The 2026 Summer School – Teaching on the Adriatic Border, the sixth edition of the training event promoted by the Working Group of the Ministry of Education and Merit – Associations of Istrian, Rijeka, and Dalmatian Exiles, was held in Rome. This event culminates a training program that also includes regional and national training seminars, both online and in person, and also involves students in the national competition announced each school year, whose awards ceremony coincides with the institutional ceremonies of Remembrance Day.

The inaugural day of the VI Summer School saw a substantial seminar part take place on Monday 13 July, after the institutional greetings, which can be reviewed on the YouTube channel CDM Adriatic Archipelago:
“Eighty Years Since Vergarolla” – Prof. Guido Rumici
“The Exodus” – Dr. Marino Micich
“The Exodus to Rome and the Julian-Dalmatian Village” – Professor Donatella Schürzel
“The Parable of Adriatic Italianness” – Prof. Raoul Pupo

The participants were then divided into four working groups, which developed educational workshops related to specific aspects of the history of the Adriatic border:
– History: Departures, Arrivals, and Drifts. The Julian-Dalmatian Exodus, the Refugee Collection Centers, and the Monfalcone Counter-Exodus – Prof. Enrico Miletto
– Art: Artistic Culture in Istria, Rijeka, and Dalmatia – Professor Maria Grazia Chiappori
– Literature: The Literature of Exodus and Oral Testimonies – Prof. Donatella Schürzel
– Primary School: Ten Words to Pack – Professor Mariangela D'Urzo

The laboratory part was supervised by Professor Pupo, the classroom tutor was Professor Barbara Mocibob, and the School coordinator was the director of the MIM, Dr. Caterina Spezzano.

The first day of workshops concluded with a presentation by architect Massimiliano Tita and professor Davide Rossi, who illustrated the contents of the Exhibition of Dalmatian Exiles from Istria and Fiume (MEDIF), held at the Vittoriano and scheduled for viewing the following day.

On Wednesday, July 15, the students spent a day of outdoor learning, beginning with a ceremony at the Chamber of Deputies to present the second edition of the "Dr. Geppino Micheletti" Award . The day continued with a visit to MEDIF, led by Dr. Lorenzo Salimbeni, who accompanied visitors on a multimedia tour of the Sala del Grottone, and concluded in the Julian-Dalmatian Quarter. Here, Professor Schürzel, Dr. Micich, and Professor Giorgio Marsan accompanied the teachers through the various stages of the Open-Air Museum, which traces the history of the main settlement of Istrian, Rijeka, and Dalmatian exiles in the Italian capital. From the Historical Archive Museum of Rijeka to the Chapel of the Patron Saints of the places of origin, passing through the monuments of Via Laurentina and Piazza Giuliani e Dalmati and the most recent additions to the cultural itinerary ( Benchine del Ricordo , the altarpiece dedicated to the Madonna dell'Esilio recently restored by the ANVGD Roma in the parish church of San Marco Evangelista in Agro Laurentino and the mural by the artist Franco Ziliotto ), a slice of the eastern Adriatic transplanted to the southern outskirts of the “Eternal City” was presented.

The visit, which concluded with some further explanatory speeches and the institutional greeting of the Vice President of the IX Municipality of Rome Capital Augusto Gregori at the San Marco Library, was enriched by the meeting with exiles who arrived or were born in what was the Julian-Dalmatian Village, who provided precious testimony of real life.

On Thursday the 16th, the training session in the laboratory concluded, and Professor Rita Tolomeo gave a lecture illustrating the complex history of Dalmatia. The following day, the working groups presented the educational projects they had completed during the school year, receiving applause from Professor Pupo and their instructors.

Professor Maria Elena Depetroni, ANVGD representative at the Working Group with the MIM, expressed great satisfaction with the School's results: "These summer schools are extremely important because they allow already trained teachers to delve deeper into topics such as art and literature, as well as, of course, specific aspects of the history of the eastern border. The conferences are important, but this training opportunity provides teachers with a chance to return to school, especially for elementary and middle school students, where tackling such a complex history is not easy."

Multidisciplinarity is one of the aspects to be developed now that the history of the foibe and the exodus can be considered reinserted into the history of the nation: "Literary themes such as memory and nostalgia, art history, and landscape awareness represent valuable insights for working with students beyond February 10th," Professor Depetroni continues. "The historical context is certainly important, but it's easier for students to identify with the situation of Adriatic Italianness through other aspects. And history itself can capture current references; for example, on the 80th anniversary of June 2, 1946, we can work on the fact that the Italians of Venezia Giulia, Fiume, and Zadar did not participate in the institutional referendum. Lectures remain essential for high school seniors, while a multimedia approach based on images and testimonies is needed for younger students."

Going into the specifics of this year's activities, "It was important to attend the Micheletti Awards ceremony, realizing that an exemplary figure steeped in Vergarolla's history represents a role model for new generations of doctors and surgeons. The visit to MEDIF and the Julian-Dalmatian District were two complementary opportunities to delve into history. The summer school truly represents one of the most important training opportunities the Ministry has created with us," concludes Depetroni. "It's a full immersion in learning, and every year I learn something new. We're already working to ensure the seventh edition will be held in Pordenone, Italian Capital of Culture 2027, where there's a history of Adriatic exiles settling. We would have the support of a vibrant ANVGD Provincial Committee, and it would be easy to conduct educational experiences by visiting historic sites along the Adriatic border, such as Warehouse 18, the Basovizza Foiba, and the Redipuglia Shrine." Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Spezzano, who works year-round for this School and for all the other activities of the Committee. Suffice it to say that the calls for applications for the Trips of Remembrance funded by the MIM are now open . [LS]