The desire to show off is great and they all have what it takes to bring tourists and money. The 2019 of Matera European capital of culture closed with outstanding results. In the meantime, Parma is starting right now as the Italian capital for 2020. But 43 other cities aspire to become the cultural capital of Italy in 2021: a great competition between North, Center and South to win an ambitious palm and attract thousands of people. To know the chosen city, we will have to wait for June. Among the candidates Ascoli Piceno slipped off at the last minute, leaving the ability to represent the Marche to Ancona and Fano. The Regions in the running are represented as follows:
Abruzzo: L'Aquila;
Basilicata: Venice;
Calabria: Tropea;
Campania: Capaccio Paestum, Castellammare di Stabia, Giffoni Valle Piana, Padula, Procida, Teggiano;
Emilia Romagna: Ferrara, Union of Municipalities of Bassa Reggiana, Union of Municipalities of Romagna Forlivese;
Friuli Venezia Giulia: Pordenone;
Lazio: Arpino, Cerveteri;
Liguria: Genoa;
Lombardy: Vigevano;
Marches: Ancona, Fano;
Molise: Isernia;
Piedmont: Verbania;
Puglia: Bari, Barletta, Molfetta, San Severo, Taranto, Trani, Union of Municipalities of Greece of Salento;
Tuscany: Arezzo, Livorno, Pisa, Volterra;
Sardinia: Carbonia, San Sperate;
Sicily: Catania, Modica, Palma di Montechiaro, Scicli, Trapani;
Veneto: Belluno, Feltre, Pieve di Soligo, Verona.
A cross-section of Italy rich in traditions, art and culture. The spirit of the 2014 law of the then and current Minister for Cultural Heritage Dario Franceschini is renewed, after having rewarded in recent years Cagliari, Lecce, Perugia, Ravenna, Siena, Mantua, Pistoia, Palermo. Sunday 12 January the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella will inaugurate the demonstrations in Parma. The recognition for 2021 is following a bureaucratic process marked by the presentation of dossiers and projects by March.
A jury of experts will evaluate a maximum of 10 and will arrive in June the proclamation and the million euro funding. In the list there are Regions with more candidate cities. According to the advances circulated they intend to characterize the eventual victory with demonstrations and events based on sustainability. A good thing, in the years in which Italy will have to demonstrate that it knows how to keep up with the times of the environmental challenge. Without protection of the environment and the quality of urban life, no cultural event can be successful.
Among the candidate cities there are some that have become even better known for extreme events, calamities, administrative negligence. Heritage of art and culture humiliated by lack of funds and financial resources. The proclamation will have to stimulate the economic and financial network to take the lead. The country is crossed by conflicting feelings that touch the main chords of the communities and the very principles of democracy.
Becoming the capital of culture is a high and prestigious recognition: the competition that has just begun is stimulating. At least for what they have represented in Italian history places of development and epochal changes accompanied by wars, urban buildings, artists, musicians, heroes and historical figures. Just be careful not to fall into it celebratory rhetoric of “beauty in the city of…” ignoring everything else. That wouldn't be a good deal.
