"Those born in the South can freely choose to stay, can return if they have gained experience elsewhere, and can join those who come from outside to come here. This is key to development for the entire country; it is in Italy's national interest." Sergio Mattarella attended the meeting marking the twentieth anniversary of the Foundation for the South and reiterated his call for development that guarantees the future of young people, amid growing demographic alarm: a report presented during the meeting noted that Southern Italy lost 730,000 residents between 2001 and 2023, and could see an overall decline of 7.4 million by 2080.
People flee this South due to the lack of opportunities, a phenomenon the Foundation has attempted to address by supporting original and successful initiatives: in Naples, for example, the reopening and restyling of the Catacombs of San Gennaro and the Fontanelle Cemetery in the Sanità district, which have become two major tourist attractions capable of providing jobs for dynamic youth cooperatives.
"Those working for this purpose play a valuable role in our national community," Mattarella recalled: "This morning we listened to a wide range of experiences and initiatives that have developed concrete prospects around the third sector." The head of state praised the Fondazione Con il Sud and its president, Stefano Consiglio, "for what they have accomplished over the past twenty years." Before departing, he greeted the members of one of the Neapolitan cooperatives, La Paranza, accepting their invitation for a souvenir photo. Mayor Gaetano Manfredi and Governor Roberto Fico thanked Mattarella "for his affection and support" for the city, reiterating the institutions' commitment "to ensuring that Naples' growth and attractiveness translate into opportunities for its residents and our young people: we need skilled jobs and stable prospects," the mayor summarized.
The president of the Con il Sud Foundation recalls: "Many areas of Southern Italy demonstrate a desire to respond to depopulation. We have one goal: to find a way to support the communities that have turned to our Foundation with hope, and to whom we have thus far been unable to lend a helping hand. We are confident we can have banking foundations and Italian business and family foundations at our side. If the South depopulates, it will be a problem for all of Italy," Consiglio concludes.
(Unioneonline)
