The American writer John Steinbeck, Pulitzer Prize winner in 1940 at the age of 38 and later Nobel Laureate in Literature in 1962, once said, “People don’t take trips, trips take people.” A saying that hardly needs further explanation or proof. Like an axiom, it remains valid even when the word “trip” is replaced by another term that implies the concepts of space and time. Such as the Universal Civil Service. Reflecting on the experience, which allows young people between 18 and 28 years old to serve the nation for an entire year, either in Italy or abroad, through a socio-assistance, cultural, educational, or sports project, one could naturally say that the Universal Civil Service shapes people: it trains them and molds them. It also helps young citizens discover the world through a different lens and feel like an active and integral part of a community. It reveals hidden facets of their character or potentials they never imagined having. It accompanies them from youth to maturity and guides them toward a career or the world of work with experiential knowledge that proves invaluable.

“Worth more than a master’s degree or a university degree.” This is Mariano Vitale’s closing thought, two months after completing an adventure that enriched him both personally and professionally.

Promoting Culture in Faro: Mariano Vitale’s Experience

Born in 1995 in Campania, Mariano Vitale holds a degree in Business Administration. He is a former volunteer who dedicated 12 months of his life to a Universal Civil Service project abroad. After being selected by OPES, he flew to southern Portugal with three fellow volunteers. His destination was Faro, a charming tourist town on the Atlantic Ocean and the capital of the Algarve region, where he offered his human and professional qualities, knowledge, educational background, and eagerness to be helpful to the organizations behind “Next Stop Faro.” His mission during his stay? Contributing to the development of cultural events within the municipality.

Due to the pandemic, music, literary, and film events, as well as themed festivals, had drastically decreased, almost disappearing in 2021 and 2022. This was the scenario in which the 28-year-old from Cava de’ Tirreni intervened.

“I collaborated with ‘A Tal Emersa,’ a young association that, despite being less than two years old, is already well-structured and eager to make an impact locally,” Mariano Vitale told us. “In addition to helping organize four cultural events throughout the year, which allowed me to meet artists and musicians from all over the world, I had the chance to live a truly stimulating experience.”

Serving a Team: Contributing Skills and Experience

Vitale quickly integrated into a team with its own dynamics and methods. Even in a foreign country and dealing with a language that, although musical and grammatically similar to Italian, was not entirely familiar, he did not limit himself to observing and learning. He contributed his thoughts, skills, vision, university studies in economics and digital marketing, and previous experience. Mariano had already collaborated with a cultural association in Rome.

“With a cultural association in Rome called Veracura, I participated in a territorial redevelopment project in the Ottavia neighborhood. Like the Portuguese association, they were at the beginning of their journey. Therefore, in Faro, I experienced a sort of déjà-vu, with the same mechanisms and energy. My experience in Rome and my studies in marketing helped me integrate naturally into a new environment.”

The Universal Civil Service volunteer quickly became an invaluable asset for the Portuguese team. “I managed social media, the website, and communication implementation. The colleagues at A Tal Emersa always supported me, which allowed me to grow and acquire new skills in every area.”

Universal Civil Service as Exchange

The Universal Civil Service is a two-way exchange. The volunteer gives to the project, and the project gives back.

“In my case,” Mariano adds, “the exchange was 50/50. For example, I learned to use tools and software that I either didn’t know at all or only knew theoretically. Today, I am much more experienced with Meta Business Suite, Behance—the creatives’ network—and graphic and photo editing programs. This experience enriched me in every sense, and I believe we, my colleagues and I, also made a valuable contribution to the goals of Faro municipality and the associations we engaged with daily. Four events in ten months are not few, and organizing each of them was no easy task.”

Of the four cultural events, the first, which broke the ice, still holds a special place in Mariano’s heart. “Being part of a context, participating in the creative process, building something concrete for the association, and then seeing the joy and satisfaction of the entire team made me, and still makes me, proud of what we achieved,” the 28-year-old confesses. “The first event was the most institutional, with a primarily educational focus. We helped emerging artists navigate opportunities through grants and projects.

The second was probably the most beautiful: an itinerant festival hosted on Faro’s panoramic terraces, creating an artistic and scenic atmosphere that was simply fantastic. Then we organized a figurative sculpture workshop, which was more challenging than the previous event. I found the artist, which was key to its success. Finally, the last event was a very intimate literary aperitif, reserved for members only.”

A Year-Long Experience That Shapes and Changes You

Marcel Proust believed that “the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Mariano certainly discovered the beauty of the Algarve and Faro, but he returned with images, ideas, projects, and new certainties. His keen eyes captured and documented every experience in southern Portugal, now ready to shape the world.

What was achieved 2,500 kilometers from home can also be adapted in Italy. “I went with the goal of learning,” Mariano admits, “and then returning to continue my growth here. What we accomplished on Faro’s terraces can definitely be replicated here, perhaps in a different format.”

Less than two weeks after the project ended and his return to Italy, Mariano Vitale found a job. The experience in the Algarve, the skills gained from the Portuguese association, and his degree allowed him to seize an opportunity in digital marketing. His final message is a clear invitation for young people to realize their potential through the Universal Civil Service.

“It’s a truly important experience,” concludes Mariano, the protagonist of the Next Stop Faro project, promoted by OPES. “It enriches you in every way and even professionally. My advice is to choose a project that interests you and aligns with your personality, and do it either in Italy or abroad, with the right mindset.

It’s a volunteer experience that also familiarizes you with the dynamics of the working world. It’s an opportunity that trains you more than 1,000 university master’s programs or degrees. And one more thing: 15% of public competition positions are reserved for those who have completed a Universal Civil Service project.”