right at the centre of the action, living a powerful experience of civic engagement while exploring local traditions and helping to protect essential social and cultural spaces.

The volunteers are working hand in hand with the local community, and they are currently involved in:

• cleaning, setting up and improving the Magazzino Culturale and several public areas, to make them fully accessible for the event
• arranging furniture, preparing the exhibition areas and organising materials for the debates and panels
• helping out at talks, workshops and artistic performances, welcoming visitors and assisting with technical and hospitality needs
• taking photos and short videos to share the festival’s unique atmosphere on social media.

The MiFaSol Festival is a brilliant example of how grassroots culture can bring new life to inland regions. It is an open forum where local actors, artists, associations and young people from all over Europe come together to discuss contemporary challenges and to showcase the excellence of the territory.

Strengthening equality, rights and active citizenship across Europe is at the heart of our work, in the framework of the CERV programme, which stands for Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values. By supporting youth led initiatives in rural communities and fostering spaces for open dialogue, our network contributes to social inclusion, democratic participation and the preservation of shared cultural spaces.