This Italian town is using its Arnold Schwarzenegger link to give population a boost

Italian bodybuilder and actor Franco Columbu's native town of Ollolai, located in the mountainous Barbagia region of Sardinia is using his connection to Arnold Schwarzenegger to increase the population level and 'revitalise' the town. 

10 American professionals are moving to the small town, paying a token rent of  €1 (86p) a month, under the project named Work from Ollolai, launched by the local council in collaboration with the Sa Mata association. 

Columbu, whom Schwarzenegger called his “best friend", moved to the US state of California in the late 1960s after spending his initial years in the rural town. The shepherd-turned-boxer then went on to win Mr Europe and Mr Universe titles. He met Schwarzenegger in the mid-60s and the duo instantly forged a brotherly relationship that became a lifetime bond. 

Columbu appeared alongside Schwarzenegger in The Terminator, the Running Man and Conan the Barbarian. He died in hospital in his native Sardinia in 2019. 

Afterwards, the actor and former governor of California penned a heartfelt Instagram tribute wherein he said his life was “more fun, more colourful, and more complete” thanks to Columbu. 

“From the minute we met in Munich, you were my partner in crime. We pushed each other, we competed with each other, and we laughed at every moment along the way," wrote Schwarzenegger. 

“I’d left my family, my country, my whole life behind. So when I asked Joe Weider to bring you to train with me, it was because I knew I wasn’t the same without my best friend. I could thrive without money, without my parents, but I couldn’t thrive without you.”

Other nationalities may be invited later

According to Francesco Columbu, mayor of Ollolai, the motive behind the new initiative is to revitalise the town. 

“Revitalising the town, improving the life of inhabitants and curbing depopulation are our objectives. We believe ours is a nice place to live and work remotely, offering a lifestyle made up of nature, tranquillity, healthy food and traditions," said the mayor. 

The first group of American professionals will live and work alongside roughly 1,300 people that reside in the town. Americans were purely picked due to the town's link to the country. If the initial project is successful, other nationalities will be eligible as well and a website for the applications will be established. 

Italy's population crisis 

Notably, Italy has been facing a population crisis in recent times. A report presented by National Statistics Bureau ISTAT in April stated that the birth rate in the European country touched a historic low in 2022 with less than seven newborns for every 1,000 inhabitants. The population shrank by 179,000 to 58.85 million, added the agency. 

The Italian population has been on a downward slope since 2008 but it was for the first time that the number sunk below the 400,000 mark. Italy recorded only 392,600 births in 2022, down from 400,249 recorded in the previous year.