For 140 years, Piobbico has been recognized as the world capital of ugly people, but in recent years the village movement has flourished into a worldwide movement.
Set in a valley between the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea in central Italy, Piobbico is a typical Mediterranean region, with stone buildings and lush forests. But despite its natural beauty, it is known for the "ugliness" of its inhabitants.
Since 1879, in the village of 2,000 inhabitants, there has been the Club dei Brutti, an association whose members believe that "a person is not the one who looks outward". Today known as the "World Association of the Ugly People", the club has more than 30,000 members from 25 countries around the world.
Club Dei Brutti was originally conceived as a place that would serve the city's single women, but later transformed into another dimension. The purpose of the club was to remind people that physical beauty is irrelevant. Today, it is quite easy to become a part of the club. Its senior members should simply judge the appearance of those who seek to be part of it. Once examined, they determine the physical appearance from "indeterminate" to "extremely ugly".
It should be said that the club members are not "ugly" - their purpose is to celebrate the inner beauty.
On the first Sunday of September, people from all over the world gather in Piobbico to attend the Annual Festival of Ugly People, where members elect the president. They all eat cornstarch and pasta.
In a country like Italy, which always draws attention to ~ la bellezza ~, this small corner of the country proves the importance of being original.
Source: BBC, Daily Hive, Tripadvisor.com
