Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is taking part today in the ceremony dedicated to the Day of Remembrance, in memory of the victims of the foibe and in solidarity with the Istrian, Fiuman and Dalmatian exiles and with our national community in Slovenia and Croatia. The commemoration scheduled at the Chamber of Deputies was held in the presence of the President of the Republic.
Seventy‑nine years have passed since the signing of the Peace Treaty that marked the loss of the territories of the eastern Adriatic. On 10 February, the day on which the Treaty was signed, we remember the tragedy of the Italians and all the victims of the foibe, the exodus of the Istrians, Fiumans and Dalmatians from their lands in the post‑war period, and the broader and more complex history of the eastern border.
“We must build a path of peace through their sacrifice. Europe has united countries that were at war with each other for decades and centuries. Europe is the positive result we have built. We must ensure that this path continues also in the Balkans,” Minister Tajani stressed in a video message for the occasion. “This year we remember the many children killed during the ethnic cleansing. And together with them we remember the children who are still victims of war: in Gaza as in Sudan, in Ukraine and in many parts of the world where innocent people are being killed,” Tajani continued.
This year’s coincidence with the Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympic Games, a symbol of peace and coexistence, gives particular value and deep meaning to the Day of Remembrance. In this spirit, a special tribute is paid to the athletes who, coming from Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia, represented Italy in high‑level sports competitions, achieving great results and demonstrating their love for the homeland in the best possible way.
Italian diplomatic missions and consular offices join the initiatives of the Exiles’ Associations around the world, to make the institutions’ closeness tangible to those who had to leave their homes and rebuild their lives, even far from Italy.
For the occasion, the words “Io Ricordo” (“I Remember”) will illuminate the Farnesina building today.
