Alghero – Fertilia, a village with a rich and complex history marked by construction, land reclamation, and displacement, is preparing to commemorate its 90th anniversary. The Italian government has stepped in to support these celebrations, allocating a total of €150,000. This funding has been announced by the Sardinian and national parliamentary wing of Fratelli d’Italia, who claim political credit for the initiative.
Two-pronged Funding Approach
The Roman funding package is structured in two distinct parts. The larger portion, amounting to €100,000, has been directly released by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, thanks to the intervention of Minister Andrea Abodi. This sum is designated to cover expenses for cultural and commemorative events linked to the founding of the planned city.
The remaining €50,000 is the result of a parliamentary maneuver. It was incorporated into the latest budget law through a ‘motion’ (a technical instrument by which Parliament commits the Government to allocate specific resources) presented by Senator Antonella Zedda. This second tranche of public funds has a precise objective: to finance museum activities, as well as the preservation and dissemination of local historical memory.
The Weight of History
Fertilia is not merely an ordinary hamlet. Constructed starting in 1936 according to the strict canons of rationalist architecture from the fascist regime, the village underwent a transformation in the post-war period. Its homes, initially intended for settlers from Ferrara, became a sanctuary for hundreds of Italian exiles fleeing Istria, Fiume, and Dalmatia after these territories were ceded to Yugoslavia.
This intertwining of destinies and 20th-century tragedies is framed by deputies Mauro Rotelli, Francesco Mura, and Barbara Polo in their joint statement: «The total funding of 150 thousand euros allocated by the Meloni Government for the initiatives marking the ninety years since Fertilia’s foundation represents a concrete sign of attention towards a community that preserves a unique history and an identity heritage of great value for the entire Nation.»
The parliamentarians expressed their gratitude to the executive for the initial financial endowment: «We thank the Presidency of the Council and Minister Abodi for the allocation of 100 thousand euros, which will allow us to support cultural and commemorative initiatives dedicated to the birth and history of the village, as well as the enhancement of its identity.»
«Fertilia is not just a part of Alghero,» explain Rotelli, Mura, and Polo, «but a symbolic place of national history, linked to the story of the Istrian, Fiuman, and Dalmatian exiles and to a civic tradition that deserves to be protected and valued.»
The celebrations are expected to highlight the historical significance of Fertilia, not only as an architectural example of its time but also as a testament to the human stories of displacement and resilience that shaped its community. The allocated funds will ensure that this important heritage is preserved and shared with future generations, reinforcing Fertilia’s place in the national narrative.
