by Maximiliano Crocamo
Italy observed the Giorno del Ricordo on Monday with a solemn ceremony at the Foiba di Basovizza, the national memorial near Trieste dedicated to the victims of the foibe killings and the postwar exodus from Italy’s eastern borderlands.
The annual commemoration, held on Feb. 10, was attended by senior government officials, regional and local authorities, religious leaders, representatives of exile and veterans’ associations, and students from across the country. The event was organized by the Municipality of Trieste and the Committee for the Martyrs of the Foibe and formed the centerpiece of a broader program of memorial and educational initiatives.
Among those present were Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, Minister for Parliamentary Relations Luca Ciriani, Friuli Venezia Giulia President Massimiliano Fedriga, Trieste Mayor Roberto Dipiazza, Prefect Giuseppe Petronzi and Bishop Enrico Trevisi.
Earlier in the morning, wreaths were laid at Foiba 149 in Monrupino by institutional representatives and exile associations. At Basovizza, the ceremony opened with military honors, the presentation of civic gonfalons and the raising of the Italian flag, followed by the laying of wreaths at the monument.
The Day of Remembrance was established in 2004 to honor the victims of the foibe — natural sinkholes used as execution sites during and after World War II — and the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of Italians from Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia following the 1947 Paris Peace Treaties.
Basovizza, declared a national monument in 1992, has become the most significant site in Italy associated with this commemoration. During the ceremony, a religious service was celebrated by Bishop Trevisi, and prayers were offered in memory of the victims.
In brief remarks, officials underscored the importance of historical awareness and remembrance, particularly for younger generations. Students from schools across Italy took part through national educational programs promoting study visits to memorial sites linked to the eastern border.
The commemorations continued later at Trieste’s central railway station, where the government reopened the “Train of Remembrance,” a traveling exhibition that will tour several Italian cities in the coming weeks.
