Cori – The Project and Paesello (Small town) Pride 2025: Pride returns to light up the Sicani Mountains

At Una Montagna di Eccellenze, we’re always at the forefront of promoting our beautiful territory and the initiatives that embody its finest values. That’s why, after wholeheartedly supporting Paesello Pride in 2024, we’ve decided to back this event once again in 2025. Last year’s edition marked a historic success for the local community, and as a blog dedicated to the excellence of the Sicani Mountains, we believe Paesello Pride is a true social and cultural gem worth celebrating.

In this post, we’ll tell you all about the people behind the project (Cori – The Project), how Pride 2024 unfolded, what’s planned for Pride 2025, and the impact it’s having on our territory—culturally and in terms of tourism.

Cori – The Project: hearts and voices for inclusion

Behind Paesello Pride is Cori – The Project, a young Social Promotion Association born to spread a culture of inclusion in small towns across inland Sicily. The name “Cori” (meaning “hearts” in Sicilian dialect) carries a dual symbolic meaning: it evokes love and passion, and also a chorus of united voices making themselves heard.

Founded by a group of local youth, Cori – The Project aims to support and give visibility to the LGBTQIA+ community in our towns, drawing on the welcoming spirit and “good heart” that have long defined Cammarata and San Giovanni Gemini. The association creates opportunities for dialogue, listening, and support for anyone who needs to be seen, recognized, and celebrated for who they are.

Paesello Pride 2024: a historic debut in the Sicani

Paesello Pride made its debut on August 10, 2024, marking the first-ever Pride in the history of Agrigento province. The inaugural parade featured Sicilian drag queen Aura Eternal as its special guest, known to the public for her appearance on Drag Race Italia.

The event marched through the streets of Cammarata and San Giovanni Gemini with a clear mission: to celebrate diversity, fight homophobia, and build bridges across society. It was a joyful collective celebration—music, color, emotion, and strong participation from locals and visitors alike.

One of the most touching aspects was the intergenerational involvement: elderly residents waving rainbow handkerchiefs from balconies, entire families with children walking hand in hand. A symbolic moment was the smile of a child in front of Serafina, the local drag queen dressed in homage to Cammarata’s heraldic symbol. In that smile, the deeper meaning of Pride was captured: seeing oneself in a new, different figure that’s still deeply rooted in the local culture.

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Paesello Pride 2025: “Pride and Resistance” edition

On Saturday, August 9, 2025, the towns of Cammarata and San Giovanni Gemini will once again be painted in rainbow colors for the second edition of Paesello Pride. After the success of the first edition, this year’s event aims to be even more inclusive, visible, and rooted in the local fabric.

The chosen theme is: “Jittammu vuci cu tuttu u cori”, which in Sicilian dialect means “Let’s shout with all our heart.” It’s a powerful invitation to express one’s identity freely—with joy, courage, and love.

Paesello Pride 2025 Program:

• 5:00 PM – Gathering at Piazzale Camilleri in Cammarata

• 7:00 PM – Parade begins

• 9:30 PM – Arrival at Piazza Purrello (San Giovanni Gemini)

• 10:00 PM – 1:00 AM – Final concert with musical guests, drag show, and performances

Expected performers include: Aura Eternal, Vertigo Villalobos, singer-songwriter Belfiore, rapper McNill, and transgender comedian Simonetta Musitano. The evening will end with a big open-air party in the heart of the town square.

But Pride isn’t just the parade: this year, Paesello Pride will be preceded by a Pride Week from July 31 to August 9, featuring talks, workshops, book presentations, safe spaces for youth, and debates on identity, rights, and citizenship.

The 2025 political manifesto champions a wide range of causes: beyond LGBTQIA+ rights, it promotes social justice, international solidarity, gender equality, and the fight against racism, ableism, and patriarchy. It’s a bold and clear voice against all forms of oppression, in the name of love that excludes no one.

Cultural and tourism impact on the territory

Paesello Pride is now a major event for our territory—not only socially, but also culturally and in terms of tourism.

Socially, it has created a safe and visible space for many who previously felt alone or isolated in our small towns. It has shone a light on diversity, showing how beautiful, shared, and welcomed it can be. It has fostered dialogue, celebration, and community.

Culturally, it has helped change the narrative of our towns: no longer closed and inaccessible, but open, welcoming, and exemplary. It has embraced differences without erasing local roots—on the contrary, it has made them more authentic, stronger, and richer.

Touristically, the Pride has brought visitors, visibility, and opportunity. Accommodations, restaurants, and artisan shops saw increased attendance. Media coverage, social media, and participation gave our territory positive exposure, proving that even from here, a universal message of love, beauty, and pride can emerge.

In conclusion

Paesello Pride 2025 is more than an event—it’s a symbol. It’s living proof that something great, just, and revolutionary can grow even in our mountain villages of Sicily. We at Una Montagna di Eccellenze will be there once again, with all our heart.

We invite you to join, support, and share. Mark your calendars: August 9, 2025. Because every territory deserves pride. And there’s no pride without love.

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