“Renzo de’ Vidovich. A Tribute” – Report of the Conference at the Lega Nazionale

On Wednesday 28 May 2025, the headquarters of the Lega Nazionale in Trieste hosted the event “Renzo de’ Vidovich. A Tribute”, organised by our Association in collaboration with the Lega Nazionale. The meeting was dedicated to the life, civic commitment, and political engagement of Renzo de’ Vidovich, a leading figure in the cultural and historical life of Trieste and of the Dalmatian diaspora.

Paolo Sardos Albertini, President of the Lega Nazionale, Luca G. Manenti, Scientific Director of the Association, and Alessia Rosolen, former regional councillor, offered a thoughtful and in-depth reflection on the biographical, intellectual, and moral journey of de’ Vidovich.

Luca G. Manenti provided a broad historical overview of Dalmatia – the homeland of Renzo de’ Vidovich – from the Venetian and Habsburg dominations to the turbulent events of the twentieth century. He particularly recalled the first Dalmatian exodus of 1920, all too often forgotten, and the complexity of the national question in those borderlands. From this historical framework and his study of the thought of the intellectual from Zadar, Manenti highlighted how de’ Vidovich’s work aimed to rebuild the idea of a shared cultural homeland, where Italian and Slavic identities coexisted before the century’s events shattered that balance.

Dr Alessia Rosolen delivered a personal and heartfelt tribute, capturing the human and civic profile of de’ Vidovich. “He was the man with the bow tie,” Rosolen recalled, “but above all, the boy from 1953, when he and other students courageously defended the Italian identity of Trieste.” She retraced his political commitment, from his youth activism to his time in Parliament, his work as a journalist and researcher, his dedication to associations representing the exodus, and his tireless defence of the historical memory of his native Zadar – the “Dresden of the Adriatic,” a city ravaged by bombings and later stripped of its Italian identity.

Rosolen also emphasised de’ Vidovich’s originality and intellectual independence, which enabled him to take bold and at times unconventional stances, always well-argued and driven by a profound sense of belonging. A man of values, a conservative in the noblest sense, ahead of his time in many battles, and unwavering in his human and political path.

President Sardos Albertini offered a moving remembrance. He had met de’ Vidovich in 1959, and shared sixty years of friendship and common commitment with him. “Renzo was a master of Dalmatian spirit,” he stated, “and an untiring witness to the love for Italy, for his Trieste, and for his Dalmatia. He was generous, passionate, and inspiring. He never sought recognition, but gave his all for the causes he believed in.”

During the evening, de’ Vidovich’s contributions were also recalled: his role in founding the Rustia Traine Foundation, the “Dalmata Libero” project, the recognition of medals for those who fell in 1953, and the long – still unfinished – campaign to award a gold medal of valour to the city of Zadar.

To close the event, a moving comment from the audience recalled how de’ Vidovich, even in the final years of his life, remained committed to encouraging new historical research, promoting dialogue and reflection on unresolved issues in national memory.

With this conference, our Association and the Lega Nazionale wished not only to honour the memory of Renzo de’ Vidovich, but also to reaffirm the importance of his cultural, political, and moral legacy. A true example of consistency, civic passion, and loyalty to the history of our lands.

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