Mauro Leban's family farm in Gorizia, Italy is at the heart of an area shaped by history.
The towns of Nova Gorica and Gorizia on either side of the border between Italy and Slovenia will be European capitals of culture for 2025.
The neighboring towns program focuses on the theme of overcoming borders, with the motto: “GO! Borderless.”
But it wasn't always like this.
In 1947, a cow stood with its front legs in what was then Yugoslavia and its hind legs in Italy, crossing a chalk line that marked a new border.
The scene is captured in a photograph dated September 17, 1947.
For the Lebanese, this line was not only a border – it was the cause of an upheaval that would redefine their lives.
That line symbolized the implementation of the Paris Peace Conference, which divided the town of Gorizia and changed lives overnight.
The decision was accepted by the victors of the Second World War in February of that year.
Leban remembers how his father and brothers, aware that changes were coming, were still shocked by the speed of the transformation.
Their farm found itself separated by the new border, with the farmhouse in Italy and the fields in Yugoslavia.
With a painful decision, the family chose to stay in Italy. Fortunately, according to Lebanon, the authorities agreed to change the course of the border fence so that the cow remains on Italian territory.
For the next eight years, the Lebanese were among the few who were allowed to cross the border to keep their fields, a temporary privilege amid strict controls.
This program is a symbol of Gorizia's turbulent history.
Once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the town moved to Italy after the First World War. Even then, Gorizia was cosmopolitan, because although German was spoken in the offices, coffee was ordered in Italian.
The city was facing a new upheaval when the leader of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito, tried to annex it after the Second World War. When he failed, Tito decided to build a new town just across the border – Nova Gorica.
Tito's original vision was only partially realized.
The town, now home to 13,000 residents, exudes vitality, boosted in part by the university founded in 1995.
Nearby, visitors can visit attractions such as the historic Franciscan monastery Kostanjevica or the wonderful Solkan Bridge.
This architectural wonder spans the emerald waters of the Isonzo River (known as the Soča in Slovenia) and contains the largest stone arch in the world.
Once part of the first transalpine railway route in 1906, the bridge symbolically linked Gorizia to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, underlining its historical significance.
Meanwhile, Gorizia, which has a population of 35,000, displays its Italian charm, with historic sites such as the Borgo Castello castle and culinary delights from Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
In 2025, the two cities together will be European capitals of culture under the motto “GO! Borderless”
But back on Mauro Leban's farm, there is a tollbooth painted in the Italian tricolor as a poignant reminder of the division that once defined the area.
Nearby, a small documentation center offers videotapes of modern eyewitnesses recounting the painful years when families were separated – some living in the much smaller eastern part of old Gorizia or in Nova Gorica.
These testimonies also reveal the deep distrust that grew between fascists and communists during the separation.
The border, which was artificially sealed after its establishment, remained until 1955, when an agreement allowed relatives limited visiting rights.
However, even after the fall of the Iron Court and the independence of Slovenia, the physical separation continued for another 16 years.
It was finally dismantled in 2007, when Slovenia joined the Schengen Area, which allows for border-free travel across many European countries, erasing the last physical signs of division in was the last divided city in Europe.
When Nova Gorica was officially named the European capital of culture for 2025 a few years ago, it marked a historic milestone as the first cross-border cultural capital.
At the time, few had predicted that the political situation would change significantly before the celebration began.
The Italian government under far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reinstated border checks between Italy and Slovenia in October, a reminder that the vision of unity faces ongoing challenges.
Kromberk Castle, restored after the Second World War, is located near Nova Gorica. Jošt Gantar/www.slovenia.info/dpa
The Solkan Bridge spans the Isonzo River (known as the Soča in Slovenia) and has the largest stone arch in the world. Ernad Ihtijarević/www.slovenia.info/dpa
The wine-growing region of Collio – or Goriška Brda – is popular with hikers. Jošt Gantar/www.slovenia.info/dpa
The Borgo Castello castle at Gorizia dates back to the 11th century. Fabrice Gallina/Promoturismo FVG/dpa
