Foggia and the legacy of Frederick II, Cataneo (IdM): "The Network of Frederick II Cities is needed now for revitalization and development."

Promoting the historical legacy of Frederick II of Swabia as a lever for tourism and cultural development in Foggia and the Capitanata area. This is the proposal put forward by city councilor and leader of the Italia del Meridione group, Pasquale Cataneo , who sent a note to the council and colleagues urging the creation of a Network of Frederick II Cities .

“Forgotten Foggia, yet it was the imperial seat”

"On the website of the Umbrian Association Frederick II," Cataneo emphasizes, "there's a list of places symbolic of the emperor's life. Only Foggia is missing, which was instead ' Fogia regalis sedes inclita imperialis '. This speaks volumes about how much we're still failing to valorize our identity."

The idea also stems from the experience gained in May in Göppingen , a German city twinned with Foggia and linked to the Hohenstaufen dynasty, where the "Maientag" has been celebrated for centuries. "We too," he adds, "must strengthen our local identity and sense of community to make ourselves more attractive, as other areas are doing despite having inferior resources than ours."

Tourism, Foggia at the bottom of the list

Tourism data confirms the need for a change of pace: between January and May 2025, visitor numbers in Puglia grew significantly in Lecce (+21.7%), Bari (+21.1%), Brindisi (+20.6%), BAT (+18.6%), and Taranto (+15.5%). Foggia recorded a 3.6% increase, six times less than Salento and the province of Bari. "A huge gap," Cataneo observes, "that should give pause to all local and regional leaders."

Concrete proposals for the relaunch

Cataneo outlines several priorities: enhancing tangible and intangible resources, supporting human capital, investing in agriculture, agri-food, and seasonally adjusted tourism, addressing infrastructure gaps, and ensuring adequate water resources. "Only in this way," he warns, "can we reverse the trend of low socioeconomic growth, which fuels depopulation and youth emigration."

“From words to actions”

The IdM group leader concludes with a call for political and institutional unity: "Our proposals aren't gospel, but they do serve to move from words to action. Participating in calls for proposals for the Network of Federician Cities and other European, national, and regional initiatives can be a first step towards providing Foggia and the Capitanata area with new opportunities. We are here for this land and its future."

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