Peoples' Festival (World Refugee Day)

A festival that tells the story of hospitality

The Peoples' Festival is the annual event through which the Municipality of Rieti, in the Lazio region, celebrates World Refugee Day, a date established by the United Nations on June 20th. It is neither a food fair nor a music festival in the strict sense: it is a free, open-air public event designed to allow the city to connect with the individuals hosted in protection projects across the Province of Rieti.

The format is simple and varies slightly from year to year: a central space in the city is taken over—Via Terenzio Varrone in 2025, Piazza Mariano Vittori in front of the Cathedral in 2026—and filled with stalls, workshops, music, and stories. Passersby can stop, taste, chat, and participate in a workshop completely free of charge.

Organizers

Behind the event lies a well-established network of local Rieti organizations: the entities managing the SAI projects (Reception and Integration System) of the Municipality of Rieti—Il Samaritano ODV, Arci Rieti APS, and the Consorzio Officine Solidali—alongside the Diocesan Caritas, the Migrantes Office of the Diocese of Rieti, and the Municipal Department of Social Policies. This collaboration between the church, secular associations, and public authorities is one of the event's most recognizable features.

What to find in the square

• Artist and artisan stalls from various countries, featuring unique objects, textiles, and natural body care products;
• Free workshops: painting, kite-making led by SAI project beneficiaries, and African dance;
• Dance-theater performances and folk dances from Southern Italy;
• Tastings and hospitality: mint tea, traditional sweets, henna, and traditional clothing, presented in the 2025 edition by the Sabina Friends of the Kingdom of Morocco Association and the Arabi Insieme Association;
• Auteur cinema at the Multisala Moderno, with free screenings dedicated to stories of exile and borders.

Cinema as an integral part

Alongside the street festival, the film series has become a second pillar of the event over the years. In 2025, the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land was screened; in 2026, the program featured No Good Men by Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat and 200 Meters by Ameen Nayfeh, winner of the audience award at the Venice Film Festival. Screenings are held in the evening at the Multisala Moderno and are free to attend.

A specific local context

Rieti, the capital of the Sabina region and a city of waters at the foot of Mount Terminillo, has for years hosted reception projects, including those for unaccompanied foreign minors. The Peoples' Festival was born from this: to give those journeys a public and shared form in a compact city where the square remains the natural place for meeting. This is why the event has grown while staying true to its scale: no massive stages, just direct connection.

Who is it for?

The day is designed for everyone—families with children in particular, thanks to the creative workshops—and is especially suitable for those visiting Rieti in June who are looking for an authentic city event, far from the usual tourist circuits. Participation is free in all its components.