Viviana Paltrinieri
TORONTalk: Living Stories of the City | Toronto
Viviana is the Office Manager of 50&Piu Enasco and SPG, supporting older adults in accessing services and staying connected to their communities. A lifelong lover of reading and literature, she believes stories connect people, bridge generations, and strengthen communities. This passion inspired her to create TORONTaIk, bringing people together through literature, creativity, and storytelling. Inspired by a previous storytelling project with the Italian Cultural Institute of Toronto, she creates spaces where older adults can share their experiences and feel valued. Older people hold the memory of our communities; listening to their stories preserves our past and enriches our future.
About the Project
TORONTalk is a seven-session storytelling program bringing together 20 older immigrants and long-time Toronto residents. Through shared readings, creative activities, games, and storytelling, participants explore their relationship with the city and transform personal memories into shared knowledge. The program culminates in a community festival featuring a Story Walk and interactive Story Tables, where residents of all ages create and share stories. Visitors contribute Heart Maps identifying valued places, areas needing improvement, and ideas for more welcoming neighbourhoods. Young volunteer Story Keepers document the project through interviews, photography, and film, fostering intergenerational exchange.