Folkest Award to “99 Posse” sparks controversy
The awarding of the Lifetime Achievement Award to the Neapolitan musical group 99 Posse by the Folkest Festival in Udine is controversial.
Fratelli d'Italia senator Francesca Tubetti calls the initiative "unseemly" since—in her opinion—the "so-called 'ideal coherence' of the 99 Posse, praised by the Festival's artistic director, is based on decades of anachronistic, violent, anti-institutional, and openly antagonistic rhetoric towards the State."
Tubetti recalls that "the festival's sponsors include the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; the Ministry of Culture; and the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. According to Tubetti, we are faced with an institutional paradox: on the one hand, public funds are used to finance festivals and cultural awards, while on the other, individuals who advocate for the occupation of urban centers, systematic disobedience, and rejection of authority are legitimized. If these pseudo-anarchists truly disobey the State, then let them have the courage and consistency to refuse the official recognitions that are funded by the State, as well as any financial support or attendance fees. Cultural debate must be defended and always represents a source of growth, but it is unthinkable," Tubetti concludes, "that it translates into a public celebration of hatred disguised as art."
İl Friuli
