L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 10 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021 L'Italo-Americano M inister of C u l t u r e and Heri- t a g e D a r i o Franceschini announced it just two weeks ago: Proci- da, one of the pearls of Cam- pania, will be Italy's Capi- t a l o f C u l t u r e f o r t h e year 2022. The island was chosen among a selection of 10 candidates that included Ancona, Bari, Cerveteri, L'A- quila, Pieve di Sorigo, Taran- to, Trapani, Verbania and Volterra. P r o c i d a h a d a l r e a d y m a d e t h e h e a d l i n e s e v e n before being selected, becau- se it was the first island to seek candidature since the inception of the competition, i n 2 0 1 4 . C o n s i d e r e d b y many a symbol of that very traditional, very mediterra- nean lifestyle made of hard work on the sea and simpli- city, Procida has been defi- n e d t h e e p i t o m e o f t h a t "slow tourism" that, in the eye of many, should relaun- ch the sector after the pan- demic. Shortly after the announ- c e m e n t , M i n i s t e r F r a n c e s c h i n i u n d e r l i n e d how Procida is, now, a real s y m b o l o f t h e c o u n t r y ' s "ripartenza," our new begin- ning after Covid-19: "Viva Procida, which will be with u s i n t h e y e a r w e ' l l s t a r t a n e w . T h i s i s a c o m p l e x moment for us all, we're trying to support cultural a c t i v i t i e s a n d t o u r i s m a s m u c h a s w e c a n a n d t h e choice of Italy 's Capital of Culture for 2022 is a clear signal for our future, for our recovery. In 2022, we'll be back to normal, culture and tourism will be strong again, just as they were before the pandemic," he declared to La Repubblica. M a y o r R a i m o n d o Ambrosino explained why the choice of his own island is so important: "Procida is a metaphor for many places, many administrations and communities that rediscove- red enthusiasm and pride for their own territory and that, t h r o u g h t h e C a p i t a l o f Culture title, want to create an opportunity for themsel- ves and their land to start afresh." He continued, just after receiving communica- t i o n o f P r o c i d a ' s v i c t o r y , cing modernity, thanks to a thorough diffusion of com- munication technology and sustainable development, a process that could become an example for other islands a n d c o a s t a l a r e a s o f t h e country. Strong, in the offi- cial motivation for the choi- ce, was also the idea that the project presented by Procida carries "a poetical message, a vision of culture that, from this small island, is sent to the whole country as a wish for the future." Indeed, the message of La Cultura non Isola is one of strength and hope, focused o n t h e i d e a s o f d i a l o g u e , relationships and openness, all obtained and maintained through culture, a bridge between individuals, a way t o c o n n e c t . C u l t u r e , Procida's dossier highlights, can bring together imagina- tion and concreteness and c a n h e l p c r e a t e r e l a t i o n s b a s e d o n i n c l u s i o n a n d respect for one another, for the territory, for its natural and artistic beauty. "Procida is open. Procida is an island w h e r e i s o l a t i o n d o e s n o t exist, a cultural laboratory of social happiness," you can read on the Procida 2022 website. Indeed, the very symbolism of "the island" is central in the candidature dossier: "How many islands and utopias emerge and sink o n e a f t e r a n o t h e r ? T h e island is a place for explora- tion, experimentation and knowledge, it's a model of contemporary cultures. The i s l a n d i s t h e ' s o m e w h e r e else' par excellence, it hides treasures and is a place to escape to, to find happiness. The island is where doubles exist: openness/closeness; inclusion/exclusion; free- d o m / r e c l u s i o n ; bond/distance. Dualities of identity we will develop in the principles and program o f o u r c u l t u r a l o f f e r . " Procida, just like its prede- cessors, won 1 million euro (1.2 million USD) to realize i n n o v a t i o n s , i d e a s a n d projects that will make it p i c t u r e - r e a d y f o r t h e b i g year ahead. The Capitale Italiana della Cultura initiative was crea- ted in 2014 and its impor- tance is well described by Minister Franceschini to La Repubblica: "It is a path to valorize all cities, not only the one winning, through a v i r t u o u s m e c h a n i s m t h a t saying that himself and his community are "honored, and would like to compli- ment all other participants whose dossiers and cultural proposals we read and stu- died with attention. For us and for them, culture is the key to recovery." The beautiful Tyrrhenian island entered the competi- tion with a dossier entitled L a C u l t u r a n o n I s o l a , "Culture does not Isolate," a word game on the Italian word for "island," isola, and the verb "to isolate," isolare. According to official commu- nications, Procida was cho- sen in name of a well struc- t u r e d a n d w e l l e n d o r s e d development project, sustai- ned by a strong network of public and private local sup- port, says the official com- m i t t e e m o t i v a t i o n . Moreover, it has an "extraor- dinary artistic and natural patrimony," second to none i n t h e r e g i o n . P e r h a p s , however, what weighted the m o s t o n t h e j u r y ' s f i n a l selection was how Procida, a small fishermen island, with a strong, traditional herita- g e , h a s m a n a g e d t o k e e p these essential aspects of its own identity while embra- creates attraction and intere- st, much as it happens with Oscars candidates." At its inception, 7 years ago, the Italian Capital of Culture w a s m e a n t t o s e l e c t t h e national representative for t h e E u r o p e a n C a p i t a l o f Culture. That year Matera won, with all other candida- t e s — C a g l i a r i , L e c c e , P e r u g i a , R a v e n n a a n d Siena— becoming Capitals of Italian Culture for 2015. In 2016, the title went to Mantova, in 2017 to Pistoia, in 2018 to Palermo. After a break in 2019, the title was then assigned to Parma for 2020: the city is, in fact, our capital of culture for 2021, too, so that the many plans and initiatives thwarted by the pandemic last year can, at least in part, be carried out in the next 12 months. In fact, the pandemic dic- tated also the choice for the Italian Capital of Culture of 2023: the title was given to Bergamo and Brescia, cities deeply wounded by Covid-19, so that they can become, in the year we all hope the pandemic will be o n l y a m e m o r y , t h e v i v i d symbol of Italy's — and the world's— renaissance. ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES Procida will be the Italian Capital of Culture for 2022 FRANCESCA BEZZONE A tourist enjoying the beautiful view on Procida's marina (Photo: © Sergiomonti | Dreamstime.com)

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