When Agrigento was declared the Italian Capital of Culture for 2025 on May 25, 2023, the significance of the title and the preparations it required may not have been immediately clear. The journey since has been long and fraught with challenges, setbacks, and high hopes.

The year 2024 brought severe droughts that exacerbated water shortages across much of Sicily and parts of Italy. Agrigento, where water scarcity has been a persistent issue, found itself in an especially precarious situation, prompting urgent action by local authorities.