An Intercultural Cities (ICC) expert visit to Montesilvano on 16-17 September 2026 provided an opportunity to review the city's development since the completion of the ICC Index assessment. The visit brought together the municipality's political leadership, social services, practitioners and civil society partners to examine current policies and practices promoting inclusion and participation.
Discussions highlighted the progress achieved through strong coordination between the municipality, the Azienda Speciale for Social Services and local partners. Rather than operating as standalone initiatives, projects are increasingly connected across policy areas, allowing the city to build on previous investments and create more coherent support pathways for residents.
The programme included visits to services and initiatives supporting families, young people, persons with disabilities and unaccompanied migrant children, as well as projects using sport, public spaces and community activities to encourage interaction and participation. Particular ly notable was the city's capacity to combine resources from different funding streams and translate project results into sustainable local action.
Notable examples include the Emporio della Solidarietà, which combines support for people facing economic hardship with an approach centred on dignity, choice and autonomy, and the tavolo del pronto intervento sociale, bringing together municipal services, the Azienda Speciale and Caritas to coordinate responses to complex situations. The visit also highlighted Spazio Famiglia's multidisciplinary model linking families, schools and social services; the Mosaico programme's combination of individualised support and whole-class intercultural learning; youth-led participation initiatives creating shared spaces for engagement across backgrounds; and inclusive initiatives such as Centro Sportivo Trisi and Mare per Tutti, which promote participation through mainstream rather than parallel activities, ensuring that accessibility and inclusion are embedded in everyday community life.
The visit confirmed the municipality's interest in further developing its intercultural approach and provided an opportunity to exchange views on priorities for future cooperation with the Intercultural Cities Programme.
