Over 250.000 visitors to the Exhibition of Dalmatian Exiles from Istria and Fiume at the Vittoriano
The MEDIF Exhibition of Dalmatian Exiles from Istria and Fiume, the result of an agreement between FederEsuli and the ViVe Institute (Vittoriano and Palazzo Venezia) under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, has surpassed 250,000 visitors. Inaugurated on October 24, 2025, in the presence of Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, the Exhibition is housed in the Sala del Grottone within the Vittoriano monumental complex, one of Rome's most famous monuments and a symbol of Italian unification, welcoming over 4.5 million tourists each year. MEDIF is a free-access, fully digital exhibition, with texts also available in English, Slovenian, and Croatian. Visitors can explore the exhibition independently, interacting with monitors and displays without the need for a guide. It will remain on display at this prestigious venue for at least another three years, during which time it will be constantly updated with images, documents, and testimonials. We recall that, on the occasion of Remembrance Day 2026, the exhibition was visited by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and later again by the Minister of Culture, Giuli, along with the Minister for Institutional Reforms, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, and the Minister for Family, Birth Rates, and Equal Opportunities, Eugenia Roccella. The entirely multimedia installation of the MEDIF was designed by architect Massimiliano Tita, following the guidance of a high-level Scientific Committee chaired by the late Professor Giuseppe Parlato. Today, Professor Davide Rossi coordinates the work. MEDIF establishes an ideal continuity with the Museum of the Risorgimento: the irredentist Nazario Sauro, an Istrian hero of World War I, serves as the link between the two exhibitions. The exhibition begins with a timeline that begins in ancient Rome and gradually deepens as it approaches the contemporary age. It then gives way to a detailed account of the foibe, the exodus, the refugee collection centers, and the rediscovery of the history of the Adriatic border thanks to the institution of Remembrance Day. It concludes with a review of illustrious Istrians, Rijekans, and Dalmatians of yesterday and today.
Language
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