The word foiba refers to a particular type of deep sinkhole common in Kras, the region shared by Italia, Slovenia and Croatia. That same word, however, since WW II has become evocative of the killings of native Italians perpetrated by local and Yugoslavian partisans after the war.


For the first time, the Italian Consulate General [2] in New York will officially commemorate the “Day of Remembrance." Established with Law 92 on March 30, 2004, it states that the Italian Republic recognizes February 10 as Day of Remembrance in order to preserve and renew the memory of all the victims of the foibe, and remember the exodous of Istrians, Fiumans and Dalmatians from their lands after the war.


In the same spirit, on February 10, at 5:30pm, the Consulate General will pay homage to the victims of the eastern front. In an attempt to maintain the memory of this complex ordeal alive will, the witnesses themselves will be recollecting stories. Participating in the event will be Capodistrian Federico Gerin, whose father died in the Foibe, and Albonese Fides Monti, who lost eight relatives.


The event was planned in collaboration with the Associazione Giuliani nel Mondo [3] of Trieste, and especially with the branches of New York and New Jersey, which curated the historical-documentary exhibit “Con le nostre radici nel nuovo Millennio” [With our roots in the new Millennium].  The show was made possible by the contribution of the autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and thanks to the collaboration with RAI TV, responsible for the filming of a never seen before account by Ottavio Missoni, the exiled mayor of Zara.