What is interesting and, more importantly, encouraging is the fact that the idea of co-operation between the two towns is now being viewed as essential by those political factions in Gorizia that were never too keen on working with Nova Gorica. The Italian majority in Gorizia is thus slowly coming to understand that their town faces a bleak future in the expanded European Union if it does not co-operate closely with Nova Gorica and Slovenia.

The fall of the border - initially only the abolishment of customs control - is expected to take place on May 1 2004. To mark this occasion, Prodi is due to pay another visit to the two towns. The visit will mark a new period - one when Gorizia and Nova Gorica will find themselves in the centre of Europe, and no longer on different sides of the border.

This event can only be described as monumental. The abolishment of the border will present the population of the two towns with an opportunity to strengthen co-operation. Foremost, it will be an opportunity to rekindle the "Gorizian spirit" that was the hallmark of this area for centuries. As historians would point out, this spirit is best represented in the culture and ways expressed in Friulian, German, Slovenian and Italian languages in harmonious coexistence from the time of the Aquileian Patriarchate, until the nationalism and totalitarianism of the 19th and 20th centuries trampled on it.

This is the coexistence that allows every individual and nation, as well as national minorities, the freedom to express their uniqueness, nationality and culture in their own language. All this while still being part of the one Gorizian culture, which has always been multi-national, multi-lingual and subsequently rich, friendly, and above all, diverse.

For this reason, people in Gorizia and Nova Gorica are becoming increasingly aware of the need for furthering co-operation between these two towns. Such a realisation has opened doors that seemed shut tight only yesterday - the main reason why the inclusion of the Slovenian language, as a compulsory subject in Gorizia's Italian schools, can be expected in the near future.