On Saturday, March 15th 2025, in a crowded Verdi Theater in Gorizia, the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the former President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, received the Santi Ilario and Taziano - City of Gorizia Award 2025. 

The award, a completely redesigned artwork, was born from the collaboration between the EGTC GO and the Municipality of Gorizia, to further celebrate the year of GO! 2025 European Capital of Culture.

This piece of art was strongly supported by the Mayor of Gorizia, Rodolfo Ziberna, and the EGTC GO, who played a central role in its creation, working together on the design, artistic value, and deep meaning of the work, which aims to embody the values of peace, reconciliation, and dialogue between cultures.

The artwork was conceived by the ButMaybe Studio from Bologna and crafted by a local artisan, Studio Comelli. It represents a butterfly lying on a net.

The butterfly, symbol of hope and future, is made of stainless steel in various processes, a material that represents the strength and resilience of relationships built over time, as well as the reflection and the transparency of dialogue.

The net, a fragment of the original barrier that once divided Italy from Slovenia at Piazza Transalpina / Trg Evrope, evokes history, recalling the progress made towards a barrier-free Europe.

The award represents a perfect balance between lightness and stability. The choice of stainless steel in its two different finishes references the complexity of political mediation and diplomacy, while highlighting the value of transformation and reconciliation.

The Santi Ilario and Taziano - City of Gorizia Award 2025 is not just a recognition but an artwork with profound symbolic value. It represents the commitment to a future of dialogue, respect for historical memory, and the will to build bridges where, in past, there were borders.

The committee that selects the awardee is chaired by the Mayor of Gorizia and the Dean, and it is composed of the parish priest of the Cathedral, the municipal councillor for Culture, the president of the Consortium for the Development of the University Hub, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, and the President of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio of Gorizia.