Sicilian Town's Bold Move: Banning Mafia Souvenirs for a Cultural Renaissance

Mafia-Themed Souvenirs Banned in Sicilian Town

In a bid to change its international image and crack down on the glamourisation of the criminal organisation, the town of Agrigento in southern Sicily has decided to ban the sale of Mafia-themed souvenirs.

The ordinance hopes to change the way tourists see the town and send a clear message that the activities of the criminal organisation are not condoned by local authorities.

In souvenir shops around the Italian island of Sicily, you’ll often find Mafia-themed merchandise from magnets and t-shirts to bottle openers and shot glasses.

The Sicilian mafia continues to operate on the island, engaging in criminal activities like extortion, narcotrafficking and kidnapping.

Tourists flock to the Valley of the Temples with archaeological remains that date back to when the island was an Ancient Greek colony in the 6th and 5th centuries BC.

“Considering that the sale of such products in the territory of Agrigento humiliates the local community, which has been committed to spreading the culture of legality for years, I order a ban on the sale of any type of object that praises, or refers in any way and form, to the mafia and organised crime,” the mayor told Italian press.

Agrigento is a town in southern Sicily still struggling with Mafia control - and it is also set to be the Italian Capital of Culture in 2025.

The local police force has been given powers to inspect gift shops in the town and issue fines if prohibited products are found.

How much businesses will have to pay has not yet been confirmed.

The city council says the cultural programme will include 44 new projects which explore humans’ relationship with nature.

Tourists already flock to this UNESCO heritage site with archaeological remains that date back to when the island was an Ancient Greek colony in the 6th and 5th centuries BC.

The city proper is a palimpsest of ancient, medieval, Baroque and modern architecture and there is a noteworthy archaeological museum.