On Wednesday 29 December at Palazzo Ferro Fini, in the Cuoi room, the President of the Veneto Region Luca Zaia received the Prize of Remembrance dedicated to Norma Cossetto awarded by the National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia to the Veneto Region for its commitment to supporting the memory of the exile of the Italian population of Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia.

"We are tied to the history of the exiles by blood, memory and history," Luca Zaia emphasized, "we share our identity and language. Our objectives are threefold: first of all, not to forget, secondly, to ensure that our children know the history and, thirdly, to ensure that the places where the tragedy of the Istrian populations took place are not forgotten. In this sense, the moment in which Croatia becomes part of the Schengen treaties will be fundamental."

The award was presented by the President of the association, Cav. Renzo Codarin, who also awarded a plaque to the President of the Regional Council Roberto Ciambetti as a seal of recognition of the commitment of the entire Veneto Region in this area.

"It is an honor for us to be able to present this recognition to the Veneto Region - said the National President of the Anvgd - because we cannot forget how much this territory has done for the exiles and at the same time how much our people have given to this region. The Veneto region has always worked in harmony with us and with the Istrian communities to keep the bond between the two shores of the Adriatic strong. You, the Veneto region, have given our associations of exiles the opportunity to begin collaborating with the associations of those who remained after an initial distrust. At that point it became normal to collaborate with them and the same was also true for them, a fact that now allows us to carry out cultural activities that years ago would have been unthinkable. Hence the thanks for what you have done and for the path you have shown us".

"A special praise goes to the association for the will to recover the places where Norma Cossetto, an Istrian and student at the University of Padua, was murdered - concluded Zaia -. The will to recover the site is important as a warning of how ferocious man can become. This award for the Veneto Region is an incentive to do more. And our commitment will continue in the name of remembrance".

Source: National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia – 30/12/2021