Modena has been named the Italian Capital of Volunteering 2026 after winning the annual competition organized by CSVnet, the national association of 49 Volunteer Service Centers. This acknowledgment occurs during a year of significant importance: the United Nations General Assembly designated 2026 as the "International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development". Modena has more than 1,700 active associations and 69,000 volunteers. It's not a big city—it has a population of around 185,000—which makes these numbers even more remarkable. Mayor Massimo Mezzetti referred to Modena's volunteer activity as "a true backbone that works in collaboration with the institutions and acts as a vanguard, present wherever needed". A local councilor from the Lega political party also supported the candidacy, noting that volunteering is in Modena's DNA, calling it "a way of being". In short, a rare example of cross-party consensus.