On Saturday, two young Italian-Montrealers, Julia Scala and Alicia Costa Iannicelli, organized a cleanup event in Saint-Leonard.
“Just sensitizing people outside being active in real life were stepping away from technologies, stepping away from screens and bring people to do some real human action which I still think value so dearly,” said Iannicelli.
“The goal with this in St. Leonard at a local park is to sensitize as many citizens as we can, because it is the small actions that make a difference for our future.”
Scala adding, “They have to do this every day, cleaning the park, and what is the small part of the environment every day, because it has to have a healthier and cleaner environment.”
Several citizens joined the call to clean up Ferland Park, and ECO-QUARTIER helped sensitize residents amid the waste collection.
“Well I’m cleaning up the park, all the plastic and everything you could try a find into the grass, slow the things you know, you don’t see them but we have to look for it,” said one volunteer who was helping to clean the park.
Another said, “I thought that it’s a great initiative to come clean the park. I know the park is relatively clean, but if you look for it, you’ll find pieces of plastic on the floor and things to pick up. So, a great initiative by the ladies, and I’m happy to be here.”
Scale’s mother Sandra Siciliano says her daughter and Costa had the idea to clean the park to help the Earth for them and future generations.
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“Developing an ecological consciousness that allows us to be more respectful of whatever environment we live in, from nature to urban centers, is one of the most complicated and important challenges of this and future generations,” said Siciliano.
Arij El Korbi, a councilor for St. Leonard says, “This is a continuity of the Italian community in Saint-Leonard, I think when their grandparents came here this is what they were hoping that her grandchildren, their grandchildren, would still be participating to give back to Saint-Leonard.”
The girls also co-founded the podcast “Stemm Chat with Julia” in early 2024. It covers various subjects, including the environment.
“It’s a platform to share conversations with specialists and doctors, like science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine,” explained Costa.