‘The Big Event’ to Clean the Streets of Florence

ISI students participating in ‘The Big Event’

‘The Big Event’ initiative is part of a well-established tradition of volunteer work by American university students in Florence and Tuscany, in collaboration with neighbourhood, local, and territorial volunteer associations. This year’s cleanup will be held on March 26 at 2 pm. 

The initiative, now in its 11th year, was born out of a collaboration between the Via Maggio Association and James Madison University. It was created out of a desire to address local issues such as mural vandalism in the Santo Spirito district and has since grown into a wide-reaching programme that aims to preserve the streets of Florence. 

This year’s clean-up will not focus on tackling graffiti but will be centred around cleaning rubbish off the ground, such as cigarette butts and bottle tops in addition to removing stickers on city walls.

The three participating universities are Florida State University, James Madison University, and the International Studies University. ISI and James Madison University will be meeting in Piazza Santo Spirito at 2 pm, where they will get to know each other and take some group photos, then each school will cover their own activity area. 

James Madison University will be working in various areas of the Oltrarno near their campus between Santo Spirito and Piazza Tasso. Students will meet at Piazza Tasso at 3:45 pm, where they will have gelato together before heading back to school.

Florida State University will cover the area near their campus on via dei Neri, before moving to the Arno area a couple of streets over. They will end at Piazza della Signoria. 

The ISI will be joining slightly later at 2:30 pm, as their classes finish late. They will start in their square on Lungarno delle Grazie and will work their way towards Piazza Demidoff.

The volunteer initiative is open to anyone interested in participating, and organisers encourage locals and tourists alike to join in. With more than a decade of success behind it, this event highlights the importance of volunteer work in maintaining Florence, while fostering cooperation between American students and their host city.  (Mina Lozanova)