Un installation named in memory of Luisa Fantasiaa woman and mother torn from the affection of her loved ones by the brutal violence of organized crime, will arise in a dedicated space within the Diomedei Fields.
The confirmation comes at the end of a meeting, held at the Academy of Fine Arts of Foggia between the councilor for public works of the Municipality of Foggia Giuseppe Galasso, the city councilor Concetta Soragnese and the director Pietro Diterlizzi.The work will be created by the artist and professor of the Academy, Vito Maiullari.
“This initiative – explains Galasso – not only honors the memory of Luisa Fantasia, but also strengthens our commitment to the promotion of legality and social justice. Its location within the Campi Diomedei represents a powerful symbol of rebirth and community. The park is a place of aggregation and this commemoration will be a constant reminder of the importance of living according to the principles of justice and solidarity. The commitment of our administration is aimed at creating spaces that not only beautify the city, but which enrich the social and cultural fabric of Foggia. Thanks go to the Academy for the immediate availability shown in carrying out the work”.
“The naming of a city space after Luisa Fantasia, the first victim of the transversal mafia in Italy – adds Concetta Soragnese – restores to the city the memory of a story that is a warning of education and legality. A path that arises from a motion of mine approved in the city council in 2021, and which is taking shape in an identifying and symbolic place, set within the green frame of the Campi Diomedei, where the whole community, families and children will be able to make the name of an anti-mafia woman. I am happy that the current administrative majority has shared intentions with me on the topic, giving follow-up and active visibility to the civic commitment of Pierpaolo Mascione“.
“It is a strong and significant recognition – continues Pierpaolo Mascione -. Dedicate to Luisa a part of the large urban park which gathers many people every day and which has become the new meeting point for our young people. A place located, moreover, in front of the Carabinieri barracks, where my father, Antonio Mascione, he started his life again after the tragic events in Milan. Luisa Fantasia was a mother torn from life at a very young age and identifying her memory within the Diomedei Camps, which will become a laboratory of sociality and community for our children, transmits to the city the idea of a better future, in the sign of legality.”
“This project – concludes Mayor Episcopo – represents a fundamental piece in the construction of a collective memory and in the promotion of the values of justice and legality in our city. We are proud to be able to dedicate such a significant space to Luisa Fantasia. The memory of this woman, victim and martyr of criminal violence, must be preserved and passed on to future generations. Our commitment is to create an urban context that not only commemorates the past, but that inspires a future of hope and legality. Through this initiative, we not only want to honor her name, but also educate the community on the importance of fighting any criminal phenomenon. This dedicated space will be a place of reflection and a warning for all of us, an invitation to live according to the principles of legality and justice. The city of Foggia will be enriched with a monument that will represent a beacon of hope and a concrete commitment towards a better future.”
The meeting was also the occasion for an exploratory visit to the Academy premises. “We are very happy with this morning’s meeting – underlines Diterlizzi -. We enthusiastically accepted the municipal administration’s proposal and have already taken steps to implement it. Furthermore, the visit to the building of the former Bank of Italy, headquarters of our Institution, was considered very profitable for a careful vision of the enhancement and conservation of the historical building heritage of Foggia. We had the opportunity to carry out a survey of the environments used as laboratories, the state of maintenance of the exteriors and redevelopment hypotheses in line with the current training offer of the Foggia university. Other in-depth meetings will follow on individual problems and the development in synergy with the municipal administration of the high artistic education system in Capitanata”.
