A citizen volunteer initiative brings American citizens to Castelvetrano

A citizen volunteer initiative brought four American citizens to Castelvetrano to contribute to a rehabilitation project at the ‘Ciuri di Zagara’ exploration base, set up on land seized from the businessman Giuseppe Grigoli, considered to have close ties to the Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro.

The volunteers, including three freelancers and a former banker, took part through a program promoted by the US-based organization ‘Global Volunteers’, which found a local representative in Giovanni Parrino. The project, realized in collaboration with Agesci (Association of Italian Catholic Guides and Scouts), involved volunteers in various activities, from cleaning and maintaining the land to pruning the citrus trees on the site in Via Seggio.

In addition to the land maintenance work, two of the American volunteers made an artistic contribution by painting a mural on one of the walls of the structure and restoring an antique chest, thus enriching the heritage of the exploration base. “It was a wonderful experience of mutual enrichment and sharing,” said Giovanni Parrino, “which strengthened social and cultural ties between the participants and promoted development and peace processes.”

The project concluded with a communal moment organized by the scout group Agesci Castelvetrano 1, which invited the volunteers to a dinner with typical Sicilian dishes, with the participation of Emanuela Indiano and the association ‘Noi’ OdV. This initiative not only provided a cultural exchange opportunity, but also a concrete example of how assets seized from the mafia can become symbols of rebirth and community.