Catania 'Capital of Culture': four days at dawn and the verdict arrives

Four days until dawn and then the verdict will arrive that will declare the winning city of the title of "Capital of Culture 2028". Well in advance of the expected date (by March 27). The city of "liotru" with the dossier "Catania continues" is one of the cities in the running. The others are Anagni (FR) with the dossier "Hernica Saxa. Where history binds, culture unites". - Ancona with the dossier "Ancona. This now". - Colle di Val d'Elsa (SI) with the dossier "Colle28. For everyone, everywhere". - Forlì with the dossier "The paths of beauty". - Gravina in Puglia (BA) with the dossier "Roots to the future". - Massa with the dossier "The Moon, the stone. Where Tirreno and Apuane meet history". - Mirabella Eclano (AV) with the dossier "The Appia of the peoples". - Sarzana (SP) with the dossier "The fearless. Sarzana crossroads of the future". - Tarquinia (VT) with the dossier "Culture is flight".

The "Italian Capital of Culture 2028" will be proclaimed Wednesday, March 18 by Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli. The announcement will be made during an official ceremony, which will take place at 11 in the Spadolini Hall of the ministry located at via del Collegio Romano, in the presence of the selection jury and representatives of the ten candidate cities. The winner will be awarded a contribution of one million euros to implement the cultural program presented in the candidacy dossier. The title of Italian Capital of Culture is conferred by the Council of Ministers through its own resolution, upon the proposal of Minister Giuli, who receives the recommendation from the Selection Jury. The recommendation with the motivation for the recognition comes after a careful evaluation process, which also included hearings of the ten finalists.

Catania is applying to become the Italian Capital of Culture, initiating a path aimed at enhancing the historical, artistic, and creative heritage of the city and its territory. An ambitious project that involves institutions, universities, cultural associations, and productive realities with the goal of building a proposal capable of telling the identity of the city and its development potential.

The candidacy represents an opportunity to network energies and skills, transforming culture into a tool for social and economic growth. The idea behind the dossier is that of a city looking to the future while starting from its roots: from the UNESCO heritage baroque to the vibrancy of the contemporary artistic scene and Etna, from the theatrical and musical tradition to the new languages of creativity. The path towards the candidacy has been accompanied by moments of public discussion and the construction of a widespread cultural program capable of involving neighborhoods, schools, and local communities. The goal is not only to obtain the title but to initiate a process of urban and cultural regeneration that leaves a lasting legacy for the city.

Among the strengths that Catania intends to focus on are its extraordinary monumental heritage, its strategic position in the Mediterranean, and the presence of a dynamic cultural fabric made up of festivals, artistic initiatives, and creative production centers.

The candidacy fits into a broader strategy for the revitalization of the city, in which culture becomes a driver of tourist attractiveness, innovation, and social inclusion. If the path is successful, Catania will have the opportunity to present itself on a national and international scale as an open cultural laboratory, capable of combining tradition and contemporaneity.