January 14, 2026 – An overview of the history of the Adriatic border, a visit to the Fossoli camp, a former prison and deportation site and later a refugee reception center, food for thought and new teaching perspectives: these insights and experiences helped shape teachers from central and northern Italy who attended the first training program of 2026 in Carpi (in the province of Modena) organized by the Ministry of Education and Merit together with the Federation of Associations of Istrian, Rijeka, and Dalmatian Exiles. Their colleagues from southern Italy will have the opportunity to undertake a similar experience in Naples at the end of January, while the technical-scientific committee will meet shortly to evaluate the work submitted by schools of all levels from across Italy for the February 10th Competition.

On Monday, January 12, after greetings from officials, including Sergio Vascotto (President of the Modena Provincial Committee of the National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia) and Renzo Codarin (President of FederEsuli), the following topics were discussed:

Irredentism – Prof. Stefano Bruno Galli

World War I – Prof. Fabio Todero

Foibe and Exodus – Prof. Enrico Miletto

 

The next day began with a visit to Campo Fossoli, from which trains departed for the Nazi concentration camps during the final stages of World War II. It later served as a refugee center for Julian-Dalmatian exiles. In particular, from 1954 to 1970, the adjacent Villaggio San Marco, which would require extensive renovation to be open to visitors, became home to over 150 Julian families, mostly from the former Zone B of the Free Territory of Trieste, who had to rebuild their lives far from their homelands. The Fossoli site, so intimately connected to the events of Holocaust Remembrance Day and the Day of Remembrance, is managed by a dedicated organization. Foundation, who also collaborated in organizing the seminar.

The morning concluded with the last scheduled interventions:

The Reasons for Silence – Prof. Gianni Oliva

The Art of Memory: The Importance of a Museum Exhibition – Prof. Davide Rossi and Architect Massimiliano Tita