Basic information
Experience
Do
Project description
The origins of Addiopizzo (“Goodbye pizzo”) date back to 2004, in Palermo, Sicily. A group of ordinary citizens decided to take a stand against the mafia's practice of pizzo, or extortion money. Often, businesses were forced to pay protection money to the mafia clans, threatening their livelihoods and perpetuating the grip of organized crime. In defiance of this, a coalition of businesses and citizens began to openly refuse to pay the pizzo. Addiopizzo emerged as a grassroots movement, advocating for businesses to resist extortion and encouraging consumers to support pizzo-free establishments.
In 2009, Addiopizzo Travel was founded as an offshoot of this movement. It aims to promote responsible and ethical tourism in Sicily by offering tours and experiences that support businesses refusing to pay the pizzo. The tours provide travelers with an opportunity to explore Sicily's rich culture, history, and cuisine, while learning about the mafia and the anti-mafia movement. Participating in their tours directly contributes to the fight against organized crime.
The activities offered by Addiopizzo Travel—including walking and biking tours in Palermo, Capaci, and Corleone—also seek to change visitors’ ideas about Sicily and its people, including those influenced by the media and books and movies like The Godfather. 96
By putting the experiences of locals at the center of their tours, they tell the true story of this region. The organization also educates about the influence of Cosa Nostra on Sicilian society, and highlights alternatives for young people who are at risk of being recruited to local mafia groups.
Involvement of V Social
V Social has connected its partner brand Feast, which offers tours in Sicily, with Addiopizzo to help in its selection of local providers, as well as inviting existing providers to join the pizzo-free network. V Social is supporting the development of new activities in Corleone to expand local participation in the anti-mafia movement.
Your impact
Palermo
Country: Italy
Over 20 years, the organization has been able to reduce the number of shops paying pizzo significantly. This accounts for several hundred shopkeepers, not only in Palermo but across the entire island. The work of Addiopizzo Travel has earned international recognition for its innovative approach to tourism and its commitment to social change. Its activities generate steady income for the NGO’s work, which includes services such as victim assistance and social inclusion. By offering immerse experiences that showcase the authentic beauty of the region, free from the influence of the mafia, Addiopizzo is also helping rewrite the story of Sicily into one that centers freedom, justice, and hope.
Their story
