In Pettineo, Andrea Buglisi's street art meets sport and inclusion

Recognition for Youth Entrepreneurship to an Operator of Halaesa Nebrodi

The current year continues to hold pleasant surprises for the Territory, for GMT™ Halaesa Nebrodi, and for the Operators who are part of it.

After recently telling the story of Elisa Cerrito and the Il Melograno Farm in Motta d'Affermo, which won a prestigious award in the field of beekeeping ([link to the article]), on October 4th, another young entrepreneur from Halaesa Nebrodi received an important recognition. She is Giuseppina Azzolina from Castel di Lucio, who was awarded in the context of the fourth edition of the "Una di tante" (One of Many) competition, organized by the Pro Loco of Nicosia.

Giuseppina Azzolina and her kiosk, "Al passo di Eolo" (At the pace of Aeolus), won the award in the Entrepreneurship and Management section. This important recognition was assigned following the suggestion of the Mayor of Castel di Lucio, Giuseppe Giordano, who in this way wanted to give due and deserved credit to the very young 25-year-old entrepreneur from Castel di Lucio. We recall that in the previous edition, another entrepreneur from Castel di Lucio, Franca Sacco, was awarded for her activity in the dairy sector, and in the same year, the Entrepreneurship and Management award was assigned to the entrepreneur from Mistretta, Maria Grazia Insana.

A Choice of Heart and Courage

Like many young people her age, at a certain point in her life, Giuseppina found herself at a crossroads: leave or stay? The love for her land, for her family, and for her town became determining factors in her difficult choice. Her decision was firm: Castel di Lucio, a mountain town of just over 1200 inhabitants perched on the Nebrodi Mountains, has been and will continue to be her home.

"A courageous choice, far from obvious, that has had an important impact on the entire community," underlined the Mayor during the award ceremony, "because with her gesture, she has restored dignity to the town."

The Birth of "Al passo di Eolo"

Giuseppina's family owns land a few minutes from the famous land art installation, The Labyrinth of Ariadne (Il Labirinto di Arianna), a highly frequented destination that is part of Fiumara d'Arte, Europe's most extensive open-air contemporary art park. On this land, located on a knoll exposed to the four winds with a breathtaking view, Al passo di Eolo was born in 2021, a small family-run kiosk where Giuseppina and Mimma, her dynamic mother, manage the kitchen and welcome guests.

From its beginning, Al passo di Eolo has stood out for its menus, a triumph of Sicilian cuisine: from cutting boards of fresh cured meats and cheeses to more substantial dishes like sandwiches with sausage and ricotta. There is no shortage of sweet delicacies, such as fresh cannoli, all served with refreshing drinks or a good coffee. The dishes are often presented on unique wooden cutting boards, hand-carved in the shape of a labyrinth, adding a special touch to the experience. Even on the cutting boards, there is, in a way, the family's mark, as they are handcrafted by her carpenter father who, obviously, also created all the wooden structures.

From that moment on, Al passo di Eolo became a genuine reference point for the territory and for the town of Castel di Lucio because, as the Mayor recalls, "it creates Value by uniting Art, Territory, and high-quality gastronomic Products, but it is also an important information point serving travelers."

"My award comes from a long way, the result of great sacrifices and supported by the closeness of my whole family," an emotional Giuseppina recounts. "I decided to stay and invest in the Territory, and it is to the Territory that I dedicate this award."

Beautiful words full of meaning, which aim to be an example for those who want to make their Territory their Home.

Here's the English translation of the interview with Francesco Modica:

Francesco Saverio Modica, Francesco to everyone, is a young archaeologist from Mistretta and the son of Vincenzo, a highly decorated marathon runner of international renown. However, Francesco chose to run his personal marathon between archaeological digs, at a very special pace that alternates between the frenzy of unearthing a discovery of exceptional importance and the meticulous slowness inherent in the delicate work he has chosen to do.

I met Francesco during one of the most exciting moments of his brief but already intense experience as an archaeologist. We found ourselves in Tusa, at the site of Halaesa Arconidea, during one of the few breaks from the excavation that Francesco has been following with particular passion, still electrified by an exceptional discovery that we will discuss later.

A Passion for Archaeology and Early Discoveries

Francesco, in recent months it's been really difficult to talk to you calmly: your work as an archaeologist keeps you very busy, and I'd like to understand better why you chose this profession and the results you've achieved so far.

"My passion for archaeology goes way back. When I was four years old, I visited this place with my mother, and from then on, I never forgot it. My high school years in Mistretta further fueled this passion. In fact, after my studies, I spent many of my afternoons visiting the countryside surrounding the town, rich with ancient paths leading to special places. I often stumbled upon pottery shards, exposed structures, and ruined churches, which only fueled my imagination. This slowly transformed into a passion and a desire to delve deeper. I earned my master's degree in Archaeology three years ago and am now completing my PhD at the University of Palermo. Throughout my university journey, I continued to explore the territory, this time in Sicily, identifying lands and areas that could potentially host archaeological sites. My master's thesis, which builds on work done about twenty years ago by Professor Burgio, allowed me to update the mapping of areas of archaeological interest in the Aleso valley, increasing them from 155 to 245."

A Deep Connection to Halaesa Arconidea

It's no coincidence that we are meeting at Halaesa Arconidea, an archaeological site not far from your Mistretta. This is a special place for you, and I'd like to know what connects you to this territory: you are clearly going against the trend of so many of your peers who leave Sicily to work elsewhere.

"Fortunately, my work allows me to live in my homeland, and I've been frequenting Halaesa for ten years now. Imagine, I live only 500 meters away as the crow flies, so my connection to this place is truly deep and special. Living in the territory, I am aware of the beauties it holds but also of the difficulties and contradictions it presents. However, I find it 'natural' to live and stay here. I deeply love these places because I experience them every day, in all their facets. Here, I am fulfilling my adolescent dream: to excavate at Halaesa and restore the historical truth to this very important site."

The Founding of Halaesa and its Roman Alliance

Let's talk about Halaesa: in 403 BC, Archonides of Hèrbitas founded a settlement that would later become the city of Halaesa Arconidea. Who was Archonides, and what were the historical reasons that led him to leave Hèrbitas and move, with his people, to this distant corner of Sicily?

"We don't know much about the Archonides: most likely, the founder of Halaesa was Archonides II, grandson of Archonides I, who transferred a large group of Sicels from Hèrbitas to the northern coast of the island. After the Peloponnesian War, with the defeat of Athens and the victory of Syracuse allied with Sparta, Sicily experienced a moment of great confusion: Carthage took advantage of the conflict by attacking the southern coasts from Agrigento to Camarina, Himera was destroyed, and therefore many displaced people were forced to move elsewhere in search of calmer areas to settle.

Hèrbitas, presumably located in the mountains between Nicosia and Gangi, welcomed a very high number of civilians fleeing the destroyed cities. However, it soon became overpopulated, creating discontent among the inhabitants and forcing its lord to transfer part of the population to the lands north of Sicily. Halaesa was thus founded, which, however, experienced a difficult period in the first century since the Carthaginians, meanwhile, had pushed as far as the mouth of the Pollina river."

Halaesa thus became a very important center of the Roman Empire, as evidenced by the discoveries made so far: what do the remains of the ancient city tell us?

"At the beginning of the First Punic War, in 264 BC, Halaesa decided to ally with Rome; in fact, it was among the first to do so. This allowed it to free itself from the 'decima' of tributes, thus leaving the grain quota in the city that would otherwise have been destined for Rome. Up to the first century AD, Halaesa experienced its best period because it was able to invest a lot of money in public works such as the agora and the sacred temples. In short, the choice to ally with Rome from the outset proved to be decidedly winning."

A Remarkable Discovery: The Baths of Halaesa

Let's get to the present day and the news of the moment: the fifth excavation campaign conducted by the University of Palermo has, among other things, brought to light a thermal area of exceptional importance that further strengthens the idea that Halaesa Arconidea, all things considered, is still yet to be fully discovered.

"We estimate that the total surface area of the city extends over 15.5 hectares, but the state-owned area is smaller, so further land would need to be expropriated. It must also be said that almost all archaeological sites have only unearthed a part of the ancient cities, and it's the same for Halaesa; it would take decades of incessant excavations to unearth the entire site. Regarding the recent discovery, which adds to previous ones concerning the agora, the sanctuary, and the theater, we knew of the existence of a thermal complex, but we certainly couldn't have imagined unearthing such an extensive and important work. There is still much to excavate, but certainly, we are facing one of the largest thermal buildings in Sicily."

A Lifelong Commitment

Francesco, a final customary question: for how long will the attractive force of your land be able to keep you in our territory?

"I think forever: I don't want to leave."

Neither do we, Francesco. Thank you.

Inner Areas: Italy's True Beating Heart

For several decades, the so-called Inner Areas have been a priority on the political agenda and, by reflection, in the economic and social strategies of Italian regions. Long identified as the Achilles' heel of the national nervous system, Inner Areas, geographically distant from large urban agglomerations and peripheral in terms of access to essential services like healthcare, education, and mobility, nonetheless continue to host a significant portion of the Italian population. According to a recent 2024 IFEL study based on ISTAT data, Italy has 7,896 municipalities, 69.9% of which (5,521) have fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. Of these, almost 4,000 municipalities fall within Inner Areas, inhabited by 13.4 million people. In Sicily, out of a total of 391 municipalities, a remarkable 291 are part of the 72 Inner Areas, accommodating approximately 2 million people. Based on these figures, 22.7% of the Italian population resides in Inner Areas, but this changes dramatically when we analyze the Islands and the South, where Inner Areas constitute 72.4% and 68.1% of the total territory, respectively. In the SNAI 2021-2027 program, project areas have increased to 124, involving 1,904 municipalities and 4.6 million inhabitants.

We're talking about the Italy of villages rich in history, culture, and traditions, populated by people with ancient wisdom, heirs to an extraordinary tangible and intangible culture. These places boast countless beauties to discover among pristine mountains and seas, local stone constructions and red tiled roofs, interwoven with ancient alleys and small squares where time seems to stand still. These villages are special places, designed to live in symbiosis with their surrounding environment. They are extraordinary settings that offer a genuine identity, where every step forward seems to powerfully transport us back in time, in a virtuous loop that appears endless. At the same time, however, these places are symbols of fragility: often marginal and marginalized, far from essential services, and thus subjected to the relentless scythe of depopulation and economic and social impoverishment.

This phenomenon has not spared the western edge of the Nebrodi area, comprising the Municipalities of Mistretta, Santo Stefano di Camastra, Reitano, Castel di Lucio, Pettineo, Tusa, and Motta d’Affermo, as evidenced by data collected between 2002 and 2022 (ISTAT). The unforgiving numbers tell us that this area experienced an average population decrease of -17%, with peaks of -30%, in terms of resident population.

It's well-known that, precisely because of the characteristics described above, Inner Areas have, in recent years, attracted the interest of numerous tourists drawn to slow, immersive, and experiential tourism. This has created the conditions for a regenerative process within the villages themselves, but given the fragile context in which it could develop, it requires careful and targeted governance and organizational structuring.

The Culture of Hospitality: A Prerequisite for Tourism

"The culture of Hospitality does not coincide with tourism, but it is its prerequisite." (Andrea Succi)

In this direction, an innovative organizational model has developed over the years, already successfully applied in various regions of Italy, and which, in 2024, landed in Sicily. We are talking about the GMT™ (Territorial Marketing Group) format and the new figure of the CTT™ (Territorial Tourism Coordinator). The project stems from the decennial work of Dr. Andrea Succi, founder of the Territori e Italianità community, a Destination Temporary Manager for the Culture of Hospitality with a participatory approach, author of numerous articles and publications, and a Territorial Marketing Facilitator. The project aims to conceive, organize, and structure the tourism offerings of Inner Areas through a participatory and shared model of Cultural Regeneration for Communities. Citizens, administrators, and economic operators are all an integral part of the project, which first aims to form Welcoming Communities and then transfer all the gathered potential and synergies into a credible and sustainable governance and organizational structure over time. To achieve this, there are two key professional figures: the Destination Temporary Manager, who has the delicate task of identifying the path forward through a careful study of the territories and the people who inhabit them, and the Territorial Tourism Coordinator, who supports the Destination Temporary Manager and continues their work to ensure the project's sustainability.

The GMT™ Halaesa Nebrodi and Regional Applicability of the Model

Based on these premises, in January 2024, the GMT™ Halaesa Nebrodi was launched in Sicily, coordinated by me in my role as CTT™. It encompasses the Municipalities of Santo Stefano di Camastra, Reitano, Mistretta, Tusa, Pettineo, Castel di Lucio, and Motta d’Affermo.

Nestled between the western edge of the Nebrodi Park and the eastern edge of the Madonie, the Halaesa-Nebrodi area represents a unique blend of history, art, traditions, culture, geo- and biodiversity, in an exceptional symbiosis of sea, hills, and mountains. Undoubtedly, Halaesa Nebrodi has all the credentials to become an authentic Tourist Destination. With this objective, thanks to the synergy with over twenty economic operators, it is approaching a role and identity in professional tourism as a bearer and guardian of immense tangible and intangible knowledge, exemplified by the Ceramics of Santo Stefano di Camastra, the millennia-old history of Mistretta, the archaeological excavations of Halaesa Arconidea, the secular olive trees of Pettineo, the traditions linked to rural civilization, agri-food products, and the Fiumara d’arte Museum Park. In April of the same year, the website www.halaesanebrodi.it was launched, containing numerous sections useful for describing the project itself and telling the story of the territory and its people. The work carried out in synergy with the operators and the tour operator Aura Mundi culminated, in March 2025, in the publication of a first Catalog of tourism products, which will be followed by its implementation and presence at some of the most important sector fairs, including the upcoming BTE in Palermo.

Cultural Regeneration as a Starting Point

The seven Municipalities are thus represented in their singularities and specificities but integrated into a broader and shared context, in the conviction that cohesion and interaction between Municipalities can lay the foundations for the cultural, social, and economic regeneration of individual realities. Halaesa-Nebrodi, thanks to the pristine beauty of its characteristic villages and their inhabitants, has long been a tourist destination. However, in our project, we intend to propose this special place as an authentic Tourist Destination, coining and strengthening a brand that arises, almost naturally, from the synergy between different communities, and which, precisely in diversity, demonstrates its strength and conveys its great attractiveness. According to this model, local identities ("campanili") should not be demolished but reinforced and instead pooled into a broader and shared project. Communities and administrators are therefore called to dialogue, interaction, and sharing to chart a new regenerative path that can counteract the social and economic decline that we all have a duty to oppose, each with our own role and expertise.

The Role of Institutions

With a view to developing a shared project, the seven administrators were asked to approve an Action Plan that can lay solid foundations for territorial tourism planning through valuable and indispensable work in study, training, awareness-raising, consultancy, and support for operators and public administration. The GMT™ model, by its nature replicable and scalable, was presented in Nicosia during an interesting workshop, sparking the interest of administrators, economic operators, associations, and the GAL ISC Madonie. Considering its regional applicability, it was also presented to the institutional leaders of the Sicily Region.