Identity, excellences and shared values to build a different Calabria. This is the beating heart of Faburitithe project conceived by the entrepreneur Nino De Masiwhich hosted yesterday in the industrial area of Gioia Tauro an intense day of interventions, reflections and visions of the future.
From social entrepreneurship to innovation, passing through culture, environment, training and legality: Favuriti has turned on the spotlight on the Calabrian excellence and new possible trajectories for a new narrative of Calabria.
The day moderated by the journalist Pietro Comito, opened with the institutional greetings of the mayor of Gioia Tauro Simona Scarcella and the mayor of San Ferdinando Luca Gaetano, who underlined the importance of networking, giving visibility to the excellence of the territory and to contrast with the tools of culture and business all forms of crime and economic isolation.
Following, during the first talk “Identity, excellence and territories”, some of the protagonists of the creative companies, the economic, social and cultural projects of innovative imprint in the Calabrian territory: Gennaro De Rosa (music against the mafias), Nancy Cassalia (crisis as an opportunity), Giuseppe Talarico (The Calabreser), Mariolina Baccellieri (Women of Wine), Talicie, (Mulinum), Manuela Lajacona (cadast), Vincenzo Linarello (Goel), Nino Quaranta (Coop. Della Terra), Giusy Staropoli (writer). The regional councilors Giovanni Calabrese (work and training) and Gianluca Gallo (agriculture and social policies) also intervene, who reiterated the strategic role of sustainable supply chains, training and local communities in the development process of the region.
In the afternoon panel, “Industry, you can do it!”, A different Calabria emerged, ready to attract investments and face the challenges of globalization. Domenico Vecchio (Confindustria Reggio Calabria), Rocco Colacchio (Confindustria Vibo Valentia), Rosy Ficara (Automar Spa), Paolo Ruggeri (Board BH Nuovo Pignone, president of Big Academy), and Luca Gaetano (Unibo teacher) contributed to the debate Domenico Vecchio. The institutional conclusions were entrusted to the Councilor for Economic Development Rosario Varì, which highlighted the strategic value of the industrial area of Gioia Tauro and the need to create an ecosystem in favor of ethical and sustainable enterprise.
But it was the evening confrontation, “beyond the Underworld”, to give a clear direction to the day. Alongside Nino De Masi and Pietro Comito, on stage the president of the Calabria Region Roberto Occhiuto and the prosecutors Camillo Falvo and Stefano Musolino. Important issues: organized crime, trust in institutions, civil and social rebirth.
The intervention of the President of the Calabria Region, Roberto Occhiuto, who opened the evening confrontation, also facing the recent judicial investigation that concerns him:
“I admit it, I am angry – he said – but I continue to work with determination. This is a wonderful and difficult land, “bitter”, as someone has defined it. Precisely for this reason, those who hold institutional roles have a duty to support the work of the judiciary and the police, because without confidence in the institutions we do not go anywhere ».
Occhiuto then wanted to pay homage to De Masi: «The ‘Ndrangheta does not affect only with weapons, but also isolating whoever denounces. Nino De Masi has been marginalized, hindered, but has not bent. For this I thank him: he has shown that the state can be stronger than organized crime, has broken that toxic narrative that the state always loses in Calabria. But no: tonight we are also here to say that that narrative no longer belongs to us ».
Musolino, with a lucid and passionate speech, underlined how crime today is fought mainly in the field of culture and collective responsibility: «It is not enough to stop. The real question is what happens when they come out. The Calabria we dream of is the one where De Masi can simply be an entrepreneur, without having to be a hero ».
Falvo, for his part, spoke of a Calabria who is changing: «People denounce, have confidence. Schools, young people, businesses: that’s where we have to invest. The ‘ndrangheta is no longer omnipotent, today it is possible to build alternative models ».
To close the meeting, the passionate appeal of Nino De Masi, who touched deep ropes and moved the emotion of the public several times.
«Many things have changed – he made his debut – the perspective has changed. In this eternal battle between light and darkness, I feel that the light today is giving the darkness. I see him in the eyes of young people, in the new awareness they carry with them, in the desire for redemption that grows in this land ».
With the sincerity that distinguishes him, De Masi explained the reasons that prompted him to conceively conceive: a project born from the need to create authentic connections between those who do business with ethics, who innovates, who resists, who educates, administer.
«I did not organize this event for me, but for young people, to help them say with pride” Viva La Calabria “, and no longer in a low voice. I want them to know that here it is possible to build a dignified future, without being forced to leave or bend to compromise ».
In his speech, De Masi also launched a precise message: Calabria no longer has to be just a spectator of a decisive change elsewhere.
«This land today rides a wave of positive energy, of interest by the world of companies, tourism, universities. But the question is: do we want to be passive in this evolution or protagonists? We can be the Calabria that decides, which guides, that innovates. This is why I wanted institutions and excellence here, to show that the game can be won. Indeed – he added – the game has already started: now it’s up to us not to waste it ».
Finally, a personal hint, but which becomes collective:
«I don’t want to be called hero. I just want to be able to do my job. And I dream of a Calabria where no one should be called hero for simply doing his duty. Where to report is not an extraordinary, but normal gesture. Where those who have talent, courage and ideas can remain and make them grow here ».
An intervention that collected a long applause and that represented the perfect synthesis of the spirit of faburiti: a concrete invitation to sit together, to share ideas and responsibilities, visions and constructions of networks.
The evening closed the acoustic performance of the singer -songwriter Eman, who was able to combine music and civil commitment in a moment of great emotional intensity.
A day therefore that told a different Calabria: courageous, possible, ready.
Now the challenge is to transform this energy into daily action.
Project created with the support of the Calabria Film Commission Foundation – Trienna program
