Catania defeated, the "Capital of Culture 2028" is Ancona. Trantino: "Our dossier will move forward"

Catania lost in the race for "Capital of Culture 2028"; Ancona won with the dossier "Ancona. This now." This was announced by the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli. The Italian Capital of Culture receives a contribution of 1 million euros to implement its project.  The commission deemed Ancona's dossier "excellent," and it was elected unanimously. But Catania "continues," as titled in the dossier presented to the ministry. It does not waste the wealth of ideas, projects, and enthusiasm generated around the candidacy, which saw the participation of more than 100 associations and local entities. It continues to want to design the future. 

"We extend our best wishes to the city of Ancona for achieving the title of Italian Capital of Culture 2028, affirming itself among the ten finalists of which Catania was proudly an active part," commented  immediately  the mayor of Catania Enrico Trantino. "Our dossier 'Catania Continues' must be respected, honored, and the objectives pursued, for the authentic values of participation with which it was conceived and realized in the perspective of a developing metropolis, young and with over a million inhabitants," the mayor continued. "The path taken does not stop: the candidacy was not a destination but a method, a strategic vision for the city that we intend to carry forward with determination also by working on the Participatory Culture Plan 2038 and other medium- and long-term objectives that we will announce during the meeting with the press and cultural operators."

For this reason, the mayor has called for a meeting on Friday, March 20 at 10:00 AM, at the Palazzo della Cultura, with representatives of the over one hundred associations and committees that have actively contributed to the candidacy project. The meeting, open to the press, aims to initiate the concrete work of implementing the "Catania Continues" project, confirming the Administration's commitment to realizing the cultural, social, and urban vision contained in the dossier.

Representatives from Pts and Melting Pro, the companies that supported the Municipality throughout the candidacy process, will also be present.

The reason for Ancona's victory

The Municipality of Ancona has presented, as stated in the motivations, a "solid and coherent model of cultural enhancement capable of combining identity and international openness, in a vision that foresees regeneration and inclusion", with a "solid intervention program" that "includes a broad and diverse audience." The investment strategy has been deemed "consistent with a significant impact on the socio-economic fabric" and it has been considered "relevant the attention to the European and Mediterranean dimension that strengthens the positioning of the project, as well as the involvement of local entities and young people, considered as protagonists of cultural processes." The dossier "fully meets the indicators of the call, positioning itself as a model of innovative and shared cultural design."

"The projects that have reached the final selection are  of growing quality - says Minister Alessandro Giuli, during the  official ceremony, in the Spadolini Hall of the Ministry, in the presence of the Selection Jury and representatives of the ten candidate cities." He quotes Yeats: "Turning actions into dreams and dreams into action." "There is only one winner  - says Giuli - but if you are here, it is already a huge achievement, not just a symbolic victory. When important projects are built, they should not be wasted. This is a moment of shared joy, getting closer to the territories,  aiming to enhance, to highlight the extraordinary qualities and specialties of our cities. The circle of the nation must always be united; you are the representation of this circle, of the public unity that the tricolor worn represents. All ideally winners, part of an adventure that brings ever greater interest. Culture as a vital space for self-generation, for awareness of one's possibilities." "I congratulate the capitals of 2026 and 2027  - the minister added - products of different but exceptional territories, and with  the people of Aquila who will welcome the Ecce homo by Antonello da Messina." 

The title of Italian Capital of Culture - informs a note - is conferred by the Council of Ministers with its own Resolution, on the proposal of Minister Giuli who takes into account the recommendation of 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.

In the running for the title of Italian Capital of Culture for the year 2028 were:

• Anagni (Fr) with the dossier "Hernica Saxa. Where history binds, culture unites." 
• Ancona with the dossier "Ancona. This now.".
• Catania with the dossier "Catania continues.".
• 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 the Tyrrhenian and Apuan meet history.".
• Mirabella Eclano (Av) with the dossier "The Appian Way of the peoples." 
• Sarzana (Sp) with the dossier "The fearless. Sarzana crossroads of the future." 
• Tarquinia (Vt) with the dossier "Culture is flight."