April 19, 2026
On Sunday, April 19, Podere il Mandorlo in Siena hosted the MILAGRO Festival — an
afternoon marking two years of workshops, summer camps, storytelling, and intercultural
dialogue. The event brought together locals, migrants, students, and volunteers around a shared
table, in the broad sense: food, conversation, dance, and art occupied the same space. In many
ways, the afternoon reflected the essence of the MILAGRO project itself — creating room for
different people and different things to coexist.
The event provided an opportunity to explore the Observatory for Inclusive
Communities, presenting its geospatial mapping of services and resources available to migrants
in the Siena area. Visitors were also introduced to KULTIALOGO, a web application designed
to reduce cultural barriers through interactive quizzes, visual challenges, and content exploring
rights, religions, and social practices. Throughout the afternoon, participants could browse the
Intercultural Recipe Book — the outcome of culinary workshops carried out across partner
countries — and take part in a Pashtun Attan dance workshop, where participants of different
backgrounds moved together, following the same rhythm. The afternoon closed with an
institutional ceremony during which newly trained Intercultural Mediators received their
diplomas — a tangible result of months of work and personal investment.
Beyond the activities, the festival was also a moment of gratitude toward all those who
contributed, shared their stories, and helped build spaces where people could meet on equal
ground. It was also a moment of remembrance for Nevin Brown, a valued friend of the project
and a committed supporter of volunteer initiatives for vulnerable communities. Through the
works of Maria Makepeace, the afternoon made space for his memory — a quiet
acknowledgment of what it means to show up for others.
