Reaching adulthood at age 18 creates immediate legal and social hurdles for unaccompanied foreign minors, triggering a shift in care systems that local authorities and legal experts met to examine in Sicily. The Festa del Rifugiato 2026 convened on Wednesday, October 28, at 9:30 a.m. inside the Castello Svevo-Aragonese in Montalbano Elicona.
The conference, titled «Dalla vulnerabilità all’inclusione: giustizia, tutela e percorsi di integrazione per i neomaggiorenni verso il futuro», focused on the legal and welfare gaps that occur the moment a minor turns 18. The event was held specifically in the Sala Arnaldo da Villanova within the historic fortress. The gathering brought together judges, social service workers, volunteer guardians, and young beneficiaries to map out continued pathways toward autonomy and social inclusion.
The initiative was promoted by the Municipality of Montalbano Elicona, which serves as the lead entity for the local Sistema di Accoglienza e Integrazione project, alongside the CAPP in Azione Sociale cooperative. The cooperative acts as the managing body for SAI projects across Montalbano Elicona, Castroreale, and Messina, with the respective municipalities acting as project holders.
Institutional Openings and Administrative Law
Proceedings opened with remarks from Montalbano Elicona Antonino Todaro, CAPP in Azione Sociale services director Maria Debora Colicchia, and Vice-Prefect Lara Maria Quattrocane, as detailed by messinaora.it. The morning then divided into three technical sessions, beginning with juvenile justice and administrative continuations.
Maria Francesca Pricoco, president of the Juvenile Court of Messina, delivered a report addressing jurisdictional protection and accompaniment paths toward adulthood. Giancarlo Maimone, a clerk at the same court, followed with procedures and best practices regarding administrative extensions for unaccompanied foreign minors.
Social Support Networks and Youth Testimonies
The second session examined listening, intake dynamics, and responsibility. Maria Baronello, director of the Juvenile Social Service Office, opened the segment before Vanessa Gerbino presented data regarding the office’s user profiles. Antonella Miragliotta and Eliana Torri subsequently spoke on case management, inclusion, and the trajectory of foreign minors within the juvenile justice system.
A final session turned toward support networks, featuring immigration lawyer Alessandro Campo, who discussed the contributions of volunteer guardians, social advocacy, and associations. Maria Adelaide Merendino, president of the Messina Association of Volunteer Guardians and national vice president of «Tutori in Rete», moderated the discussion. The panel also featured brief testimonies from young beneficiaries sharing their firsthand experiences with the challenges of entering adulthood.
Community Obligations Beyond the Eighteenth Birthday
Mayor Todaro emphasized that turning 18 must not end the safety nets built around young people. Il compimento dei 18 anni non può tradursi in un’interruzione del supporto,
Todaro stated, stressing the community’s duty to provide concrete growth opportunities.
Worth a look
