On December 5th, coinciding with International Volunteer Day, the closing ceremony for "Modena: Italian Capital of Volunteering 2026" will be held at the Teatro Storchi.
This year, the occasion takes on an even broader significance, as the United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development. The underlying message is clear: the Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved without the active involvement of individuals—and volunteering is the means by which citizens transition from being mere spectators to becoming protagonists of change.

The city’s motto, "Avia Pervia"—meaning "to make the inaccessible accessible"—aptly describes the daily impact of volunteering: bringing together what was once distant. This concept serves as the central theme for the year, "VolontariaMO – Volunteering that Connects," which has inspired a program comprising over 200 initiatives.

The fundamental goal behind each of these events is to leave a lasting legacy: a new, more collaborative way of working together, promoting volunteerism, and envisioning a more cohesive society—one that places people, relationships, and the community at its very heart.
The event is promoted by the Municipality of Modena, CSVnet, and the "Terre Estensi" Volunteer Service Center (Centro di Servizio per il Volontariato), in collaboration with the National and Territorial Third Sector Forum, Caritas Italiana, the Diocesan Caritas, and the Fondazione Modena.