Sicilian town bans mafia souvenirs

Francesco Miccichè, the mayor of Agrigento (Sicily), has banned the sale of souvenirs that refer to the mafia. The ordinance issued by the mayor is intended to promote a cleaner and more cultural image of the city in the eyes of tourists. “Since the sale of such products in the territory of Agrigento humiliates the local community, which has been committed for years to spreading the culture of legality, I order a ban on the sale of any type of object that praises or refers in any way or form to the mafia and organized crime,” the mayor wrote in his announcement, as quoted by TG24. The municipal police will be responsible for inspecting souvenir shops to see if they sell prohibited goods. In case of violations, fines will be imposed, although their amount is not clear. Agrigento prepares to become Italy’s cultural capital Agrigento, located in southern Sicily, definitely has a lot of cultural sights and heritage that are not tied to Cosa Nostra to offer visitors. It is most famous on the tourist trail for the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. The multitude of temples in question date back to the period when Sicily was an ancient Greek colony in the 5th century BC. Unfortunately, the presence of the mafia is also well known, as this is the Sicilian countryside. Just a month ago, for example, local police arrested seven people linked to affairs between organized crime and politicians. The souvenir shops have capitalized on this notoriety by offering tourists various magnets, figurines or key rings with various “mafioso” symbols, such as Sicilians dressed in traditional clothing and carrying a lupara sawn-off shotgun. It is this type of memorabilia that the mayor would like to get rid of. Part of the drive to clean up the city’s image is also the fact that Agrigento is preparing to become Italy’s capital of culture in 2025.