One Hour for Europe Italia APS (OHFE Italia) inaugurates a mural that rewrites the Sicilian legend of Colapesce in a European interpretation with the aim of raising awareness in the community on the importance of active participation in European policies and the protection of the environment.
The work, conceived and created by the Apulian artist Pierpaolo Marchitelli in collaboration with the cultural association B-ped, was inaugurated in Corso Martiri della Libertà at number 48, in the presence, among others, of the Councilor for Youth Policies of the Municipality of Catania, Ivana Lombardo and to the President of OHFE Italia, Natascia Arcifa. The chosen location takes on a symbolic value taking into account the context of degradation of the neighboring area where the artistic work aims to bring a redevelopment value confirming the commitment of the municipal council.
The mural was co-financed by the European Parliament Offices as part of the “One Tour for Europe” project and the #paintEU communication campaign. Both initiatives are promoted by the OHFE Italia association and aim to educate about European citizenship and enhance differences by also using the informal method of urban art.
Preceded by Genoa, Rome and Forlì where various types of artistic works were created, the Catania stage of the One Tour for Europe was strongly supported by the President of the OHFE Italia Association who commented during the inauguration as follows: “This gift of beauty of my city comes at a historical moment in which we need to demonstrate commitment and a lot of willpower to promote European values. Being active citizens is now an act of courage. I sincerely thank councilor Lombardo for believing in the project and for helping us identify an excellent location in order to fulfill the objective of raising awareness among citizens through art and bringing new beauty to the city. One Hour for Europe Italia has long expressed its desire to beautify Catania, a city of which I am extremely proud.”
The Councilor for Youth Policies of the Municipality of Catania, Lombardo, said: “I thank the One Hour for Europe Italia Association for having given life to this beautiful initiative in this location in Corso Martiri della Libertà, which for us represents the emblem of the rebirth within a neighborhood that the Municipality of Catania has been trying to relaunch for some time. I would also like to thank the artist for the excellent creation of the mural and for the theme of ecology which is so dear to us, especially in these last days of inconvenience due to the closure of the Lentini landfill. I hope that many initiatives like this can be done and you will always find my support.”
The artist of the “B-ped” cultural association added: “I decided to tell the legend of Colapesce which supports Sicily in a modern version; of a boy who swims and continues to move forward even though his body is now eaten by waste, taking the city of Catania with him towards the future, despite the unfavorable currents. In my representation the sun symbolizes the European Union, this community that must always be united and with the sole objective of rebirth and evolution. A message of hope, desire and positive criticism to all those people who are committed to ensuring that the city can always improve and cleanse itself even of policies that have not worked.”
OHFE Italia expresses profound gratitude to all those who participated in the inauguration of the work and collaborated to make the Catania stage of One Tour for Europe possible, confirming the essential value of active citizenship in the redevelopment of territories and the construction of a better European future .
