by Silvia Cazzola, VP Controller and Rep Dir, Italy
As part of our Sonnedix Italy Away Day, we wanted to give our team a unique experience where they would see our beautiful Milan from a different perspective. As a native of Italy, it is important for me that my colleagues see the places we live and their communities beyond our most famous tourist attractions, in addition to beginning the year with a heart full of gratitude and acknowledgment of the beauty we are surrounded by.
We leveraged the collaboration set up four years ago with “Gatti Spiazzati” (The Displaced Cats Association) by taking a tour of the Milano by Leonardo (Da Vinci) in mid-January, led by Aldo Scaiano.
Thanks to Aldo and his friends Federico, Marco, and Gianni, our team came to learn how a part of Milan was developed, how boats were used to bring goods to Milan, and how canals (Navigli) and weirs were used.
These are some unique and untold stories that only Gatti Spiazzati could collect.
In fact, Gatti Spiazzati is a charity association supporting homeless and unemployed individuals by providing them with the resources and self-esteem to be reintegrated into society. Through this initiative, these tours help them interact with many people - locals and tourists- by being Milan's storytellers. Throughout the years, they collected many stories, including rumors, and now they have a way to share with those willing to slow down and listen.
Our Sonnedix Italy team is thankful to our tour guides for this opportunity to see Milan from their eyes and educate ourselves about an often-forgotten group of individuals in our community.
Sonnedix Italy has partnered with this organization since 2019, and we look forward to nurturing the relationship for years to come by increasing awareness of this noble cause.
To conclude the day, our team had a fantastic evening of dining and dancing.