There is a moment, every summer, when the walls of Castello di Magione welcome a different legacy from that of wine: the legacy of hospitality and service to the weakest that has guided the Sovereign Military Order of Malta for centuries. From 27 July to 1 August the Umbrian estate of Terre dei Cavalieri once again became the setting for the Italian Summer Camp (CEI), now in its twelfth edition.
A week built on inclusion
Over 150 people — young volunteers and young people with disabilities from across Italy — shared a week of games, sports, culture and moments of reflection, including the traditional “Silent Night” and a parade in medieval costume. The theme chosen for the 2026 edition, “How much good there is in the world,” ran through the whole programme: born in 2012 on the model of a similar international initiative, the Italian Summer Camp is organised by the various components of the Order — Grand Priories, Delegations, the Italian Association and the Italian Relief Corps — and is part of a wider circuit of disability-focused activities that the Order of Malta also promotes in Spain, Lebanon and Hungary.
Recognition from the institutions
The opening ceremony was attended by the Order’s international leadership — including Grand Commander Fra’ Emmanuel Rousseau — together with local authorities: the President of the Umbria Region, Stefania Proietti, who awarded the Italian Summer Camp the Region’s coat of arms in recognition of the initiative, and the Mayor of Perugia, Vittoria Ferdinandi, ANCI delegate for inclusion and disability policies, who described the experience as “a precious asset for the whole country.”
For Terre dei Cavalieri, which has safeguarded the Order of Malta’s agricultural vocation at Castello di Magione for centuries, hosting this event means rediscovering, for one week, the most authentic meaning of its own history: a place where care for the land and attention to others spring from the same root.
The initiative also found space in the local and national press: among others, it was covered by Corriere dell’Umbria, La Nazione and the ANSA news agency, confirming the attention the Italian Summer Camp continues to draw well beyond Umbria’s borders.
