The ban comes as Agrigento readies itself to be Italy’s capital of tradition subsequent yr and goals to shine the highlight on its cultural riches reasonably than Mafia heritage.
In memento retailers across the Italian island of Sicily, you’ll usually discover Mafia-themed merchandise from magnets and t-shirts to bottle openers and shot glasses.
The Sicilian mafia continues to function on the island, partaking in legal actions like extortion, narcotrafficking and kidnapping.
Agrigento is a city in southern Sicily nonetheless scuffling with Mafia management – and it’s also set to be the Italian Capital of Tradition in 2025.
In a bid to vary its worldwide picture and crack down on the glamourisation of the legal organisation, the city has determined to ban the sale of Mafia-themed souvenirs.
Sicilian city bans Mafia-themed souvenirs
Francesco Miccichè, the mayor of Agrigento, has introduced in a ban on the sale of souvenirs that characteristic the Mafia.
It’s common to search out pictures and symbols of the underworld organisation on merchandise, together with Sicilians in conventional gown holding a sawn-off shotgun often called a ‘lupara’.
The ordinance hopes to vary the way in which vacationers see the city and ship a transparent message that the actions of the legal organisation should not condoned by native authorities.
“Contemplating that the sale of such merchandise within the territory of Agrigento humiliates the area people, which has been dedicated to spreading the tradition of legality for years, I order a ban on the sale of any sort of object that praises, or refers in any means and kind, to the mafia and organised crime,” the mayor advised Italian press.
The native police power has been given powers to examine present retailers within the city and subject fines if prohibited merchandise are discovered. How a lot companies must pay has not but been confirmed.
Agrigento cleans up its pictures because it prepares to be Italy’s Capital of Tradition in 2025
The ban comes as Agrigento readies itself to be Italy’s capital of tradition subsequent yr and goals to shine the highlight on its cultural riches reasonably than Mafia heritage.
The town council says the cultural programme will embrace 44 new initiatives which discover people’ relationship with nature.
One of the vital occasions can be a live performance by the Italian operatic pop trio Il Volo on the Valley of the Temples.
Vacationers already flock to this UNESCO heritage web site with archaeological stays that date again to when the island was an Historic Greek colony within the sixth and fifth centuries BC.
The town correct is a palimpsest of historical, medieval, Baroque and trendy structure and there’s a noteworthy archaeological museum.
