Mayor of Matera on coronation as the 2019 European Capital of Culture

‘It is a sign of civilization and redemption that from Matera and Southern Italy is sent to Europe’. This is the declaration of the Mayor of Matera, Salvatore Alleges, after the coronation of Matera as the European Capital of Culture 2019, along with Plovdiv in Bulgaria. With seven votes out of 13, the city of the Sassi (City of Stones) defeated Cagliari, Lecce, Perugia, Siena and Ravenna in competition for the prestigious recognition. ‘It was not a foregone conclusion, but we have achieved it thanks to the work of a team’, said the mayor. Now it’s up to him and his staff to organize the city and make it receptive in time for 2019. The first test is…READ MORE.