Milan Civil Week 2026 Inaugurated: Celebrating Active Citizenship and the Third Sector
Milan, April 29, 2026 – The highly anticipated Milan Civil Week 2026, an initiative spearheaded by Corriere della Sera-Buone Notizie, the Third Sector Forum, and the Municipality of Milan, officially commenced on Monday, April 27th. The event, which runs until May 10th, is centered around the theme ‘TOGETHER. The Society of Trust,’ highlighting the crucial role of active citizenship and the Third Sector in strengthening community bonds and fostering collaborative processes within metropolitan areas.
The inauguration ceremony took place on May 7th at 6:00 PM at Palazzo Giureconsulti, located in Piazza Mercati 2. This marked the beginning of a rich program of events, divided into two main categories: ‘CAPIRE’ (Understand) and ‘VIVERE’ (Live).
A Diverse Program for Engagement and Reflection
The ‘CAPIRE’ program, curated by Corriere Buone Notizie, offers a series of appointments designed to deepen understanding of the Third Sector’s impact and societal challenges. Simultaneously, hundreds of free, widespread events across the metropolitan city, organized by numerous Milanese Third Sector organizations, form the ‘VIVERE’ program, accessible on the Milano Civil Week Vivere website.
One of the notable events within the ‘VIVERE’ program is the choral performance ‘Insieme, tante voci fanno un coro’ (Together, many voices make a choir) by the ‘Coro Divertimento Vocale,’ scheduled for Saturday, May 9th, at 6:30 PM. The culmination of Milan Civil Week will be the traditional Bicicivica, a collective bike ride promoting the values of active citizenship, civic engagement, and sustainability. This year, Bicicivica 2026 will take place on Sunday, May 10th, in Milan and several metropolitan areas, including Cinisello Balsamo, Locate di Triulzi, Magnago, Segrate, Trezzano sul Naviglio, and Trezzo sull’Adda.
Inaugural Event: ‘Together for Peace’
The official inauguration on Thursday, May 7th, at 6:00 PM, at Palazzo Giureconsulti, featured a dedicated event titled ‘Together for Peace.’ This meeting focused on dialogue and building a culture of peace, with a distinguished panel of participants:
- Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Cardinal and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
- Luciano Fontana, Director of Corriere della Sera
- Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of the Municipality of Milan
- Maurizio Molinari, Head of the European Parliament Office in Milan
- Rossella Sacco, Spokesperson for the Third Sector Forum of Milan
- Bledjan Beshiraj, Volunteer
- Anna Fiscale, Social Entrepreneur
- Guido Marangoni, Writer and Father of Anna
- Simona Police, Social Worker
The closing remarks were delivered by Lorenzo Maragoni, a poet and actor. The event was curated by Elisabetta Soglio and Venanzio Postiglione.
Beyond Mission: The Importance of Internal Social Sustainability
Also on May 7th, at 10:00 AM, the Milan Third Sector Forum, in collaboration with Goodpoint srl Società Benefit and Confcooperative Milano e dei Navigli, organized the event ‘Oltre la mission, il lavoro – Civil Week Vivere’ (Beyond the Mission, Work – Civil Week Live). This event addressed the profound transformation occurring within the Third Sector, moving from a model based on individual motivation to one demanding robust organizational structures, managerial competencies, and intentional care for people.
The discussion highlighted the increasing signs of disengagement and widespread fatigue in social work, prompting questions about the resilience of traditional organizational models. Goodpoint, with over 15 years of experience supporting Third Sector organizations, presented insights from a recent survey involving 119 entities. The survey offered a current and significant snapshot of the main challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
The event served as a workshop for discussion and activation, integrating diverse perspectives, research data, and concrete organizational experiences. It specifically delved into the theme of internal social sustainability – the ability of organizations to systematically care for the people who make their mission possible. This calls for a shift in perspective: from individual motivation to organizational responsibility, ensuring the well-being of individuals and the organizational sustainability of the Third Sector.
Collaborative Effort and Support
Milan Civil Week is a collaborative effort, realized by the Metropolitan City’s Third Sector Forums: the Third Sector Forum of the City of Milan, the Alto Milanese Forum, the Adda Martesana Forum, and the South Milan Forum. It is also supported by CSV Milano ETS, with funding from Fondazione di Comunità Milano, Fondazione Comunitaria Ticino Olona, Fondazione Comunitaria Nord Milano, Bper Banca, and with contributions from Gruppo CAP. The event benefits from the patronage and contributions of Regione Lombardia, the patronage of the Metropolitan City of Milan, and 25 Municipalities in the province of Milan.
For the complete program of events, please visit: eventi.corriere.it/milano-civil-week/
Source: https://www.forumterzosettore.it/2026/04/27/inaugurazione-della-milano-civil-week-2026/
