South-East Sicily, a shared vision

A region is understood by listening to its stories. This is where our way of narrating it, promoting it, and imagining its future comes from.

Who we are

From heritage, a new vision

Southeast Sicily was born from the desire to look with new eyes at a land we've always known. Historical and artistic research meets storytelling, architecture, design, and the experience of travel.

The association brings together local people and expertise. This network gives rise to cultural initiatives and development proposals that respect the local identity and open up new possibilities.

People, ideas, projects

A network that generates the future

People with diverse expertise work in Southeast Sicily: art history, architecture, research, communication, and firsthand knowledge of the region. This collaboration allows us to move from storytelling to project idea, involving the necessary professionals as needed.

Every initiative begins with a concrete question: what history does this place hold, and what new life can it welcome without losing itself?

Goals

The main objectives

Today, South-East Sicily is an active network of relationships, working with determination, passion, and expertise to enhance the region.
To realize its vision, the Association sets itself the following objectives:

1. Promote Local Excellence

Promote typical products, local crafts, cultural and gastronomic traditions, creating opportunities for divisibility and marketing for local businesses.

2. Promote Collaboration and the Exchange of Experiences

Create a collaborative network between local businesses, institutions, and associations to foster innovation, economic and social development, and foster strategic partnerships.

3. Actively Engage the Community

Organize events, workshops, and cultural and social activities that actively engage residents and foster a sense of belonging and pride in their local area.

4. Support Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Promote sustainable and responsible practices among businesses and raise community awareness on environmental and social issues.

Founders of the association

The founders of South-East Sicily

South-East Sicily was born from an idea by art historian Tony Giunta and the encounter with people who share a concern for this region. The association preserves the strength of collective work: diverse visions, a common ground to be shared and promoted.

Learn about Tony Giunta's career path →

See biography

Tony Giunta

President and Founder
See biography
See biography

Corrado Grasso

Founding Member
See biography
See biography

Paul Florio

Founding Member
See biography
See biography

Michael Marziano

Founding Member
See biography
See biography

Joseph Borgese

Founding Member
See biography

South-East

The territory and excellence of south-eastern Sicily

The southeastern Sicily region is a harmonious blend of diverse landscapes, ranging from the stunning coastline to the charming villages of the hinterland. Each place is an authentic expression of a profound history, made up of knowledge, traditions, and connections with nature. A rich heritage of cultural, productive, and environmental excellence that makes our region unique.

Discover the area
Discover the excellences

Projects

The projects of the South-East Sicily Association

South-East Sicily's projects are tools for growth and cohesion, designed to promote the region's resources and engage local communities in a shared and sustainable development journey.

G7 Agriculture and Fisheries 2024

The G7 Agriculture and Fisheries 2024 was the perfect springboard for the birth of something great.
Participation in the 2024 G7 Agriculture and Fisheries Summit, held in the international setting of Ortigia, Syracuse, represented a historic moment for our association.


Find out more

Digital communication and territorial valorization

Our association's free and ongoing contribution to promoting Avola around the world.
The South-East Sicily Association has always believed in the power of images and digital technologies as concrete tools for territorial valorization.



Find out more

Sicily Mirabilia

A digital project to help you discover Avola anytime, anywhere, right on your smartphone.
In 2021, Sicily Mirabilia was born, an innovative project to enhance the local area, entirely conceived, created, and donated free of charge to the city by our association. It enjoys the free patronage and logistical support of the Municipality of Avola.
Find out more
See the projects

Projects

The projects of the South-East Sicily Association

South-East Sicily's projects are tools for growth and cohesion, designed to promote the region's resources and engage local communities in a shared and sustainable development journey.

G7 Agriculture and
Fishing 2024

The G7 Agriculture and Fisheries 2024 was the perfect springboard for the birth of something great.
Find out more

Digital communication and territorial valorization

Our association's free and ongoing contribution to promoting Avola around the world.
Find out more

Sicily Mirabilia

A digital project to help you discover Avola anytime, anywhere, right on your smartphone.
Find out more

Let's discover Avola by bike

Pedal through the city's history, landscapes, and hidden gems.
Find out more
See the projects

Join the network

Join the South-East Sicily Association

Join the South-East Sicily Association to become an active part of promoting our cultural, natural, and productive heritage. Whether you're a citizen, a business, or a professional, network with us: share ideas, participate in projects, and support change.

Join the network

Joseph Borgese

Founding Member - Human Resources Manager - Officine Sociali

There are those who observe Sicily from afar and those, like Giuseppe, who experience it every day as a promise. Born in 1984, Giuseppe Borgese is one of the founding members of Sicilia Sud-Est, bound to his fellow adventurers by a rare bond: a mutual respect that has transformed into friendship, and then into a project.

It is precisely from this alchemy—a shared passion, shared vision, and countless coffees—that Sicilia Sud-Est was born, with the aim of promoting a region that has it all: nature, history, flavors, beauty, and an identity yet to be explored. Always drawn to organization, management, and social issues, Giuseppe has transformed his passions into a career. Today, he is the Human Resources Manager for Officine Sociali, an organization that manages Repatriation Centers (CPR) and First Reception Centers (CPA) throughout Italy, in close collaboration with the Prefectures. A role that requires balance, empathy, and expertise—qualities he also brings to our association.
Giuseppe believes in the strength of bonds, the importance of teamwork, and above all, in what can happen when diverse people combine their energy, ideas, and love for their homeland. It is with this spirit that he contributes every day to the growth of Sicilia Sud-Est.

Michael Marziano

Founding member - Founder and contact person for the Martian Patronage and Practices of Avola

A graduate of the University of Catania's Faculty of Political Science, Michele has always been involved in social work. Today, he is a key figure in the local community, working in the service sector, including social welfare agencies and trade unions, offering concrete support to individuals. His daily experience working with residents has allowed him to develop a clear understanding of the community's real needs.

A key player in the South East Sicily project from the very beginning, Michele was among the first to believe in the vision born from a friendship and shared discussions with Tony Giunta, President of the association. An idea born almost as a game, born from shared passions and dreams for the region, which today takes shape with commitment, concreteness, and a strong sense of identity.

A graduate of the University of Catania's Faculty of Political Science, Michele has always been involved in social work. Today, he is a key figure in the local community, working in the service sector, including social welfare agencies and trade unions, offering concrete support to individuals. His daily experience working with residents has allowed him to develop a clear understanding of the community's real needs.

A key player in the South East Sicily project from the very beginning, Michele was among the first to believe in the vision born from a friendship and shared conversations with Tony Giunta, the association's president. An idea born almost as a game, born from shared passions and dreams for the region, which today takes shape with commitment, concreteness, and a strong sense of identity. You just have to remove the fact that you're a graduate, then you start studying, and soon you'll be dedicating yourself.

Paul Florio

Founding member - Architect

A founding member of the Sicilia Sud Est association, Paolo has shared from the very beginning the vision of a region to be promoted with an authentic and deeply rooted perspective. A close friend of Tony Giunta, with whom he grew up since childhood, they shared not only a deep friendship but also a shared educational background and a shared understanding of the region. Their reflections, academic pursuits, and shared passions shaped a coherent vision, born from experiences shared side by side, through study, discussion, and a love for their homeland.

Paolo studied at the Syracuse campus of the University of Catania's School of Architecture, where he gained in-depth knowledge of the region and strengthened his design vision. He has designed numerous homes and high-quality projects in the hills of Avola and Noto, championing an architectural vision deeply rooted in the landscape, context, and local identity. His philosophy perfectly aligns with that of Sicilia Sud Est: to polarize the region, enhance what makes us unique, and build beauty in service of the community. His presence in the association represents a bridge between the technical and cultural worlds, between passion and professionalism.

Corrado Grasso

Founding member - Biologist

Certain passions are born from small gestures, from slow glances at the landscape, from silent steps along the paths of one's homeland. Corrado Grasso, born in Noto on January 23, 1993, is one of those who doesn't just study the land: he lives it, explores it, and talks about it. With a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Catania, he is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Health Biology, pursuing his academic career with passion and rigor.

At the same time, he works as a biologist at the Campisi laboratory in Avola, a professional environment where he can apply his scientific skills to practical applications. But science isn't the only world in which Corrado moves naturally. His journey has been profoundly influenced by scouting, which instilled in him a love of nature, respect for the environment, and a sense of community. Added to this was photography, which for him is much more than a hobby: it's a tool for observing, documenting, and preserving the hidden beauty of the landscape. It's precisely from the union of these souls—scientific rigor, environmental sensitivity, and an artistic gaze—that his enthusiasm for Southeastern Sicily is born. A project he feels at home in, because it speaks the language he knows best: that of care, identity, and discovery.

Tony Giunta

President and Founder - Cultural Heritage Expert - City Councilor of Avola

Behind every powerful idea, there's always a heartfelt motivation. For Tony Giunta, the driving force behind the South-East Sicily project, this motivation is his love for his homeland. As an expert in cultural heritage and an active figure in local politics, he has always chosen to invest energy, expertise, and time in narrating, protecting, and promoting southeastern Sicily.

With a keen eye for culture, landscape, and agricultural excellence, Tony has spearheaded concrete initiatives over the years, engaging citizens, institutions, businesses, and cultural operators. His ability to create real connections was crucial to the creation of the Circoli Sicilia Sud-Est (Southeast Sicily Circles), now present in several municipalities across the region. Under his leadership, the Association has become a hub for projects ranging from food and wine promotion to cultural events, including training activities, civic participation, and local policies.
His work is not just vision, it is a daily presence and fully embodies the values that hold the team of founding members together: belonging, responsibility, and authentic love for their land.