Montreal set to host Viva Vittoria project from Italy in 2025

Montreal will host the Viva Vittoria project from Italy next year, which raises awareness about violence against women by covering public spaces with knitted and crocheted blankets.

The Italian-based project has been successfully done in 34 cities across Europe and will debut in Montreal on May 10, 2025.

Nori Bortoluzzi is the Executive Director of Viva Vittoria Montreal and the founder of the Nota Bene Foundation.

She said the whole project involves getting volunteers to knit and crochet 50 by 50-centimetre squares which get turned into blankets.

“At some point, all of these squares will be assembled to make blankets made up of four squares and then the blankets are then displayed on the day of the event here in Montreal,” explained Bortoluzzi. “But then it goes further. So, those blankets are then available to the general public to make a donation and by making a donation, they get to select the blankets. The money raised from the donations goes towards four women’s shelters that we have identified here in Montreal.”

The shelters that will benefit from this event in Montreal are: Auberge Shalom, Chez Doris, Fondation Chaînon, and the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal. 

This initiative was inspired by the original project in Brescia, Italy in 2015 and the blankets were displayed at Piazza Vittoria.

This will mark the first time this project will be done outside of Europe.

“The cause is very important,” said Viva Vittoria volunteer Matteo Rosi. “I myself am the uncle of two little nieces and when we talk about violence against women, it’s something that touches me personally very close to my heart but also touches many people.”

Rosi added that knitting embodies the values of Italian culture.

“To me, these blankets are really pieces of art but also love letters to the cause and to everyone that will end up donating to the cause.”

Bortoluzzi first came across the project in Modena, Italy and she said she loved the energy around the Viva Vittoria.

“The project found me. It was my first day in Modena and I was walking. It was filled with blankets and people were busy working, men and women and children and the energy was amazing.”

According to Viva Vittoria, knitting is a metaphor for self-creation and self-development.

It was chosen as a powerful stance against gender-based violence and to raise funds for the cause.

“There’s something very special working with your hands. It’s like what you create with your hands just adds more meaning to the whole project,” noted Bortoluzzi.

The organization says they’re looking for volunteers of all ages to help. Viva Vittoria also offers knitting circles for those who don’t know how.

“There’s other types of help that we might need because we’re going to need to be able to put the squares together,” said Viva Vittoria volunteer Michelle Bouffard. “So, make a choice as to which squares look best together, but also to sew them together as well. There will be various ways of getting involved and you’ll find that out on our social media pages.”

The event will take place on the Esplanade at Place Ville Marie in downtown Montreal.