Bozen – What on earth is going on? I may no longer be a ‘spring chicken’, but am I so out of touch, that my dismay at the extent of graffiti in Bolzano town centre is not shared by more persons? Wherever you go, there are signs of gratuitous vandalism – private properties, business premises, museums and galleries, all being defaced needlessly. And yet I see very few signs of public outcry. Is this lack of reaction just an absence of community spirit, is it fear, or is it that all too widespread notion, that it is somebody else’s responsibility? Surely it cannot be appreciation of what is going on. To add further insult to the injury take note that all this pointless degradation of a historical, cultural, and thriving centre is becoming more and more commonplace at a time, when the Civic Authorities and Provincial Government are pushing forward with Bolzano’s candidature for European Capital of Culture in 2019. May the good Lord save us is all I can say. At a time, when there should be a drive towards people’s sense of belonging, sense of purpose in urban development, and sense of pride in one’s town, there would appear to be a certain disinterest in dealing with a problem likely to jeopardise any claim to be a modern avant-garde city. The local Tourism Board proclaims that Bolzano is a meeting point of cultures at the heart of Europe, the town’s leading hotel states that you can step out and enjoy a multitude of pleasures in the main town square and immediate surrounds. Well, if you enjoy seeing ‘Ouch’ and ‘Sexy Boy’ and other inane words daubed on every street corner, and on many stores and shops along the way, then the claims certainly ring true. And worse than worse is that the phenomenon has now spread to monuments (just look at the Neptune Fountain in Piazza Erbe, and the iconic bridges going across from the Museion, the museum of contemporary art).
Do not get me wrong, for I am not condemning street art or murals which are produced by Youth Associations, and I recognize that an array of art and creative expression can add to a town’s appearance, but surely we cannot remain immobil when such senseless and self-perpetuating actions are matters of fact in our everyday lives. Closer examination would show that there are not hundreds involved in this activity, but a relative few, who do a lot and are able to roam around town armed with sprays and seemingly unchallenged, free to ‘mark their patch’ as they wish. There is much well documented study on why this wilful damage happens and the peer acceptance and bravado which the perpetrators enjoy. My principal concern however is to sound a ‘wake up call’ to individuals, authorities, the press, and businesses, so as to create a sense of awareness and indeed reaction to what is going on. At a time, when incoming tourism and business investment are high priorities of the town’s governance, surely it is possible to take a measure or two to ‘kick the problem in the head’. I address my words to businesses in particular for whether they be retail outlets in the town centre or enterprises basing their activity in the region and looking to capitalise on the ‘very human qualities’ Bozen possesses as a place to live, work, and invest, there is a need to understand that the future is compromised, if the present state of affairs goes on. You may say I exaggerat but I fear I do not, for a lack of awareness and a lack of response will only lead to further deterioration, and when a town loses its pride and there is no sense of community and reaction to outside intrusion, the road to self-destruction is firmly in place. Capital of Culture my foot!
To be realistic for a moment, it must be said, that Bozen is not a metropolis and unlike other cities facing a problem of immense proportions, – I cite Milan as an example, where the problem has led to a sort of Special Forces Police being created to deal with the extent of the problem – , if there is the will and the application of sensible and effective resources, the problem can be greatly reduced.
How to go about it is a different question. The first requirement, I would say, is that the nature of the concern and the fact, that the behaviour is unacceptable, needs to be broadcast – in the schools, in the press, on the television, in business circles. Second, effective measures to apprehend and make an example of those responsible needs to be made. It is not sufficient for police to slowly drive through busy streets at sociable working times. This is not an effective means to dealing with the problem. Whilst not advocating the return of the famous cowboy duo Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to deal with the emergency, there are simple ways for non-uniformed officers to intelligently check prime target areas at those times, between 2 and 4 o clock in the morning, when damage is most likely to be caused. There is no finer deterrent than catching a thief or two and publicising the fact and dealing out suitable punishment.
The list of measures to be taken could go on, and on but in conclusion to this article I suggest that the real need is for persons to treat the question as a conversation topic, to bring it up in coffee time and over dinner conversations, so that the word and the concern begins to spread. As is always the case Civic Authorities have a list of priorities as long as your arm and it is only pressure brought to bear by interest groups which will result in action being taken to curtail the problem. That is why the business community and their representatives need to lead the way and clearly communicate that the present sad and painful circumstance is not allowed to persist and to flourish. Believe it or believe it not, the actual situation is a damage to business prospects for shoppers, tourists, conference delegates, and potential investors do take note as they walk around, and if they are encircled by a sickening display of graffiti everywhere they move, then they stop coming. It’s ever so simple!
The author: Geoff Barclay spends much time in South Tyrol for business and pleasure and his ‚Brain International Ltd‘ assists individuals, companies and organisations in their internationalisation process – via market entry and business development support and a range of services embracing training, translations, and language immersion abroad – all intended to better equip the interested party looking to expand horizons.