“The inclusion of the project on the Monumental Cemetery of Messina among the twelve interventions financed by the Sicilian Region as part of the PR FESR 2021-2027 represents an important recognition of the work carried out by our Administration and of the strategy we are pursuing to enhance the identity heritage of the city”.
This was declared by the mayor of Messina, Federico Basile, commenting on the imminent approval of the financing for the project “Path of memory: a journey through the funerary art of the Monumental Cemetery of Messina – Experiential Tourism”.
“I had the opportunity to speak with the regional councilor for Tourism Elvira Amata, who informed me that the decree approving the financing will be published on Monday. It is news that we welcome with great satisfaction because it confirms the validity of a precise political choice: investing in the culture, history and symbolic places of Messina to build new opportunities for tourism and economic development”.
An investment of 300 million euros
The project, developed by the European Policies, Planning and Strategic Programming Service of the Municipality on the proposal of the councilors Enzo Caruso and Massimiliano Munitoli, foresees a total investment of 299,888.80 euros, of which 90% financed with European ERDF funds.
“From 2018 to today we have chosen the path of valorising the culture and history of our city. The Gran Camposanto is not only one of the most important monumental cemeteries in Europe, but a historical, artistic and landscape heritage that deserves to be known and visited. This project finally places it within a modern vision of tourism, made up of experiences, culture and identity”, explained the mayor of Messina.
The initiative involves the creation of georeferenced guided itineraries with QR Codes and audio guides, routes also accessible to people with disabilities thanks to the use of electric vehicles, immersive thematic visits, innovative digital tools, augmented reality activities and narrative routes in multiple languages.
“This is the direction we have chosen: a Messina that enhances its excellence, that looks to the future without forgetting its roots and that knows how to compete thanks to the quality of ideas and projects. This project represents a further step in a broader path that aims to strengthen Messina’s role in the tourist and cultural panorama of the Mediterranean, through serious planning, effective planning and a clear vision of the city’s development”, concludes Basile.