Sicily is world-famous for lots of reasons – seafood, incredible wine, attractions such as Mount Etna and the Valley of the Temples, and also as the birthplace of the Mafia. However, recently it’s been making an effort to shake that last association as one particular destination enters the spotlight.
Agrigento, a city founded in 582 BC by the Greeks, is located on the southeast side of the island and in 2025, will be Italy’s capital of culture. As a heritage-rich destination, it has plenty to offer – it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, after all – and that’s why a ban has been placed on mafia-themed souvenirs.
The mob is still active in Sicily and in Agrigento you won’t have to wander into too many gift shops before you find mafia-themed magnets, t-shirts, shot glasses and bottle openers. However, now that there’s special focus on the town, authorities are keen to crack down on the glamourisation of the group.
Francesco Miccichè, mayor of Agrigento, has brought in a ban on souvenir shops selling anything which is considered mafia-related to send a clear message that the gang’s operations are not condoned.
According to euronews, he told Italian press: ‘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.’
Local police now have powers to inspect Agrigento’s gift shops, but it’s not yet clear how much offending businesses will be fined.
And being named the capital of culture is pretty exciting – with 44 new projects for the city in the works, as well as a concert at the Valley of the Temples by Italian operatic pop trio Il Volo, you can see why Agrigento wants to polish up its image.
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