WORKERS MEMORIAL

On April 28, 2016, the Committee for the Italian Fallen Workers Memorial Project, along with Villa Charities, with the support of the Consul General of Italy, and an incredible family of donors, was proud to formally unveil the Italian Fallen Workers Memorial Wall, honouring almost one thousand workers of Italian origin killed in workplace tragedies across Ontario. In 2017, almost a thousand new names were added, broadening the project to include workers of Italian origin who were killed in these terrible tragedies across our great nation, from 1900 to today. Our thanks to the Italian Fallen Workers Memorial Project Committee for their tireless efforts in bringing to light the significant contributions of these fallen workers to the social and economic growth of Canada.

In 2018, we were truly humbled and honoured that Villa Charities, along with the Committee for the Italian Fallen Workers Memorial Project and the fallen workers and their families, was presented with the Medaglia d’Oro al Merito Civile, one of the highest honours given by Italy. We have been asked to hold it in trust on behalf of the fallen workers, their families and our entire Italian-Canadian community. This is the first time ever that the honour was awarded outside of Italy. It will be held in perpetuity by Villa Charities.