Yesterday (March 17) we met Giorgio Federico Siboni at the Officers' Club of Palazzo Cusani, in Milan. Senior editor of «Coordinamento Adriatico» and technical-scientific commissioner of the CDM, he was the winner in 2013 of the Tanzella Prize for historical essays with The Eastern Border. From Campoformio to the European Landing.

The occasion coincided with Siboni's recent return from London, where he went between March 15 and 16, to meet some representatives of the Julian-Dalmatian exodus living in the British capital. "These are now second-generation exiles, fully integrated into English society," Siboni told us. "After the Treaty of Paris in 1947 and even before, all the exile associations worked admirably and with tireless commitment in the interest of their fellow citizens from Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia. However, not all of them, for various reasons, have always been able to maintain relationships with the world of associations in Italy and abroad. This is precisely the case with the relatives of some of the people I met in London. In fact, our contacts began through heterogeneous channels: it was a stroke of luck to track them down and finally be able to meet them in person."

The conversation was characterized by a friendly tone. "The majority of those present showed attention and sensitivity towards the events and cultural aspects of the lands of the Eastern Adriatic." – explained Siboni. "They expressed the desire to recompose their roots in the embrace of the common European home. It is an aspiration that is entirely shared. We hope on both sides that this first meeting will be followed by others." – concluded Giorgio Federico Siboni.

Enzo Alderani

The Adriatic Observer