I custodi del bello - The guardians of beauty

Born in 2017 in Milan, the Custodi del Bello are now present in 12 cities and work for a fairer, more beautiful, inclusive and safer Italy. The objectives they set themselves are multiple: fighting the drama of poverty, erasing decay in cities, contributing to active labour policies, fostering social cohesion and combating exploitation.

The Custodi del Bello therefore work on urban regeneration and cohesion within local communities, accompanying people in difficulty through a path of dialogue, opportunities, social and labour reintegration. The project believes in the ability of citizens to become active and collaborate with the third sector, believes in an open society that knows how to welcome and provide the right tools to those who arrive, to integrate and participate in the growth and wellbeing of the community, and identifies beauty as a driver of economic development based on participation and environmental sustainability. The Custodians provide Italian cities with a project in which people in difficulty and/or marginalised (the poor, unemployed, migrants, DRC recipients) are coordinated in work teams that take care of public places such as streets, squares, parks, gardens and monuments. In addition to being paid, the people involved go through training and then meet with local companies looking for workers.