Boys' and Girls' Towns of Italy

Boys' and Girls' Towns of Italy is composed of two communities of self-governed young people. Both La Città dei Ragazzi (Rome) and La Repubblica dei Ragazzi (Civitavecchia) were founded by Monsignor John Patrick Carroll-Abbing in the 1940s. The youth of the Towns have come from over 20 different countries escaping violence, poverty and injustice. The Towns' success lies in the innovative model of self-government where the children take responsibility for running their own communities.

At the Towns, the young people relate to one another as citizens. Each citizen is encouraged and supported to become an active and creative participant in his or her Town. The children attend local schools, study in a European Union recognized vocational training program and are exposed to a variety of cultural and educational experiences. Boys’ and Girls’ Towns of Italy have given a chance in life to over 30,000 girls and boys.