The ban comes as Agrigento prepares to become Italy’s capital of culture next year and aims to draw attention to its rich cultural heritage rather than the mafia.
In the souvenir shops of her Italian island Sicily you’ll often find mob-themed merchandise, from magnets and t-shirts to bottle openers and guns.
According to euronews.com, the Sicilian mafia continues to operate on the island, engaging in criminal activities such as extortion, drug trafficking and kidnapping.
Agrigento is a town in southern Sicily still struggling with mafia control – and it’s also set to become Italy’s capital of culture in 2025.
In an effort to change its international image and combat the glamor of the criminal organization, the city decided to ban the sale of mafia-themed souvenirs.
The Sicilian city has banned the sale of mafia-themed souvenirs
The mayor of Agrigento, Francesco Michice, imposed a ban on the sale of memorabilia depicting the mafia.
It is common to find images and symbols of the criminal organization on products, such as Sicilians in traditional clothing holding a sawn-off weapon known as a “lupara”.
This order hopes to change the way tourists see the city and send a clear message that the activities of the criminal organization are not accepted by local authorities. “Given that the sale of such products in the territory of Agrigento humiliates the local community, which for years has been trying to spread the culture of legality, I order a ban on the sale of any kind of items that glorify or refer in any way to the mafia and organized crime,” the mayor told the Italian press.
Local police are empowered to inspect gift shops in the city and issue fines if prohibited goods are found. The amount of the fines has not yet been determined.
Agrigento is “cleaning up” its image as it prepares to become Italy’s capital of culture in 2025.
The ban comes as Agrigento prepares to become Italy’s capital of culture next year and aims to draw attention to its cultural wealth rather than its mafia legacy.
The city council says the cultural program will include 44 new works that will explore the relationship between man and nature.
One of the most important events will be the concert of the Italian pop trio Il Volo in the Valley of the Temples.
Tourists already flock to this UNESCO heritage site with archaeological finds dating back to when the island was an ancient Greek colony in the 6th and 5th centuries BC.
The city itself is a palimpsest of ancient, medieval, baroque and modern architecture and has a remarkable archaeological museum.
