The National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia was founded in 1947 with the aim of protecting and maintaining together the tens of thousands of refugees – native Italians – from Venezia Giulia, Carnaro and Dalmatia that the Peace Treaty of 10 February 1947 had ceded to the former Yugoslavia. The initiatives of the Association, which today is divided into over 40 provincial Committees, have brought a decisive contribution in the field of legislative measures adopted by Parliament to resolve the problems of the Julian-Dalmatian exodus, from laws for public housing to those for compensation for lost property in the ceded territories. Today the ANVGD is committed not only to resolving the issues still open with the Government (abandoned property, teacher training seminars, registry issues, etc.), but also to promoting testimonies and research on the "complex story of the eastern Italian border".

After difficult years for in-person activities, the ANVGD can finally hold its XXII National Congress in Gorizia from 14 to 16 October at the Hotel Entourage (Piazza Sant'Antonio, 2). The Isonzo capital was chosen as a location linked to the Great War, which for the Julian-Dalmatians represented the Fourth War of Independence, as well as a place of welcome for thousands of exiles after the Second World War and a symbol of the border imposed on 10 February 1947 in such a way as to cross the Venezia Giulia and Gorizia itself. However, the ANVGD looks with great participation to 2025, the year in which Gorizia and Nova Gorica together will be the European Capital of Culture. This will be an opportunity to affirm how the European process for exiles represents the overcoming of ancient frictions, in line with the initiatives launched by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.

The congressional works will open on Friday 14 October at 16:00 with the reports held by the National President Renzo Codarin and by Donatella Schürzel, Alessandro Cuk and Maria Elena Depetroni (members of the National Executive) in order to illustrate the activities carried out by the outgoing management. Furthermore, the last changes will be made to the Statute which has already been the subject of revision during two Extraordinary Congresses that took place after the previous National Congress in Rome 2016.

The day of Saturday 15 October will be particularly intense, opening with greetings from President Codarin, the Mayor of Gorizia Rodolfo Ziberna, the Councillor for heritage, state property, general services and information systems of the autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia Sebastiano Callari and the President of the Provincial Committee of Gorizia of ANVGD Maria Grazia Ziberna: further interventions by institutional representatives and representatives of the Julian-Dalmatian associations are awaiting confirmation. The election of the new National Council is scheduled for the afternoon, which will meet immediately to nominate the National President.

At the end of the works, the documentary on Monsignor Santin “Defensor Civitatis” by Giovanni Ziberna and the trailers of the films “Il bosco di San Marco” (i.e. the forests surrounding Montona in Istria), and “Senza malizia”, dedicated to the Istrian actress Laura Antonelli, will be screened: these are popularization projects to which the ANVGD is dedicating itself, involving high-level professionals and researchers.

Finally, on Sunday 16 October, at 9:30 a tribute to the Fallen will be held with the laying of a wreath in Largo Martiri delle Foibe; this will be followed at 10:30 by Mass in the church of the Madonna della Misericordia in via Pola 20 in the Julian-Dalmatian district of Campagnuzza.

Lorenzo Salimbeni
Communications Manager National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia