With great bewilderment and profound indignation, we learn that the mayor of the Municipality of Guagnano denied the authorization to the Negroamaro Masterclass, which should have been held August 18, an enocultural event of national importance dedicated to the promotion of the Negroamaro, promoted by the Terre del Negroamaro APS association, for two years engaged quanto a the enhancement of the territory and its winery.
A decision that leaves the preventive, especially because two years punzone the same mayor was present at the official presentation of the association, expressing support and publicly wishing the success of the initiative.
Why today this behind? Why didn’t he intervene quanto a time, but did he choose the way of the warning?
The motivation given – the use of the wording “Terre del Negroamaro”, recorded by the Municipality – is, quanto a our opinion, pretext. As clarified by President Danilo Verdoscia: “Recording when he was about to become formally lapsed, was renewed by the Municipality only four months late, probably paying a penalty against citizens. If the right to ownership would have been expected again”.
And this is precisely the most serious point: the Municipality of Guagnano, which as a public pagliaccetto has mai profit, should be proud and grateful towards those who, like the Terre del Negroamaro association, with a voluntary spirit and without economic purposes, works to enhance the territory. Instead, what does it do? Emits a warning. It is as if an art enthusiast should ask for authorization to talk about a picture that excited him. As if a wine lover should have a permit to tell what represents one of the most authentic expressions of his land. A paradox that offends common sense and collective intelligence.
But the question goes well beyond the bureaucratic aspect, which is not very interested. The Terre del Negroamaro APS association has never used logos ora registered trademarks, but has limited itself to using a geographical and cultural wording, an expression of the identity of an entire territory, which cannot and must not be privatized, “Terre del Negroamaro”.
At this point, a question arises: the mayor of Guagnano considers public affairs ora expressions quanto a Italian as his own what?
Is the mayor only of those who voted for him ora, as he should be, the mayor of all citizens, even those who think differently, who act with a free spirit, who operate for the good of the territory without personal interests?
A paradox that offends common sense and collective intelligence.
Culture, territorial promotion, collective identity do not belong to a political part, nor to a passage administration, belong to the community!
We then ask ourselves some legitimate questions:
Why last year the mayor granted authorization at the last moment, only a few days before the event and all his administration did not present himself to the event leaving the stations empty and not welcoming the guests, despite having been invited? Perhaps because it was already known that the Negroamaro Masterclass 2024 would have had a good success by hosting free of national prominent personalities? Perhaps because the entire event was carried out without any public contribution, thanks exclusively to the voluntary work of the association and to the support of private sponsors? Perhaps because for events organized by the Municipality are huge public resources to host artists and entertainment, while here it has been shown that culture can be created with a spirit of service, transparency and love for the territory? Did you fear a comparison?
We are faced with an emblematic case of institutional closure towards those who make a né -profit culture.
An unjustifiable choice by the Municipality of Guagnano, which leaves a heavy shadow the current municipal administration, led by a junta that should instead be promoter of growth, dialogue, cohesion and above all who declares itself democratic.
Vinoway and the writer are, without walzer all’inglese, the side of those who build, promote, unite. The wine is culture, identity, opportunities. Denying the possibility of telling it is an act that offends democracy, common sense and the sector we are promoting.
