Saint Agatha Religious Festival in Catania: Stakeholders’ Functions and Relations

Salvatore Cannizzaro; Gian Luigi Corinto; Enrico Nicosia

doi:10.6092/issn.2036-5195/6759

Authors

Salvatore Cannizzaro University of Catania

He is Associate Professor at the Department of Humanities in the University of Catania. He is teacher of Cultural Geography. He published several papers in national and international journals, and is author and co-author of books, such as “Media e territorio” (EUM, 2008), “Il Mediterraneo. Dalla frattura al processo di integrazione” (Pàtron, 2009), “Paesaggio in Sicilia. Dialogo territoriale ed episodi paesaggistici” (Pàtron 2013). Today his research focuses on enhancement of local identities and territorial development.
Gian Luigi Corinto University of Macerata http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6851-6623
He is Associate Professor of Geography, teacher of Territorial Marketing in the Master Degree International Tourism and Destination Management at the University of Macerata, Italy. He is Coordinator of the Environment and Territory Research Section of the Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism of the University of Macerata. His research regards local development, sustainability, rural tourism and spatial diffusion of development. His works are edited in national and international journals and books.
Enrico Nicosia University of Macerata http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2289-6453

Researcher of Geography in the Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism, University of Macerata and Visiting Professor in the Facultad de Turismo de l’Universidad de Oviedo. The main research topics are focused on sustainable and, development policies and in its social and economic component is on urban regeneration strategies, related to the organization of Megaevents. In addition, several issues were explored in the development of tourism, cultural routes and the geography of trade. Recent studies are directed: the urban redevelopment, the transformation of the spaces of consumption and Film induced tourism as an opportunity to promote and develop territory.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2036-5195/6759

Keywords:

Religious Festivals, Sicily, Catania, Stakeholders’ Functions and Relations

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to develop an explorative analysis of the functions and relations among actors involved in the organization and implementation of the Saint Agatha Religious Festival in Catania attracting nearly one million presences during the first week of February. The research is based on the survey of different sources of information, such as literature, news, media, and deep interviews with key informants pertaining to civil and religious institutions. The survey is designed to profile the Festival in terms of history, the character of the stakeholders, size, origin of assets, venues used, decision-making structure, and programs. The Festival’s use of volunteers and sponsors is specifically addressed. Empirical research sketches the network of stakeholders, the relationship between organizations, the importance of local social actors and strategies in enhancing local culture and sustainable tourism, regarding, in particular, the socio-cultural impacts of religious tourism. The local society has historical peculiarities which impose prudential considerations in generalizing about findings, and a comparative study with other Sicilian and/or Italian religious festivals will be important, mainly in order to delineate the actual sustainability of Festivals. The framework developed in this study can be helpful in the application of local social policies and also help comparative festival studies.

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Saint Agatha Religious Festival in Catania: Stakeholders’ Functions and Relations

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