Basso Sarca Schools Research WWI Forts in Alto Garda

The school year just ended saw primary, middle, and high schools of the Basso Sarca area, as well as an elementary school from Roè Volciano in the province of Brescia, engaged in an educational activity about the forts of World War I in Alto Garda: a total of 640 students participated in the initiative. The program, structured into 30 sessions and organized by the Civic Museum in collaboration with the Environmental Operators and the Provincial Agency for the Environment, concluded with two in-depth research projects on the topics covered during the educational journey.

The first was conducted by the fifth-grade class of S. Alessandro elementary school, which took the opportunity to expand the discussion to include the Trentino population exodus that began in 1915, primarily heading towards Braunau in Austria. This research was coordinated by teachers Giovanna Caldonazzi, Daniela Amplatz, Giovanna Omezzolli, and Emanuela Orthelfer and included collaboration from teacher Domenico Gobbi and environmental operator Donato Riccadonna.

Reports of Degradation and Visits on Monte Brione

The second research, carried out by third-year classes from Sighele Middle School in Riva, aimed to report to the mayor and the Riva municipal administration the degraded condition of the forts. The second session of this educational program, held on Monte Brione to observe the various construction phases of the forts, highlighted the neglect and dirtiness that afflict these sites.

The third session also took the students to the field, in Nago, visiting the forts whose restoration is nearing completion. The positive outcome of this excursion, the first of its kind in this location, suggests that it can be repeated, thus enhancing this cultural heritage that the territory possesses.