Trento: Exhibition dedicated to Serbian prisoners in the First World War

The exhibition was held within the Trent-Serbian historical commemoration, as a tribute to the hundreds of prisoners from Serbia who were killed in the World War I in this part of Italy. Later during the day, Minister Kisić  uncovered the memorial board in the cemetery in Rovereto, dedicated to the killed Serbian soldiers.

Minister Kisic pointed out that Serbia paid the highest price for the victory in the First World War, since it had lost almost one third of population and stressed that those wounds still hurt today. That was why all Serbs, regardless of where they lived and how far from their homeland they were, carried deep in their hearts the memory of all victims of the Great War.

"We will forever remember their famous and heroic deeds, a symbol of fighting for freedom, heroism, courage and sacrifice for the homeland and the people. These ideals are a signpost for the present and future generations to cherish the peace, freedom and prosperity and fight uncompromisingly, everywhere and always, for such ideals", Minister Kisić emphasized.

Highlighting the friendship and cooperation between Serbia and Italy that had lasted for centuries, Minister Kisić thanked the Republic of Italy for having shown respect to the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian people; she also thanked to the representatives of Trent, Roveret and Castellan for giving the opportunity to the Serbs who lived in that part of Italy to remember their Serbian compatriots and give them the tribute.

"Here today is the right place to remember the humane deeds and solidarity of the civilians of Trentin who, despite the orders of the then government, shared their scarce footwear, clothes and food with the war prisoners. The solidarity won over the force," said Minsiter Kisić.

The opening of the exhibition in Trent was attended by the General Consuls of the Republic of Serbia in Trieste and Milan Ivana Stojiljković and Radmila Selaković, the Serbs living in this part of Italy, representatives of the city of Trento and the municipalities of Rovereto and Kastelano.

At the opening of the exhibition, the Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Trieste Ivana Stojiljković said that thus we paid homage not only to the courageous soldiers, but also to civilians and numerous prisoners of war, who were burdened by difficult work and the conditions of living. "Many of them rest here and that is why today we are uncovering the memorial board, to remember great friendship and heroism and preserve peace for our children," Stojiljković stated.

Source: www.minrzs.gov.rs