Over 1,500 applications processed and an average of around 800 children welcomed each week. These are the numbers behind the 2026 season of San Marino’s Summer Camps, which this year introduced themed programming for the first time along with a network of partnerships involving cultural, sporting and community organisations across the territory.
On the eve of the new school year, the Secretariat of State for Education and Culture has drawn up a balance sheet of the summer activities. In total, 1,532 applications were processed, using 16 school premises and five external locations: the Confucius Institute, Arboreto, Multieventi, Ranch Francischin and the Bocciodromo. At the latter venue, participants also had the chance to meet Mediterranean Games champion Stella Paoletti.
“What defined this year’s educational offering was the network of cultural, artistic and sporting collaborations,” the statement reads. The programme involved the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art of San Marino (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Sammarinese), the Natural History Centre, the State Museums, several sports federations and local associations, alongside tour guides, English teachers, the “Lettori con la Valigia” reading initiative, and designer Davide Pagliardini.
Particular attention was also given to staff training. Every camp counsellor completed ten hours of mandatory training, delivered with the involvement of, among others, the Children and Disability Service, the Well-being Team, the Ludoteca play centre, and the San Marino Music Institute (Istituto Musicale Sammarinese).
An indication of how well the service was received comes from a survey distributed to families at the end of the activities, completed by 405 parents. “The majority of respondents gave an overwhelmingly positive assessment of the experience, particularly praising the professionalism and helpfulness of the counsellor team,” the Secretariat reports. Among the most appreciated aspects were also communication with families and the enthusiasm shown by the children during the activities.
One specific figure concerns the service for children requiring a support educator. 71.4% of parents who used this support service gave it the highest satisfaction rating. According to the statement, this result confirms “the commitment to inclusion as a fundamental pillar of San Marino’s educational offering”.
The survey did, however, highlight some critical issues. The main one concerns the air conditioning in some of the venues used during the summer months. “The solution must be tackled comprehensively by all the stakeholders involved in the system, who are already being monitored by the Secretary of State,” the statement concludes.
