A handout by Guido Rumici and two comics published by Ferrogallico to learn about the history of the eastern Italian border

 

The National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia and the Association of Giuliani in the World represent a solid hub of aggregation in contemporary Trieste; their common roots are born in the Julian-Dalmatian Exodus and, while the first branches out in Italy with committees and delegations, the other expands throughout the world with its circles. Both of their spatial dimensions are characterized by a particular propensity for the formation of culture, which they convey in neighboring environments through pamphlets, periodicals and monographic studies.

Part of this context was recovered this morning at the Palazzo della Regione Autonoma del Friuli Venezia Giulia, where the two presidents of the associations, Renzo Codarin and Franco Miniussi respectively, illustrated some new joint activities together with the Regional Councillor for the Environment Fabio Scoccimarro and the artistic director of the Ferrogallico editions Federico Goglio.

At the center of the press conference were the activities related to the celebrations of the Day of Remembrance, the result of a pandemic period in which the lack of availability for direct interaction between members inevitably leads to pushing for the virtuality of the meeting point. On the one hand, this invites associations to a progressive digitalization of proposals, on the other, the encounter with technology leads to reflect on the need to base quality relationships on the tangible: in a world of online conferences and meetings, paper roots culture in reality. This therefore explains the desire of the National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia to send three editorial products to the middle and high schools of the region, and of the Giuliani nel Mondo Association to send the same publications to their clubs present in the various continents.

The first is a contextual booklet. “Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia. Historical notes” is signed by Professor Guido Rumici, who with his latest work updates his historical narration of the eastern border. Since the 90s, the professor has earned a great deal of appreciation among historians for having reconstructed with summary purposes the complex events that affect these border areas from the Roman era to the current Italian presence that resists in the eastern Adriatic. This booklet containing a work of accurate synthesis constitutes the panorama of knowledge necessary for both a child and an adult to be able to immerse themselves in reading the other two books.

They are “Foiba Rossa: Norma Cossetto, story of an Italian” and “Nino Benvenuti: my exodus from Istria”. Technically they are to be considered graphic novels, whose comic-style story ends within the book itself without continuing to expand into further volumes: their uniqueness in style and in the subject matter covered must be ascribed to the ability of the publisher Ferrogallico to know how to interpret two key characters of the Julian-Dalmatian and Istrian world in particular on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance.

The first is a martyr, whose life was cut short prematurely by anti-Italian violence and barbarity. The second is a man who carried the Tricolore high throughout the world. Both stories illustrated by Ferrogallico therefore animate the life of two symbolic faces of the foibe and the exodus, in death and in the reconquest of identity. The synergic activity of the two associations is based on this recognition of their own historical background and its symbols.

Thanks go to the support of the Councilor for the Environment Fabio Scoccimarro, who represents in person all the efforts of the regional administration to promote memory and its transmission on the occasion of February 10. It should also be noted that the three volumes to be sent to schools will also be accompanied by a letter written by the President of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia Massimiliano Fedriga and addressed to the students.

Andrea Altin