The first Mediterranean Network of Coral Cities starts from Trapani: Torre del Greco present

PRESS RELEASE

The first Mediterranean Network of Coral Cities starts from Trapani: Torre del Greco is present

A historic step for the protection and enhancement of one of the oldest traditions of the Mediterranean. Tomorrow, Friday, December 19, at 5:30 pm, the Fardelliana Library of Trapani will host the official birth of the first Mediterranean Network of Coral Cities, a project that unites territories, cultures, and communities sharing a millennia-old history linked to red coral.

The initiative will take shape during the international round table “Coral Routes—Dialogue between Mediterranean Cultures,” which will see coral masters and institutional representatives from Trapani, Sciacca, Torre del Greco, Alghero, Tunisia, and Andalusia engage in discussion. It will be an open dialogue on artisanal knowledge, productive traditions, and future visions of a sector that represents a shared cultural heritage. The event will also be broadcast online to allow for broader participation.

To underline the institutional importance of the event, the mayor of Torre del Greco, Luigi Mennella, will also be present, confirming the strong bond between the institutions and a tradition that constitutes an internationally valuable identity element for the territory. “To the attention of those present,” the mayor emphasizes, “will be presented the work that, as a municipal administration, we are carrying out in synergy with all the city entities involved in various ways in coral processing. This work has recently allowed us to inaugurate the first virtual museum of red gold and will soon lead us to cut the ribbon of the knowledge hub: two structures that on the one hand aim to enhance one of the traditions that have made Torre del Greco famous worldwide and on the other will serve as natural support for the entire supply chain, which includes not only artisans and entrepreneurs but also the world of education, starting with the Degni art high school, an institution that with its work has further developed the city’s culture and economy.”

The central moment of the meeting will be the signing of the memorandum of understanding, which will officially mark the birth of the Mediterranean Network of Coral Cities, initiating a structured path of protection, promotion, and cultural cooperation among the entities involved.

Among the protagonists of the event is also Assocoral, which will participate in the round table with its president Vincenzo Aucella, who will bring the experience of Torre del Greco, internationally recognized as the world capital of coral and cameo processing. In his speech, Aucella will illustrate the strategic value of the sector and the ecosystem that revolves around this excellence: from the production chain to training, from the protection of intangible heritage to technological innovation. “From the outset, we welcomed with great interest the organizers’ invitation to participate in this project as speakers at the round table, representing our city: Torre del Greco,” explains president Aucella. “For the first time, there will be a direct comparison between all the coral cities: from those who worked it in the past to those who still work it today, from those who fished it to those who collect it today. It will be a valuable opportunity to dialogue and start joint projects. We will bring our experience, tell what we have been, what we are, and above all the future projects already being implemented, such as the PGI and UNESCO recognition, without forgetting the aspect that is most important to us: the longevity of the sector, which inevitably depends on the training and integration of young people.”

The birth of the Mediterranean Network of Coral Cities thus represents a new bridge between peoples, generations, and Mediterranean identities, in the name of a material that for centuries has united history, culture, and artisanal excellence.