Palermo is the Italian Capital of Culture for 2018

February 6, 2017

Palermo, the most famous city in the island of Sicily, has been named Italian Capital of Culture for 2018. The announcement came last week from Italy’s Ministry of Culture, after Palermo’s selection of host for Manifesta 12, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, which was held in November 2016.

According to the news, Palermo will have the chance to promote itself through the reception of a million euro award, which will be useful for public investment in terms of tourism and renovation.

Palermo was selected from a list including eleven Italian cities: Trento, Elima-Erice, Ercolano, Montebelluna, Recanati, Settimo Torinese, Alghero, Aquileia, Comacchio.

Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini justified its choice by declaring: “We saw that this virtuous competition creates a system of communal participation. Being on the shortlist is a bit like receiving an Oscar nomination: it allows them to do a lot of work, in terms of planning and promotions.”

Leoluca Orlando, mayor of Palermo, stated: “We’ve all won. The most significant cultural asset we uphold is the culture of welcome. We support the right of all human beings to be and remain different, but to be and remain the same".

According to the jury’s citation, "the candidacy is backed by an original project, of high cultural value, great humanitarian scope, strongly and generously aimed at inclusion, permanent training, the creation of capacity and citizenship, without neglecting the valorization of the heritage and contemporary artistic production. The project is supported by the principal local institutional and cultural actors and also envisages infrastructural events able to leave a lasting and positive mark. The elements of governance, public-private synergy and economic context, then, help strengthen its sustainability and credibility".

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