. In 1948 Matera was defined “national shame” by prime minister Togliatti. Indeed Matera became affected by the post-war crisis, inside the traditional cave-dwellings men found themselves living together with animals, for this reason the diseases spread and the population was decimated.
In 1950 was issued the special law for the displacement of the city; requiring the population to move into the new districts favouring the emptying of the historic district. During these years many famous film-maker, such as Tornatore, Pasolini and Mel Gibson shot their movies.
In 1993 UNESCO declares Matera as a World Heritage Sit and on 17th October 2014 Matera becomes European Capital of Culture 2019.
Matera is city, community, cohesion, it is willpower. Matera must be an example because is the exact symbol of life: the extreme initial difficulties, the arrival at the lowest point, the nickname “City of Shame”, the desire to get up, to redeem itself; the awareness of having strength, of rebelling and innovating; the climb up to touch the highest point with a new name, “City of European Culture”.