MISSIONE ITALIA: CITTADINI NEL MONDO is a Servizio Civile Universale project abroad promoted by OPES in Argentina, Egypt, and Kenya, with activities carried out in the territories of Bahía Blanca, Cairo, and Meru. The project was created with the aim of contributing to the development of more resilient and inclusive communities through social interventions, active‑citizenship activities, support for local initiatives, and actions to strengthen territorial networks.
Included in the programme “Insieme nel mondo con OPES”, the project operates in different contexts that share the need to promote participation, solidarity, inclusion, and concrete support for local communities, with particular attention to emerging social needs.
Project Objectives
The project aims to strengthen the development of resilient and inclusive communities in the territories involved, through social activities, workshops, active‑citizenship support, and the reinforcement of local networks.
In particular, the project seeks to:
- analyse the needs and challenges of the territories through research and monitoring activities;
- promote workshops and activities for young people and local communities;
- support active‑citizenship practices and participation in the intervention areas;
- assist social initiatives in fields such as community support, agriculture, and healthcare;
- contribute to the collection and distribution of goods for the benefit of local communities;
- strengthen local networks through meetings, round tables, and social and digital communication actions.
Main Activities
The activities planned within MISSIONE ITALIA: CITTADINI NEL MONDO develop across several levels.
A first area concerns field research, including data collection and cataloguing, needs analysis, monitoring, and dissemination of results.
The project then includes the organisation of workshops and activities for young people, with support for planning, preparation of communication and operational materials, contact with local organisations, and implementation of activities in the field.
Another important area concerns the development of active‑citizenship practices through workshops, training activities, and participatory moments that involve the project territories and strengthen their community dimension.
The project also provides support for social initiatives in various sectors, including community support, agriculture, and healthcare, with activities assisting the planning and implementation of interventions.
In addition, volunteers participate in the collection and distribution of goods, contributing concretely to logistical organisation and support for local communities.
Finally, the project includes actions to strengthen territorial networks through meetings and round tables, as well as a web and social‑media communication component aimed at producing content, disseminating information, and highlighting the activities and results achieved.
Impact on the Territory and Beneficiaries
MISSIONE ITALIA: CITTADINI NEL MONDO contributes to strengthening the resilience of local communities, supporting processes of inclusion, participation, and solidarity in contexts marked by different needs but united by the necessity to consolidate social networks and collective responses.
The impact of the project concerns both the direct beneficiaries of the activities — young people, families, communities, and people in vulnerable situations — and the broader territorial fabric, which benefits from support interventions, community activities, active‑citizenship practices, and pathways that strengthen local relationships.
Through support for social initiatives, workshops, distribution of goods, and networking actions, the project promotes more inclusive and participatory environments, also contributing to the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
Training and Growth Opportunities for Volunteers
For volunteer operators, MISSIONE ITALIA: CITTADINI NEL MONDO represents an experience of strong human and educational value in international and intercultural contexts that differ greatly from one another. The young participants engage in research activities, organisation, support for social projects, networking, collection and distribution of goods, and social communication.
Throughout the project, volunteers can develop skills in:
- needs analysis and social monitoring;
- organisation of workshops and community activities;
- support for social and territorial interventions;
- active citizenship and network‑building;
- social, web, and digital communication;
- teamwork and cooperation in international contexts.
The experience requires adaptability, responsibility, intercultural openness, and relational skills, while offering a concrete pathway of personal and professional growth oriented toward international solidarity, civic engagement, and the creation of more inclusive and resilient communities.