Capital of Culture despite Mafia influence As prepares to become s culture capital in 2025, local authorities have banned the sale of Mafia-related souvenirs to highlight archaeological and architectural riches instead. The Sicilian countryside is known for its Mafia heritage; the latest case has been the police detainment of seven people connected to organised crimes and it has for years, faced cases of narcotrafficking, kidnapping, and extortion. Most Read on Euro Weekly News Despite its reputation, it ́s set to become the 2025 Italian Culture Capital.
Shifting the focus away from the controversy, Agrigento police have now been authorised to inspect gift and tourist shops and issue fines (currently unreported in price) to shop sellers who offer products related to the Mafia. Local souvenir shops typically show a wide range of Mafia-themed items, from magnets and t-shirts to shot glasses and images of Sicilians in traditional dress holding the “lupara” (a sawn-off shotgun). Agrigento mayor Francesco Micciche stated his target was to cancel the glamorisation of the Mafia, despite its heavy influence on local society.
“Considering that the sale of such products in the territory of Agrigento humiliates the local community, which has been committed to spreading the culture of legality for years, I order a ban on the sale of any type of object that praises, or refers in any way and form, to the mafia and organised crime,” said Micciche to the local Press. Capital of Culture; the discredited heritage of Agrigento Agrigento city council emphasised that the town ́s diverse heritage has often been discredited due to the bad reputation of organised crime; leaving out the fact that the town has been a UNESCO heritage site since 1997 and holds archaeological remains that date back to the 5th and 6th centuries BC when the island was part of an Ancient Greek colony. With stunning ancient, medieval, Baroque, and modern architecture and an archaeological museum, the local authorities are committed to shining the light on the more inspiring part of Agrigento, featuring a cultural programme of 44 new projects which explore the relationship between nature and humanity.
One of the prominent events will be a live performance by the Italian operatic pop trio II Volo at the Valley of the Temples, taking residents and visitors back to the time when Agrigento was a place of honour and beauty. The Italian Capital of Culture, launched in 2014, grants recognition to towns across the country which show efforts in improving their cultural heritage and touristic development, bringing together not only the visitors but also the residents to reshape the future of their home..
