The working table between the Ministry of Education and the Associations of Istrian, Fiume and Dalmatian Exiles met via teleconference, which for some years has represented one of the aspects of most fruitful collaboration between the acronyms of the Adriatic diaspora and the Italian government. National training seminars (the last of which took place in Trieste last November), specific publications aimed at teachers and the national competition "February 10", whose awards take place at the same time as the institutional ceremonies of the Day of Remembrance in Rome, are some of the most significant results achieved so far and which we intend to implement in view of the next school year, despite all the uncertainties due to the health situation.

Starting from the national competition “February 10”, now in its eleventh edition, the topic, which will be proposed in a manner yet to be specified through a specific explanatory track diversified for schools of the first and second cycle, will be the exodus from Pola. Unlike the exoduses from Zadar, Fiume and the rest of Istria, there is a greater amount of documents available for consultation, but references to the Vergarolla massacre (which remains the attack with the highest number of civilian victims in the history of the Italian Republic) and to the exemplary role played for the benefit of the victims by Dr. Geppino Micheletti, a figure of great relevance in light of the recent expressions of esteem towards healthcare workers during the raging pandemic, will also be encouraged.

Further insights and food for thought on this topic, in the broader context of the history of the eastern Italian border, will come from the National Training Seminar for Teachers, which we hope to be able to hold in person in October, hopefully again in Trieste. In this way, educational visits could also be held as usual at symbolic places such as Warehouse 18, the National Monument of the Foiba of Basovizza and the Refugee Collection Center of Padriciano, as well as at an Italian Community in Istria, thus replicating the interesting meeting held in Piran last year. If all this is not possible for health reasons, we will consider publishing a specific handout or holding some seminars in the form of teleconference. At the same time, we hope to be able to resume the cycle of training seminars in the territory promoted in synergy with the Regional School Offices, with particular reference to regions such as Piedmont, Liguria, Campania and Sardinia where only the lockdown has prevented them from taking place already during the past months.

It will be possible to define specific details in the next meeting of the Ministry of Education - Associations of Exiles table, already called for September 2, hopefully in person and with a fairly safe framework for the following months regarding the anti-Covid regulations.

Lorenzo Salimbeni