Addio Pizzo- Non Traditional Tour Sites In Sicily
Addio Pizzo- Non Traditional Tour Sites In Sicily
(February 19, 2010)A group of young Sicilians make a new tourist itinerary in Sicily, stopping at all the places where judges and magistrates, entrepreneurs and citizens met their end through violent means. Reclaiming their cities through new organizations such as Addio Pizzo, these young people are making a difference.
I just read with much pleasure and admiration of a group of young Sicilians whose organization called Addio Pizzo is organizing special tourist itineraries which stop at many locals famous for their sad association with the Mafia. According to a great article by Umberto Lucentini which can be found on this website, the tour starts at Capaci where Giovanne Falcone, his wife Francesca
and five agents were blown up in 1992. It goes to various sites where other brave souls lost their lives in the fight to live a decent day to day existance without paying "il pizzo" or bribes. I have already written about this at an earlier moment on this blog but it was the efforts of one man to resist paying il pizzo, Libero Grassi in 1991, that got me so interested in Italian politics, journalism, the State and the Mafia. Grassi was an entrepreneur who decided he didn't want to pay the bribes requires. He was gunned down in the street. A metro station in Palermo and a techinical school were eventually named in his honor. It was his courage then that got me interested. I am always amazed at courage like that shown by Roberto Saviano in writing about the Camorra in Naples and the people who have created Addio Pizzo.
I have traveled a number of times to Sicily, a stunningly beautiful place filled with contrasts and colors, aromas and flavors. As a tourist you have no sense of what is going on about you with the Mafia or any danger at all.
When I lived in Italy, I worked for a number of years with a group of Sicilians, among them Umberto Lucentini's brother Grabriele. I love Sicily and all that it has to offer. It is an exciting, vibrant place with hard working and fascinating people. I learned a lot from my colleagues of those years and am filled with admiration for those who create organziations such Addio Pizzo. On my next trip to Sicily, I will make sure to go on this alternative tour to support them.
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