Ortona launches “Donne Protagoniste 2026–2027”: a year of meetings on

Ortona launches “Donne Protagoniste 2026–2027”: a year of meetings on work, health and rights

The Municipality of Ortona has launched “Donne Protagoniste 2026–2027”, a twelve-month programme of monthly events dedicated to the role of women in the local community. The initiative aims to turn International Women’s Day into a starting point for sustained commitment to equal opportunities and social participation.

Topics will cover a wide range of issues: female entrepreneurship and the labour market, maternity and family, sport and culture, education, health and prevention. The programme also includes sessions on combating gender-based violence, volunteering, female leadership and youth engagement.

• Main themes: work and entrepreneurship, maternity and family, sport, culture, training, health and prevention, response to gender-based violence, volunteering, leadership and youth.
• Duration: March 2026 – March 2027, with monthly meetings.
• Final event: March 2027, culminating in the presentation of the “Woman of the Year” award.

Events will be organised in partnership with local associations, schools, businesses and law enforcement to build a stable network around issues of equal opportunity. A working group of municipal councillors and assessors will coordinate the project.

• Coordinating team: Alice Di Maio, Erica Civitarese, Luciana Notarfranco, Ilenia Buzzelli, Ivana Cataldo, Franca Patriarca; Culture Councillor Italia Cocco; Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Councillor Anna Rita Guarracino.

“With ‘Donne Protagoniste’ we want to send a clear message: not a one-day celebration, but a continuous commitment to recognise and support the role of women in our community,” says Anna Rita Guarracino, the councillor for Equal Opportunities. The initiative aims to be an open space for associations, schools, companies and citizens.

The municipality will publish the full calendar of events; local organisations are invited to contribute proposals and activities to enrich the programme and promote local dialogue on the featured topics.