A restaurant and cultural hub known as "Moltivolti" (many faces), which had become a place for migrant hospitality and inclusion in Palermo, was destroyed by fire. An investigation is underway to determine the cause.
Moltivolti (many faces), a restaurant and social business in the heart of the Ballarò district in Palermo, had become a symbol of Palermo as a multi-ethnic city.
On January 30, a fire broke out there and caused tens of thousands of euros in damage. The venue had recently completed an initiative to bring 10 refugees, including six women and two children, to the Sicilian capital.
The migrants, family members of Moltivolti chef Shapoor Safari, braved a long journey full of danger and were rescued from Taliban violence in Afghanistan.
Cause of fire under investigation
The cause of the fire that broke out at Moltivolti is currently under investigation. The restaurant is a social business founded in 2014 by a group of 14 people from eight different countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, France, Gambia, Italy, Senegal, Spain and Zambia.
The business includes four components -- restaurant, co-working, non-profit association and sustainable tourism. The organization's directors broke the news of the fire on their Facebook page.
"This is news that we never would have wanted to give you. A fire, which broke out for reasons still unknown, has seriously damaged our dear Moltivolti. As you can imagine, we are in shock to see the fruit of years of work literally go up in flames, and despite the immediate support of our network, the pain is immense. We will take a few hours to calculate the damage and reconstruct what happened to put all the necessary measures in place," they wrote.
Local firefighters intervened to put out the blaze, and initial reports indicate the fire may have been started by a malfunctioning air conditioning unit.
Mayor Orlando and other politicians express support
"In this moment of pain and despair I stand with the owners, employees and all those who each day enliven Moltivolti, which is a welcoming place of integration," said Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando.
Erasmo Palazzotto, an MP from Palermo, said, "You are not alone. We will reopen and we will be stronger."
Mario Ridulfo, general secretary of CGIL Palermo labor union, also expressed solidarity. "Moltivolti represents one of the most significant, concrete and interesting experiences of integration and work in Palermo," he said.