Fondazione Severino participated in the 31st Conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services, held in Valletta, Malta, on 3 and 4 June 2026.

The conference brought together prison and probation directors, policymakers, practitioners, and experts from across Europe to discuss current challenges and innovative approaches in the field of rehabilitation and social reintegration.

During the event, Eleonora Di Benedetto, Vice President of Fondazione Severino, shared the Foundation's experience in developing educational, cultural, and professional programmes within Italian penitentiary institutions, with particular focus on women's detention facilities.

Her address explored how artistic and cultural initiatives can contribute to rehabilitation by fostering participation, responsibility, and connection with the outside world. Drawing on the Foundation's work in prisons, she highlighted the importance of culture as a structured component of rehabilitation pathways, rather than a supplementary activity.

Among the projects presented was VENUS, developed in collaboration with Fondazione Valentino and artist Joana Vasconcelos, which engaged women detained at Rebibbia women's prison in textile and crochet workshops, the results of which contributed to the creation of a large contemporary art installation. The presentation also illustrated the theatre programme carried out at Civitavecchia women's prison, where participants devised performances that were subsequently staged outside the prison environment, and BENU, the permanent installation by artist Eugenio Tibaldi, created together with women detained at Rebibbia and inaugurated in December 2025 in the presence of the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella.

The projects offered an opportunity to reflect on broader issues concerning the detention of women, their visibility, their participation, and the role of cultural programmes within prison systems.

The conference represented a significant occasion for dialogue and exchange among European stakeholders committed to promoting effective rehabilitation policies and strengthening pathways towards social reintegration.