This Sicilian town has banned mafia souvenirs

Sicily is world-famous for many reasons: seafood, incredible wine, attractions like Mount Etna and the Valley of the Temples, and also as the birthplace of the mafia. But recently the country has been trying to shake that last association, as one particular destination has taken the spotlight.

Founded by the Greeks in 582 BC, Agrigento is located on the southeastern side of the island and will be Italy’s Capital of Culture in 2025. As a heritage destination, it has a lot to offer – it is, after all, a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and as such, there is a ban on mafia-related souvenirs.

The Mafia is still active in Sicily and in Agrigento you don’t have to go into too many souvenir shops before you find Mafia magnets, T-shirts, shot glasses and bottle openers. However, now that the city is receiving special attention, the authorities are cracking down on the glamorization of the group.

Francesco Miccichè, mayor of Agrigento, has banned souvenir shops selling anything related to the mafia, in a bid to send a clear message that the gang’s activities will not be tolerated.

According to euronewshe told the Italian press: ‘Since the sale of such products in the territory of Agrigento is a humiliation for the local community, which has been committed for years to spreading a culture of legality, I order a ban on the sale of any type of object that praises or refers in any way and in any form to the mafia and organized crime.’

Local police now have the power to inspect souvenir shops in Agrigento, but it is not yet clear how many fines offending businesses will face.

And being named a cultural capital is pretty exciting – with 44 new projects in the works for the city, as well as a concert in the Valley of the Temples by Italian opera-pop trio Il Volo, you can see why Agrigento would want to polish its image.

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