Gianluca Callipo is the new mayor of Pizzo

Two weeks ago, Pizzo has elected its new sindaco, mayor Gianluca Callipo. This young man, who turns 30 next month, and his team  achieved an impressive victory with over 56% of all votes. - Congratulations!!!

With his campaign "tocca a te" ("it's your turn"), and a "play button" icon symbolizing it's now time to push forward unfinished projects, he was able to win most Pizzitani.

After studying his program and website, I discovered the beautiful little trailer of  "mettiamoci al lavoro" (let's start the work), an artwork itself. Francesca Procopio, a photographer from Pizzo, walks like a fairy through the old town and along its beaches, making drawings, photographs and notes. I wonder why the abandoned movie house Cinema Mela was featured? Is Gianluca having a dream? A revival plan like in "Cinema Paradiso", the award winning nostalgic movie that is one of his favorites, according to his facebook profile?


> watch the beautiful trailer for the Gianluca Sindaco campaign

You should know, in Pizzo, some good projects are blocked, paused, unfinished - unfortunately, as it seems so typical for the South of Italy.

I took these pictures from Gianluca's program to visualize just three of his subjects:

Pizzo is tired to wait - let's restart: the famous paused ascensore, elevator 

It is on hold since 20? or 30 years! The elevator is supposed to connect the upper historic center with the lower marina and its sea side promenade. It is ready to open, but never did. 

Pizzo does not want anymore uncompleted projects - see original harbor project plans

I don't know, if this project below our house is on hold due to money problems. I only know that there is a lawsuit (initiated by our neighbour) to stop the excavations of the blue grotto. But the harbour project and the lungomare could be continued without the realisation of the grotto access, I guess.

Pizzo wants to change - STOP modern ugly dense housing projects

Another "piccolo" subject, probably too small to be mentioned in a political program, however, we and our neighbours are interested in, is the repair of the small alleys in the historic center. Some areas have so many holes that you would need an off-road-car. Since a couple of years the commune has promised to restore the alleys. But the tight financial situation always had been an excuse that nothing had happened. - I hope, it is covered by the general target to take care of the historic town center.

We are looking forward to Gianluca and his team of ambitious politicians to start working on the targets they have been voted for. So many Pizzitani have faith and hope in the new sindaco. We too.

If we would have been able to vote, we probably would have voted for Gianluca Callipo too. Since we sourced all our bathroom equipment and tiles from Callipo in Vibo Valentia, I guess, we already indirectly have supported him  ; ) 


Photo Source:
Programma di Governo (government program) and Gianluca Callipo website and blog:

Gianluca Callipo blog