The website dedicated to the Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Miracoli in Mistretta is now online-Sicily

The city of Nicosia hosted the second Sicilian stop of the Grand Tour of Territories and Italian Identity (and eleventh nationally), after the one held in Mistretta on January 26, 2024, through a workshop dedicated to the Culture of Hospitality in Inner Areas.
The event, organized by Andrea Succi (Territori e Italianità), Salvo Burrafato (Nicosia di Sicilia),  Samuel Granata and Valentina Bircher (Grandip Group), and Riccardo Zingone (GMT™ Halaesa Nebrodi), was sponsored by the Municipality of Nicosia, the Department of Tourism and the Department of Agriculture of the Region of Sicily, GAL ISC Madonie, ANCI and SIMTUR.

Partners of the Nicosia event included Royal Guest, Aura Mundi, Espereal Technologies, and Maggioli Cultura as media partner. 

Following the institutional greetings from Nicosia’s Mayor Luigi Bonelli, and in line with the spirit of the initiative, the event quickly moved into its core discussions with contributions from Salvo Burrafato, Andrea Succi, Riccardo Zingone, Pina La Giusa, and Samuel Granata. The organizing team deliberately used the term workshop to give the meeting a clearly pragmatic and operational angle  by presenting the first results of the GMT® Model applied in the nearby Halaesa Nebrodi area,addressing the needs expressed by administrators, operators, and citizens aware that, to build regenerative prospects for inner areas, dedicated models and skills capable of offering real solutions to devastating phenomena such as depopulation and loss of identity are essential.
Andrea Succi described the methodological framework applied to the regeneration of inner areas, starting from the need to adopt a Vision, at the heart of Territori e Italianità through the format of the "Five Steps".
Emerging themes included the participatory approach needed to generate structured internal communication among operators, citizens, and administrators, the conscious knowledge of one’s own identity elements (genius loci) and the transfer of  skills, for a renewed work culture, an essential condition to address depopulation.
Based on these principles, good practices must be generated, fueled by mayors aware of their role, motivated and properly trained operators, and engaged and participatory citizens in a forward-looking process where the Destination Temporary Manager and the Territorial Tourism Coordinator™ play a crucial role—the former to effectively organize the tourist destination, the latter to ensure the long-term sustainability of the work initiated.
Salvo Burrafato, who skillfully coordinated the event, also illustrated to the audience the first experiential tourism route proposed by Nicosia di Sicilia, with stays ranging from three to seven nights, offering a deeply immersive experience in the world of rural life, food and wine traditions, and culture. This tourist package was also included among the products in the Halaesa Nebrodi catalog titled The Grain Route , expanding and enriching it with further significant experiences. 

Through the words of Riccardo Zingone, the GMT™ Halaesa Nebrodi was presented to the community as a concrete example of territorial tourism work and organization.
The project, launched in 2024, began with a meticulous operator scouting activity and marked several key steps such as the launch of the website www.halaesanebrodi.it, followed by the creation of a first Tourism Product Catalog, thus setting the conditions to fully enter the national and international tourism market, effectively positioning this area as an authentic tourist destination.
The very notion of a “model” implies its replicability, and it is hoped that the GMT™ Halaesa Nebrodi model—first of its kind in Sicily—can be adopted by other inner areas and communities that need practical tools to counteract the social and economic decline they have been facing for decades.

Also very meaningful was the contribution by Mario Cicero, mayor of Castelbuono and President of GAL ISC Madonie, who shared with the audience his twenty-year experience as administrator of the Madonie village, and welcomed the opportunity presented by Territori e Italianità to develop tourism projects in synergy with GAL ISC Madonie. Equally valuable was the testimony of Samuel Granata, a young Nicosian who chose to remain in his homeland, bravely investing his energy in the tourism sector, along with that of Pina La Giusa, entrepreneur and President of the Petra D’Asgotto Ecomuseum, who focused her speech on the projects carried out by the Ecomuseum, including the archaeological excavation project on Mount Altesina, which led to new and interesting discoveries in March through a second agreement with the University of Paris and the involved local authorities.

The lively and educational debate was joined by Giacomo Consentino, owner of the 24 Baroni craft brewery, Maria Scavuzzo from the Albereto dairy, Francesco Dipasquale of Espereal Technologies, Antonino Noto, President of the Pro Loco of Motta d’Affermo, Fabio Bruno, President of the Movement for the Defense of Territories, Giuseppe Lo Furno of the Italian Farmers Federation, Anna Maria Gemellaro, deputy mayor of Nicosia, and Giacomo Giaimi, geologist and hiking guide.  In particular, Anna Maria Gemellaro, deputy mayor of Nicosia, proposed the inclusion of the GMT Model and the innovative figure of the Territorial Tourism Coordinator® in the call for experiential tourism projects that the Municipality intends to apply for.

The event concluded with a pleasant and mindful wine tasting accompanied by local products, curated by ONAV.

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.

The Story of Romei

The Contrada Romei, located in the territory of Mistretta, is one of the most iconic rural areas in the heart of the Nebrodi region. It's believed that, according to the descriptions by Silius Italicus and Polybius, the ancient city of Noma once stood here, and that the name "Romei" derives directly from the ancient inhabitants of this Greco-Roman city, the Nomei.

Nestled along the eastern slope that winds up towards Contrada Zupardo, near the Serravalle torrent, the former Romei feudal estate was renowned for its abundant production of grapes, citrus fruits, olive oil, and various other fruits. At one time, mulberries were also extensively cultivated here, their leaves serving as food for silkworms. The fertility of the land, combined with the mild climate, encouraged the inhabitants of Mistretta to settle here, as evidenced by the numerous ancient farmhouses still present.

After 1684, the Fief was assigned to Santo Stefano di Camastra but, following various legal disputes, a portion of it returned to the ownership of the Municipality of Mistretta. This led to a sell-off, and many lands were ceded to powerful families such as the Allegra, Natoli, Salamone, Armao, and Aversa, who built prestigious villas. Over time, this district became so populous that it warranted the presence of a detachment of Mistretta's elementary school, housed in a dedicated building where dozens of children were educated. This continued until the 1960s, as recounted and documented by Nella Faillaci, a passionate local history researcher and former head of the Municipal Historical Archive of Mistretta.

Today, the former Romei Fief is experiencing a new season: many of the old families no longer exist, but several estates have gained new life thanks to the interest of numerous new owners who have decided to make these places their home. It's from this interesting regenerative impulse that our story begins.

Palazzo Natoli-Giaconia: A Pearl Set Among Ancient Oaks and Olive Trees

I arrive for my appointment with Martin a few minutes before the scheduled time. He had informed me of a delay shortly before but had given me permission to enter the property. As soon as I step out of the car, which had until then protected me from the summer heat and isolated me from sounds and smells, I'm literally enveloped by the beauty of the place and the incessant chirping of cicadas. There are experiences that transport us back in time, and immediately I feel immersed in an unexpected situation that deserves respect: the ancient farmhouse hosting me, the "Regale dimora" (Royal Residence, as described in pencil on a wall by a guest), radiates extraordinary energy.

I feel like a guest in a place of great sanctity and, for this reason, I move on tiptoe. Even the ancient stone pavement deserves respect, and I tread upon it with circumspection.

While waiting for Martin's arrival, I wander around the courtyard of the imposing, yet well-integrated, historic residence, surrounded by ancient olive trees and dense woodland. Peering here and there, my attention is immediately captured by a spectacular fountain with the date 1761 carved into it. Water flows, and there is life. The central sculpted figure is nestled in a stone niche that still retains red decorations, a characteristic also visible along the main two-story facade, which features a spectacular double-ramp staircase leading to the upper floor. Indeed, I notice how the red with which the ground floor walls were painted is still visible on the facade, which, together with yellow and green, must have given the building a particularly elegant and classical appearance. After all, we are in the midst of Neoclassicism, and the echo of the archaeological excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum evidently reached here too, leaving its mark on this building. 

I find some doors open that lead to the warehouses where an ancient olive mill is still visible, with its enormous stone millstone and press operated by pack animals. Electricity would arrive very late in these parts, but the old owners, heirs of the Natoli-Giaconia family, had in the meantime circumvented the problem by purchasing a modern system located in another building and powered by a generator. The mill remained in operation until the 1960s, becoming the reference point for the surrounding area for olive milling.

Next to the building is the completely unadorned rural church, dated 1783, with a small altar and majolica floor at the back.

Martin Décleve and Valérie Verdinne: From the Pandemic to Their Dream

The chirping of the cicadas is momentarily interrupted by the arrival of a car: it's Martin, who greets me with a warm smile, which I promptly return.

We begin sipping a cool aperitif on the terrace, which accompanies our pleasant chat, during which Martin tells me about himself and what brought him here from Belgium.

"It's a project that started a long time ago: I taught Latin and Greek for twenty-two years, and my wife Valérie inherited a family pharmacy, but we both had a desire to dedicate ourselves to art. So, at a certain point, I left teaching to pursue photography and cinematography professionally, and, with Valérie, we restored a house in Brussels together. During the pandemic, despite the restrictions, we started traveling in Italy until we arrived in Sicily, where we encountered this territory that immediately fascinated us."

"Valérie and I," Martin continues, "always thought about buying a property with special characteristics, one that would tell a story by itself, and we thought that in this area, sooner or later, we would find it. We didn't entrust our search to real estate agencies, but rather to word-of-mouth. So, thanks to common acquaintances, we were put in touch with the old owners, and after a while, our search concluded."

After the pandemic, Martin and Valérie bought the property from the Parlato-Martorana family and immediately began cleaning and recovering the grounds, but not the building itself. This was a deliberate choice. "For now, we are focusing on cleaning the eighteen-hectare land," Martin continues, "but for me, it's a real spectacle to recover it little by little. Every day is a new discovery, and that's beautiful! The goal is to clean about four hectares and leave the rest as woodland. The house will only be renovated when we fully understand which direction to take. We are looking for a model to apply, but the common ones don't satisfy us, so we will wait as long as necessary. We plan, however, to create a model that combines culture with agriculture."

The DDT Project is Born: Contemporary Art Marries History

"Two years ago, Valérie, some friends, and I spent our first summer in this place. Outside, it was still a jungle, but we all perceived the charm that emanated from the whole: peace, beauty, the land, history. In the meantime, we abandoned the idea of creating a farm holiday resort and simply dedicating ourselves to hospitality and catering. So we took a break, and now we are looking for a deeper, more spiritual purpose, creating a reality where our desire for creation can be shared. I can't imagine a day without creativity, without the desire to create, and with Valérie, we believe we can develop a life model that transmits happiness."

"We then shared the idea of setting up an exhibition now, leaving and presenting the building as we found it, using the many rooms to host the creations."

As stated in the press release, the DDT project uses the message found on the wall as the title of this initiative, but above all, it elevates it to a keyword full of expectations, in a residence that, in fact, at the moment, offers nothing regal but a rare, expansive sense of cathartic peace. Unlike A and G, the two unknown individuals who signed the graffiti with only their initials after a short stay more than one hundred and twenty years ago, Declève and Verdinne are well aware that in the long term of their stay, the undertaking will consist of "giving time back to the temporary."

Next to the entrance door, on the wall, some dates traced in red paint can be read: above, 1761, that of the foundation of the structure; on both sides of the door, dates ranging from 1948 to 1967 refer to the period of DDT spraying against malaria. Over the centuries mentioned, the place has undergone numerous transformations. But it is undoubtedly during the mid-century following the ban on the insecticide, at the end of the 1970s, that the most radical metamorphosis occurred: the conclusion of agricultural activity, the abandonment of the land, and the use of the main building, left for more than thirty years, as an occasional holiday home. The DDT years were those of the "great acceleration." Beyond the illusory desire to distance this recent past, the misappropriation of the acronym expresses the new owners' desire to make this place a place of agriculture and culture, a space where time can be given back to the provisional.

DDT project – Before leaving this royal residence

Artists: Régis Baudy, Sébastien Bonin, Alessandro Costanzo, Étienne Courtois, Martin Declève, Myriam El Haïk, Laurent Friob, Anna Guillot, Sebastiano Leta, Renee Marcus Janssen, Emmanuel Piron, Rawakari, Agostino Rocco, Alfredo Sciuto.

DDT project: Martin Declève & Valérie Verdinne Dimora del temporaneo, Mistretta, Contrada Romei, Sicily, Italy 16.08—14.09.2025 Opening: Saturday 16—Sunday 17 August

(1) Romei, crocevia dei pellegrini. Nella Faillaci, Il Centro storico-giugno 2003