‘Peace is the path’: Italian-Montrealers commemorate end of WWII, 80 years since Italian liberation day
Posted May 2, 2025 5:04 pm.
Last Updated May 1, 2026 2:43 pm.
Today marks 80 years since World War II came to an end in Italy.
May 2, 1945 marks the definitive defeat of Nazism and fascism in Italy, with the complete surrender of Germany to Allied forces.
A few days later, on May 8, World War II came to an end fully all over Europe. An event that the “No Stone Left Alone Memorial Foundation” has decided to commemorate by honouring the 29 Canadian-Italians laid to rest at the National Field of Honour in Pointe-Claire.
“It was very important to underline the sacrifice of these Italian Canadians who fought in Italy to affirm the values of freedom,” said Fortunato Mangiola, Deputy Consul General of Italy in Montreal. “Peace and democracy and a testament for future generations.”
“As a first generation Canadian-Italian, I remember my father telling me stories of the hardships that they lived through the Second World War,” said Roberto Sforza, police officer and member of the Canadian Armed Forces.
“My father having fought with the Fifth Army at the Battle of Monte Cassino, and the hardships that my mother lived through as a young child in her native city of Bari.”
“It’s important to honour the liberation, but we took time to remember those who gave their sacrifice their life for us,” said Rocco Speranza, the Quebec Coordinator of the No Stone Left Alone Memorial Foundation.
“We had 28 veterans, Italian-Canadians, buried here. We added them, we called their name,” he added. “But having someone say this brings the community together, allows us to remember, honour, peace and unity all together.”
“Growing up as a child, history in the schools didn’t cover this part of World War II,” said Speranza. “I learned it through my family, my uncles who served in World War II. Partially, my grandfather heard his story and never met the gentleman he had passed. But for my parents as well and cousins, many of them did serve time in the prison camp of war.”
That’s exactly what pushed Speranza to organize a ceremony honouring the memory of those who fought for our freedom and to keep alive stories that might otherwise get lost.
“Today we often hear there’s 195 countries in the world, there’s 52 ongoing wars,” said Tony Loffreda, Canadian Senator representing Quebec. “Think about that for a second, 52 ongoing wars.”
“It’s unthinkable,” he added.
“One of the most important and nicest words in every vocabulary, every language, is ‘thank you’,” said Loffreda. “We have to say ‘thank you’ to those that sacrificed their lives for us, for our freedom, for our peace.”
“We have to keep educating,” he added. “Educating our youth, promoting peace and striving for peace.”
“Peace is the path.”
