by MK
The University of Trieste bestowed today the honorary Master’s degree in Law upon President Sergio Mattarella of Italy and Borut Pahor, former President of Slovenia, two figures shaping the narrative of the Adriatic frontier.
The dual conferment is motivated by the reconciliation policy pursued by both Presidents, which has transformed the eastern border region, scarred by the wounds of 20th-century history, into a beacon of collaboration among peoples united by their shared European Union membership.
The motivation behind this decision states: “Sergio Mattarella and Borut Pahor have courageously repudiated the narrow perspective of nationalist selfishness, opting instead for a policy of reconciliation, built on the creation and consolidation of spaces and symbols dedicated to collective memory, serving as the foundation for genuine peace among peoples. They are statesmen who have interpreted patriotism within a lofty European dimension, thereby contributing to the transformation of the Adriatic frontier from a territory of bitter ethnic and cultural conflict into an area of dialogue, cooperation, and friendship, rooted in a common consciousness of human rights and the light of democratic freedoms.”
Rector Di Lenarda, in his remarks, emphasized the significance of the occasion, stating, “Today, we celebrate an occasion for peace. We share the same land, and Pahor and Mattarella gave us a clear sign that we are all united.”
