By Giorgia Chillè
John
Cabot University on September 9 opened and exhibition and panel discussion
dedicated to the emigration of Italians from Trieste, Venezia Giulia, Istria,
Fiume and Dalmatia.
Called
“So As Not To Forget. So As To
Understand. So As To Build,” the event was organized in collaboration with
Fabio Ziberna, director of the Associazione Giuliani nel Mondo di Trieste, Roberto Sancin, president
of the Associazione Triestini e Goriziani in Roma and with the patronage
of the Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia.It underlined the
importance of cultural dialogue, ethnic cohabitation and respect for minority
rights.
Ziberna,
Sancin and Senator Carlo Giovanardi spoke openly about the past and the
present. They pointed out how the massive waves of migration from and to the
North East regions of Italy carried a political and discriminatory connotation that
were caused by WWI and WWII.
JCU
Professors VandaWilcox and Steven Colatrella and American University of Professor Bjorn Thomassen provided a thorough
explanation of historical background of the Istrian, Giulian and Dalmatian
regions.
They
said that the present is built on the understanding of the past. The experience
of thousands emigrants, the death of people during both World Wars and the Foibe
killings during and shortly after WWII, cannot be forgotten.
“The exhibition is about stories within
stories,” said Professor Thomassen.
He added that these stories show that we have to think about peoples’
experiences in order to abandon the habit of labeling and assigning ethnic based
stereotypes. The historical tension and insecurity that surrounded Trieste,
Fiume, Zara, Istria and Dalmatia has to be overcome by social and cultural
curiosity, he said.
Comments