Kobarid (Caporetto in Italian) is a small town in Slovenia close to the north-eastern Italian border. It is located near the Isonzo river, just 18 km from Cividale del Friuli, and it has a really interesting and unique history. Indeed people know it because of the battle that was fought between the Italian and the Austrian troops during the First World War, from24th October and 27th November 1917, and that ended with the defeat of the Italian troops that had to withdrew to the Piave river (in Italian “la disfatta di Caporetto”). An interesting fact is that the battle of Kobarid was perceived as a debacle by the Italians who, even today, define an event a “caporetto” if it has terrible consequences. The battle was so devastating and dramatic that even one of the most important American authors of the last century, Ernest Hemingway, quoted and talked about it in his masterpiece “A Farewell to Arms” with the narration of his personal experience during the First World War. Kobarid
belonged to Italy from 1920 to 1947,
then it passed under the control of Yugoslavia and after that of Slovenia. This city is really a particular mix of Slovenian and the culture of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The two areas have a lot in common and they sometimes co-operate for projects or
events; an example was the commemorationof the centenary of the battle of Caporetto, from the 23rdof October and the 2ndof November 2017, when both towns were busy in the preparation of some cultural and social events.
Today Caporetto is also really famous for the amazing natural landscapes that surround the valley; a lot of tourists come to this town to visit the city itself, the museum dedicated to the war and the Memorial Monument. Moreover the town organizes a lot of itineraries that recall the places of the war; Kobarid and the surrounding area is also famous among tourists for sport activities such as trekking, climbing, cycling but even rafting and kayaking.
Sacrario dei Caduti in Kobarid
Photo by Michele Barnaba
Let's meet Kobarid
Cividale del Friuli
Photo by Letizia Bon
Cividale del Friuli Kobarid
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Aessandra Rucli
What is new about this CFMUNESCO 2017?
It's the Historical Committee: a group of people that are in charge of discussion of issues related to WW1 history :
Every school has a character in this group, each one plays an important role, a historical figure in the years of the War.
Members of HC are from other schools like Russia, Slovenia, Croatia, The Netherlands, Germany…
This is a special committee, because it works in a different way, it focuses on Historical events.
The characters that are represented (by students) were active from 6 april 1917 to 21 january 1920.
Jacopo Celere
Unlike in the other committees, a student of the Historical Committee/HC doesn’t represent a state; but a particular character. There are many historical figures; for example Paul Von Hindenburg for Germany, George Clemencean for France; David L.George for the UK; and many others.
Delegates will have to partake and empathise with their assigned people and also keep in mind their behaviour and the decisions taken by their countries in a precise occasion.