Congress President at the opening of the exhibition “La Grande Guerra sul Grande Schermo” in Trento
In the frame of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the First World War an exhibition dealing with “The First World War on the screen – telling the story of a conflict through the art of film……” takes place from 28 July 2014 to 14 June 2015 at the Foundation Museo Storico del Trentino, Trento, Gallerie a Piedicastello.
Exactly on the same day 100 years after the declaration of war of Austria-Hungary against Serbia Congress President Herwig van Staa attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition in one of the two former road tunnels of the city highway of Trento.
Six years after the reconstruction of these two road tunnels the First World War thus returns in "Le Gallerie". This cultural event space opened in August 2008 with an exhibition dedicated to the inhabitants of the Trentino during the First World War. On the occasion of the centenary the Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino provides to their visitors an exhibition on the history of cinema and how the war from 1914 to 1918 was documented and displayed. “With "La Grande Guerra sul Grande Schermo" a complex issue has been addressed. Memory alone is not enough, it is also necessary to deal critically with the past and the mechanisms and logics that have shaped public consciousness and the idea of this terrible event," said Congress President Herwig van Staa.
More than 60 films will be presented on 46 large screens and 16 monitors in a 300-meter-long tunnel. 450 m² projection screen provides around 12 hours cinematic insight into this time. "The two wars of the 20th century were both caused by regional conflicts, from which, ultimately, world wars with millions of deaths, particularly also in the civilian population, arised. We must not forget that only a united Europe has enabled this long period of peace on our continent, "said van Staa."The knowledge of our history is the only way to overcome fatal nationalist developments in the future. In this sense the importance of the Europe of the Regions and the strengthening of cross-border cooperation have to be seen as important elements of a future-oriented European policy. " Congress President van Staa stresses also the dynamic development of the EGTC "European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino", which turned out to be a flagship EGTC at European level.
Exhibition:
Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino
Via Torre d'Augusto, 41
I-38122 Trento, Italy