Rome, Europe Brief News- If you are interested in culture, Italy’s first island of culture is a very good destination for your next holiday.
Procida, a tiny island in the Bay of Naples, was put on the map last year when it was awarded Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2022.
This colourful destination is the first island to be given the title since the award was established eight years ago. It follows in the footsteps of cities like Perugia, Palermo, and Parma – last year’s Italian Capital of Culture.
Recipient cities (or, in this instance, islands) become a focus for improved cultural heritage and touristic development, with numerous projects and initiatives run to benefit the region.
Now a quarter of the way through its tenure, Procida has numerous cultural projects on the go that are inspiring residents and tourists alike. Next month, a ‘paper fleet’ event will see thousands of little origami boats made by local children cross the bay, drawing awareness to the fragility of the environment.
44 cultural projects are planned in total, along with 330 days of programming, involving 240 artists and eight regenerated cultural spaces – such as an old sixteenth century palace turned prison.
“Procida can be considered a metaphor of many places, many administrations, many communities who have rediscovered the enthusiasm and pride for their territory,” the island’s mayor, Raimondo Ambrosino, said last year.
During the application process for the title, Procida presented a vision entitled “la cultura non isola” – which translates to “culture doesn’t isolate.” This concept was a significant part in being awarded the Capital of Culture position, with particular resonance in our current times.
The vision “is capable of conveying a poetic message, a vision of culture that reaches out from the tiny reality of an island as a well-wish for all of us, for the country, in the months to come,” said the Capital of Culture Commission in a statement.
