Bancarella scores well at the 57nd Barcolana

Positive results for the Bancarella at the 57nd Barcolana

October 13, 2025 – Over 1.800 sailboats in the waters of the Gulf of Trieste graced the 57th edition of the Barcolana, now the largest regatta in the world. Among the many boats competing seriously or simply enjoying a pleasant Sunday at sea, Victoria – Algheroexperience , owner Salvatore Taccini's vessel, also made a strong impression. She flew the flag of Fertilia, a city of welcome and inclusion, and the symbol of the National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia, finishing 312th overall and 37th in her category.

Participation in the sporting event sealed the calendar of initiatives organized by the ANVGD together with the Multimedia Documentation Center of the Julian, Istrian, Rijeka, and Dalmatian Culture and the Aegean Ecomuseum of Fertilia as part of the Bancarella. Eastern Adriatic Book Fair , whose stand was set up inside the Barcolana Village on the shores of Trieste. Short conferences and book presentations, documentary screenings, and multimedia projects were held there , and books, comics, brochures, and informational materials were distributed and appreciated. The common denominator: the history, culture, traditions, identity, and future prospects of Adriatic Italianness, conceived both in its exile component and by involving the indigenous Italian community residing in Istria, Karnaro, and Dalmatia.

Once the sporting event was over, there was still time to finally present, together with the dynamic Vittorio Baroni, one of the most interesting initiatives within his Northeast Adriatic Europe Project: the second edition of the Ammiraglia, the Venice-Istria-Lossino regatta. This first took place last summer, but is already planning a repeat in 2026, with the aim of strengthening cross-border relations between the two shores of the Adriatic, a sea that unites without borders.

Mauro Manca is the director of the Egea Ecomuseum in Fertilia, dedicated to the Julian-Dalmatian exodus (the Sardinian-founded city, left incomplete at the outbreak of World War II, later welcomed hundreds of exiles) and to Egea Haffner, the little girl with the suitcase immortalized in a photograph that has become an icon for Istrian, Fiume, and Dalmatian exiles. He was the main architect of this exhibition: "The bond between Fertilia and Trieste is strengthened, beyond the institutional visit that our Alghero administration had the honor and pleasure of conducting at the Town Hall with Mayor Roberto Dipiazza. We were enormously pleased to have Minister Marina Elvira Calderone as our guest, who came to Trieste specifically to receive the FertiliArt 2025-2050 Award for her commitment to raising awareness of Fertilia's history and what it represents. The daughter of an Istrian exile from Raša, the Minister once again demonstrated sensitivity and attention to the new message we are conveying to protect and raise awareness of the identity of Italians in the eastern Adriatic. At our meeting with her, we were joined by three regional councilors (Alessia Rosolen, officially representing the Fedriga government, Pierpaolo Roberti, and Fabio Scoccimarro), Mayor Dipiazza, the Hon. Nicole Matteoni, and other institutional figures and representatives of exile associations. " Go Paris!" the Minister said, concluding her speech by referring to the Sardinian motto, which is also ours: "Unity is strength!"

Renzo Codarin , National President of the ANVGD, expressed great satisfaction : "The Bancarella is increasingly becoming a showcase not only for the publications and projects of the exodus associations, but also for new ideas and proposals with which we wish to publicize our history in the European context, which now also includes the Adriatic Sea. Projects with the new generations of exodus and our compatriots from the eastern Adriatic, synergies between exile associations, and opportunities for cultural enrichment have distinguished our presence, and we have once again demonstrated the strength of our institutional relationships, both locally and nationally: we were pleased to hear Minister Calderone promise that he will join our Cagliari Committee. Finally, a round of applause goes to Mauro Manca and his staff, who have brought ideas and enthusiasm to our community."

Lorenzo Salimbeni