The headquarters of Addiopizzo is a place of active commitment in the fight against the Mafia, against extortion, and to counter educational poverty and social exclusion.
The building, located in the historic centre of Palermo and confiscated from the Cosa Nostra boss Masino Spadaro, is a place of support for victims of extortion and loan sharking. It is also a space where boys and girls living in conditions of educational and economic poverty receive after-school support.
The headquarters is a space for developing critical thinking and for promoting critical consumption through the “Pago chi non paga” campaign, aimed at building a network of economic practices that offer an alternative to the Mafia system.
Throughout the year, the building hosts initiatives, visits, and meetings with schools, associations, law enforcement agencies, magistrates, and representatives of public institutions, in order to share the determination and hope of those who have chosen not to give in to Mafia intimidation.
On the occasion of the inauguration of the headquarters in 2010, Addiopizzo chose to dedicate the confiscated building to Mario Bignone.
Mario Bignone was the first officer of the Palermo Mobile Squad who, in 2006, opened the offices of the Organized Crime Unit to us and initiated a collaborative relationship with Addiopizzo. This cooperation helped encourage entrepreneurs and shopkeepers to report extortion.
Mario Bignone was not only a police officer with outstanding professional skills who served the State and supported the city of Palermo in the fight against Cosa Nostra. He was a key figure in the growth of Addiopizzo, and in his memory the headquarters stands as a place of hope and struggle, but above all of renewal, for a city that refuses to give up and looks to the future with confidence and determination.
The headquarters of Addiopizzo is open to the public from Monday to Friday, except Wednesdays, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, and welcomes anyone who wishes to visit.
