Institutional meeting on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, for the President of the Veneto Region, Alberto Stefani, with the leaders of the Federation of Associations of Istrian, Rijeka, and Dalmatian Exiles and the Italian Union, and with the Mayor of Gorizia, Rodolfo Ziberna.

The statement from FederEsuli: 

The President of the Veneto Region, Alberto Stefani, met with the leaders of the Federation of Associations of Istrian, Rijeka, and Dalmatian Exiles and the Italian Union, thus renewing a fruitful institutional collaboration with its members of the Italian community from the eastern Adriatic, both exiles and natives.

FederEsuli President Renzo Codarin was joined by Federation Vice Presidents Davide Rossi and Fabio Tognoni, while the Italian Union was represented by its President, Hon. Marin Corva, the President of the Executive Committee, Paolo Demarin, and the President of the Assembly, Marko Gregorič.

Also present was the Mayor of Gorizia, Rodolfo Ziberna, who shared the important experience of Go!2025, the first cross-border European Capital of Culture shared between Nova Gorica and Gorizia.

The partnership between the Region and FederEsuli has thus been confirmed for the institutional ceremony of Remembrance Day and teacher training. These are the most significant aspects of a synergy that modernizes and rekindles the spirit of brotherhood between the two shores of the Adriatic, a legacy of the centuries-old presence of the Most Serene Republic of Venice in Istria and Dalmatia, which ensured the welcome, reintegration, and opportunity to begin a new life in a peaceful environment for thousands of Julian-Dalmatian exiles hosted in the Refugee Reception Centers of the Veneto.

"We had a cordial and productive meeting that we were happy to share with our friends from the Italian Union," declared FederEsuli President Renzo Codarin. "In this regard, among the many activities we carry out with the Veneto Region, we are particularly proud of the Le Due Rive project , which trains Venetian teachers on the history of the Adriatic border, together with colleagues from Istrian schools in Italian, encouraging the exchange of teaching experiences and promoting twinning between schools."

The press release from the Italian Union: 

An institutional meeting was held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in Mestre between the Presidency of the Italian Union, the Veneto Region, and FederEsuli. The meeting was dedicated to strengthening relations and identifying new opportunities for collaboration and support for the indigenous Italian national community in Croatia and Slovenia. The meeting was attended by Marin Corva, President of the Italian Union; Paolo Demarin, President of the Executive Board of the Italian Union; Marko Gregorič, President of the Assembly of the Italian Union; Alberto Stefani, President of the Veneto Region; Renzo Codarin, President of FederEsuli; Vice Presidents Davide Rossi and Fabio Tognoni; and Rodolfo Ziberna, Mayor of Gorizia.

During the meeting, the leaders of the Italian Union outlined the UI's main activities and projects to those present, taking the opportunity to express their heartfelt thanks to the Veneto Region for its support through funding provided by Law 15/94. President Stefani was also invited to visit the Italian Union to gain a firsthand understanding of the Italian National Community and the numerous activities promoted to protect and enhance its identity, culture, and heritage. The President of the Veneto Region welcomed the invitation.

Particular attention was paid to the theme of identity and its protection and transmission to new generations, a commitment the UI pursues through a wide range of cultural and educational initiatives. Among these, the "Festival dell'Istroveneto" (Istro-Venetian Festival) was particularly noteworthy, an important event dedicated to the promotion of the Istro-Venetian language and culture. In this context, the UI Presidency emphasized the recognition of Istro-Venetian as an intangible cultural heritage in Croatia and Slovenia. During the discussions, the desire to further consolidate a collaboration with the Veneto Region, which has proven fruitful and meaningful in recent years, was reaffirmed. The shared goal is to intensify relations, also exploring new opportunities within European planning and future Italy-Croatia cross-border cooperation programs. Among the projects discussed is the "Stile Italiano" (Italian Style) platform for promoting Italian entrepreneurship, presented last May in Padua at the historic Caffè Pedrocchi. This initiative represents a further example of the UI's desire to create opportunities for dialogue and collaboration between the CNI and the institutional, cultural, and economic realities of the Veneto region.

Finally, the European Agreement of Venice was recalled within the framework of the "Northeastern Adriatic Europe" project, signed in 2023. This agreement established the Italian Union's commitment to participate in meetings and initiatives aimed at building new collaborations between the Venetian and eastern Adriatic communities. The meeting confirmed the shared desire to continue along a path of collaboration and dialogue, enhancing the deep historical, cultural, and human ties that unite the Veneto region and the CNI.

Statement by the Mayor of Gorizia, Rodolfo Ziberna :

Yesterday in Venice I had the pleasure of meeting the new President of the Veneto Region, Alberto Stefani, to tell him about the extraordinary experience of GO!2025.

It was a fruitful discussion, during which I recalled how collaboration is the foundation of this journey, which also involved many Veneto associations and partners thanks to the Small Project Fund.

I reiterated to President Stefani the strength of our "Spirit of Gorizia": the ability to overcome the tragedies of the 900th century—without ever forgetting them, but teaching them to our young people—through dialogue and cooperation. In such a complex historical moment, this model of peace is the only path that other war-torn areas of the world should follow.

The meeting saw the participation of a strong and united delegation: together with me were the President of FederEsuli Renzo Codarin with the Vice Presidents Davide Rossi and Fabio Tognoni, and from across the border the Croatian Member of Parliament Marin Corva (President of the Italian Union), Paolo Demarin (President of the UI Executive Board) and Marco Gregorič (President of the UI Assembly).

We parted with the shared desire to see each other again soon, directly involving the Italian community in Istria. We build the future together!