Local cultural and social regeneration project

“G.A. Borgese genius loci. Discovering the territory and traditions. Culture and Beauty for cultural and social regeneration and the enhancement of public heritage. Initiatives aimed at boosting the appeal of the village".

Polizzi Generosa has Hellenistic origins dating back to the 4th - 3rd century BC.
A rich state-owned city, the name was bestowed on it by Frederick II in 1234.
The urban fabric, with its palaces, churches and valuable works of art only serves to underline its importance.
It is located in the inland area of the Madonie.

Although it can boast a cultural heritage of acknowledged international value, it suffers from the critical issues of an area classified among the peripheral and ultra-peripheral areas subject to depopulation, and possesses sources of great potential that often remain unfulfilled, becoming local issues in need of development (such as tourism).

Particularly noteworthy is the presence of no fewer than two Foundations with their own financial autonomy, capable of triggering a certain cultural and social dynamism: one created by the well-known fashion designer Domenico Dolce (D&G) and the other dedicated to Borgese.

This presence is one of the opportunities to be developed and leveraged to systematise the local potential present in the broader territorial context, including the artistic/cultural heritage, the agri-food heritage and ancient craft traditions, such as those related to embroidery.

The project is therefore the fruit of a long-standing vision to make Polizzi Generosa one of the richest destinations, starting with the Literary Park dedicated to Borgese, one of the most emblematic cultural figures of the early 20th century in Italy, around whom the thread of the proposal has been developed.

The idea revolves around the infrastructure of the Literary Park dedicated to G.A. Borgese as an opportunity for the regeneration of the village and the showcasing of public heritage.

Through the idea of the Literary Park, the intention is therefore to provide the village with a highly innovative character that allows a new way of enjoying the cultural resources in the area.

In order to pursue this approach, action will be taken on a number of fundamental levers: technological and organisational innovation; the ability to adapt to the demands of market transformations; the enhancement of territorial and cultural heritage; the adaptation and/or introduction of new skills and new professionalism; creating favourable conditions for fostering new entrepreneurial activities by strengthening existing ones; increasing employment in order to reverse the demographic decline.

• General project objectives

These can be summarised as follows:

1) to enhance the value of the main cultural assets identified (public and private) with technologically innovative measures;
2) to increase the distribution of tourist demand also with a view to seasonal adjustment;
3) structuring festivals (music, philosophy, art) as recurring and multiple events to increase the attractiveness and increase the length of stay of tourists and visitors;
4) to make the great natural and historical-cultural heritage of the village fully accessible, both physically and cognitively, with a view to sustainable tourism with a strong relational vocation;
5) to support the community's awareness of the legacies associated with these cultural assets in order to promote a sense of responsibility and participation in the regeneration process of the village.

The "G.A. BORGESE GENIUS LOCI" project is   financed by the MIC from PNRR funds: Mission 1 - Digitalisation, Innovation, Competitiveness and Culture, Component 3 - Culture 4.0 (M1C3). Measure 2 'Regeneration of small cultural sites, cultural, religious and rural heritage', Investment 2.1: 'Attractiveness of historic villages' funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU.