Baby Elephant to Croatia?

Jumbo offerings for power gains 

By Risidra Mendis 

Despite strong protests by animal rights activists on the release of elephants from the Pinnawela elephant orphanage, five animals are to be released subsequent to cabinet approval this year. On the requests of five politicians, five male elephants are to leave their home in Pinnawela within the next few months. 

Already two of the five — gifted without a cent paid — are with the new owners. 

The Sunday Leader learns that these five ministers are offering the elephants in fulfilment of vows made before the general election in 2001. Minister Karunasena Kodituwakku offered a male elephant to the Ran Kaduwa Devale on March 5, 2003, while Minister Imthiaz Bakeer Markar offered a female elephant to the Aluthgama Kande Vihara on March 23, 2003 in the presence of Minister Kodituwakku. 

Questions are now being raised by animal rights activists as to how a female six-year-old baby elephant named Kumari was offered to the temple when the authorisation was given for the release of a male. 

Kumari together with Mihindu was 

gifted by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the children of Japan as a gift from the children of Sri Lanka. This presentation was made to the visiting Japanese parliamentary delegation on April 29, 2002 at Temple Trees. The Japanese delegation were then to present the two elephants to Croatia to replace the only Asian elephant in that country. 

However a protest staged by prominent animal rights activists in Sri Lanka days before the elephants were to be sent, ended with the animals remaining in the country. 

Special request 

According to a ministry official, when Minister Markar visited the Vihare having won the elections, the Chief Priest, Batuwanhene Buddha Rakkhitha Thero requested the Minister to donate an elephant to the temple. The chief priest had also requested for a female elephant. 

According to reliable sources a request was then made by Minister Markar to release Kumari. Having obtained permission from the Japanese Embassy, the Minister had the necessary papers prepared by the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry, which in turn asked Director , National Zoo, Brigadier H. A. N. T. Perera to release Kumari. 

While Brigadier Perera confirmed that two elephants (including Kumari) were released on cabinet approval three more are to be released soon. The Director also confirmed that Kumari was handed over to the Kande Vihare. 

Questions are being raised as to why temples are requesting young female elephants. There are allegations that some of the gifted elephants are used for hard labour during off-season. 

Male elephants cannot be worked for four to five months during the time of musk. 

Kumari could have at least produced four to five baby elephants during her life time if she was kept at the orphanage. 

To make matters worse, Kande Vihara has a Thai Tusker, who if bred with Kumari could lead to a mixed elephant species in Sri Lanka. 

According to Penny Jayewardene, an animal rights activist in Sri Lanka, once an elephant is released to a private owner, nobody takes the initiative to check on how the animal is being treated. “The animal laws in the country mean nothing these days. Therefore the exploitation of animals takes place,” Jayewardene said. 

Commenting on elephants being released from Pinnawela to temples for participation in peraheras Jayewardene said all animals should remain in their natural habitat. 

According to her elephants should not be used in peraheras as this is an exploitation of the animal. “Why can’t there be a perahera without the participation of an elephant? If you love this animal you should protect it. Our culture does not ask for the exploitation of the elephant,” Jayewardene said. 

According to reports three elephants were released from Pinnawela last year under the UNF government. Minister Rukman Senanayake and Minister Markar could not be contacted for comment. 

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20030330/news.htm 

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De Niro's festival goes global

Martin Scorsese joined Robert De Niro at last year's festival

Op-ed

In two to three days I am finishing the score(music) for the film Justice. World Premier of the Evan Oppenheimer's film Justicewill be on May 8 & 9th. All are welcome.

Nenad Bach

Last Updated: Wednesday, 26 March, 2003, 11:30 GMT 
New York's Tribeca Film Festival has unveiled an eclectic list of international titles in the three competition sections of the second annual event. 

Selections include 11 world, four international and 22 North American premičres. 

"We're pleased to be introducing the work of an exciting group of new moviemaking talents from all over the world," said executive director Peter Scarlet. 

"I think viewers will find it an intriguing, challenging and interesting selection." 

The festival - which will run from 3 to 11 May - is the brainchild of actor Robert De Niro. 

He created it to help revitalise New York's Lower East Side after the 11 September attacks on the US. 

Bittersweet tale 

Four US entries from first and second-time filmmakers will premičre in the narrative feature section. 

Included is Justice.Evan Oppenheimer's examination of post-11 September grief through the work of a maverick comic book artist and Clark Walker's tale of Texas adolescents. 

Both east Asia and France figure prominently in the feature lineup. 

Li Yang's film Blind Shaft, about Chinese mine workers involved in murder and extortion, is included alongside South Korean Chan-ok Park's Jealousy Is My Middle Name. 

Also selected is the debut of French-Italian director Valeria Bruni Tedeschi's It Is Easier for a Camel, about a woman who retreats into daydreams. 

Vida Zaher-Khadeem's Firedancer, which chronicles the struggles of Afghan emigrants in the US, has been selected. 

The film was completed after the director's murder in 2001. 

Hip-hop entrepreneurs 

The festival's documentary section is split into two parts - one for first and second-time directors and the other for more established film-makers. 

Entries include A Normal Life, about Albanian Kosovar refugees, by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Hugo Berkeley and director Bruce Brown's Endless Summer, which documents life in a surfing community. 

Music films also get a look in. 

Maxie Collier's study of hip-hop entrepreneurs, Paper Chasers, which features Ludacris and Public Enemy is included alongside David G Berger - Holly Maxson and Kate Hirso's portrait of the jazz musician. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/2887549.stm 


Full Lineup For Tribeca Film Festival

By Linda Perney
NYNewsday.com

March 26, 2003, 6:54 PM EST
Directors of Manhattan's Tribeca Film Festival have announced the film lineup for the second annual event, slated to run May 3 to 11. Selected films touch on subject matter as diverse as growing up Jewish in Baghdad and skateboarding in West Texas. Eleven of the films will have their world premieres at the festival.

This year, there are five new competitive categories: Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary>2 (for directors who have made more than two features), Best Actress, Best Actor, Emerging Narrative Feature Filmmaker, and Emerging Documentary Feature Filmmaker. In addition, there is the Audience Award (open to all festival entrants), Best Documentary Short, and Student Visionary Award.

Filmmakers from some 20 countries are entered, and the movies represent diverse cultures and sensibilities. "We're eager to again present such a world-class lineup of feature films in competition to share with New Yorkers and visitors from around the globe," said festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal.

Feature

Among the Feature Films, entrants include Li Yang's "Blind Shaft," from China, about two miners who take up murder and extortion, which won the Berlin Silver Bear award. Variety called another entrant, Nawfel Sahed-Ettaba's "The Bookstore," "an unheralded discovery," a richly layered portrait of people in a tight-knit neighborhood in North Africa. From France, first-time director Valeria Bruni Tedeschi's film, "It is Easier For a Camel...," focuses on a woman who retreats from the reality of her life.

Immigrant culture, with its themes of alienation and hope, has traditionally drawn filmmakers. This year, two films -- both about Afghan migrants -- have been chosen for the festival. Vida Zaher-Khadeem's "FireDancer," completed after the director was murdered two years ago, chronicles one man's struggles in the United States, while Homayoun Karimpour's "Nilofar in the Rain" explores the problems faced by Afghan refugees in both Pakistan and Paris.

The United States has contributed four films: "Bomb the System," by Adam Bhala Lough, portrays the world of graffiti artists. In "Levelland," Clark Walker tells the tale of teenagers in a small Texas town, while Evan Oppenheimer's "Justice" tackles the subject of grief in a post-9/11world. Ramin Niami's feature, "Paris," is a thoroughly modern take on film noir.

Diverse Documentaries

Entrants in the Documentary section likewise cover a great deal of ground -- from "Paper Chasers," Maxie Collier's record of hip-hop culture that features Public Enemy, Ludacris, and Damon Dash to "Sumo East and West," which looks at how foreign cultures have affected Japan's ancient art of wrestling.

From the United States, Rory Kennedy's "A Boy's Life" shows the challenges faced by a welfare worker, a school principal, and a family as they struggle to save a mentally ill boy in an impoverished town in the Deep South. Another noteworthy production is director Michael Almereyda's "This So-Called Disaster," with Nick Nolte, Sean Penn and Woody Harrelson -- a behind-the-scenes look at a stage play, Sam Shepard's "The Late Henry Moss." 


Tribeca Film Festival unveils international lineup for second event
Jeremy Kay in Los Angeles 26 March 2003


The theme of cultural exploration is writ large over this year's second Tribeca Film Festival, which features 11 world premieres and three competition strands in its second edition running May 3-11.

Announcing the line-up today (Mar 25), founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal and executive director Peter Scarlet said the feature-length competitive sections included 41 pictures including four world premieres and 22 North American premieres.

The dramatic competition section consists of: 

-†††††† Ballroom (Dancing) (France) Patrick Mario Bernard, Pierre Trividic & Xavier Brillat, directors

-†††††† Blind Shaft (China) Li Yang

-†††††† Bomb The System (US) Adam Bhala Lough

-†††††† The Bookstore (Tunisia) Nawfel Sahed-Ettaba

-†††††† Chicken Poets (China) Jinghui Meng

-†††††† It Is Easier For A Camel (France) Valeria Bruni Tedeschi

-†††††† Jealousy Is My Middle Name (Korea) Chan-ok Park

-†††††† Justice (US) Evan Oppenheimer

-†††††† Levelland (US) Clark Walker

-†††††† Margarette's Feast (Brazil/US) Renato Falcc?o

-†††††† Nilofar In The Rain (Afghanistan/France) Homayoun Karimpour

-†††††† Open My Heart (Italy) Giada Colagrande

-†††††† Paris (US) Ramin Niami

-†††††† Some Secrets (Czech Republic) Alice Nellis

-†††††† Squint Your Eyes (Poland) Andrzej Jakimowski

-†††††† Yossi & Jagger (Israel) Eytan Fox

Among the documentaries are Rory Kennedy's A Boy's Life, Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill's Aileen: Life And Death Of A Serial Killer and Michael Almereyda's This So-Called Disaster featuring Sean Penn, Sam Shepard, Nick Nolte and Woody Harrelson.

The three competitive strands are Features and Documentary Features - for first and second-time film-makers - and Documentaries, for directors of more than two pictures.

Award categories to be presented in the three competition sections include - Best Narrative, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary, Best Actress, Best Actor, Emerging Narrative Feature Film-maker and Emerging Documentary Feature Film-maker.

Additional Festival awards include the Audience Award (for which every feature film in the festival is eligible), Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short and the Student Visionary Award.

"We are eager to again present such a world-class line-up of feature films in competition to share with New Yorkers and visitors from around the globe," Rosenthal said in a statement. "This year's selections are created by extraordinary film-makers who have proven their talents on a variety of levels."

Screenings will take place at locations throughout New York's Tribeca district, when festival-goers will also get a chance to attend panel discussions film-maker workshops and other events. The juries for each section will be announced in due course. 

Tribeca Fest Gaze Grows Global
Wed Mar 26, 1:32 AM ET

Add Movies - Reuters to My Yahoo!

By David Rooney 

NEW YORK (Variety) - The Tribeca Film Festival has unveiled an eclectic slate of international titles hailing from locales that range from Afghanistan (news - web sites) to the Lower Manhattan neighborhood itself in the three feature competition sections of the second annual event, running May 3-11. 



Selections include 11 world, four international and 22 North American premieres. 


"We're pleased to be introducing the work of an exciting group of new moviemaking talents from all over the world and to be presenting the work of an additional dozen who aren't beginners but who have yet to get the recognition they deserve," said executive director Peter Scarlet. "I think viewers will find it an intriguing, challenging and interesting selection." 


Four U.S. entries will premiere in the narrative feature competition for first- and second-time filmmakers. These are 23-year-old Adam Bhala Lough's trip inside the dangerous world of Gotham graffiti artists, "Bomb the System"; Evan Oppenheimer's examination of post-Sept. 11 grief through the work of a maverick comicbook artist, "Justice"; Clark Walker's bittersweet tale of West Texas adolescents, "Levelland"; and Ramin Niami's contemporary noir, "Paris." 


Given the success of last year's Tribeca discovery and top prize winner, "Roger Dodger," acquisition execs will be scouring this crop for a potential breakout title. 


'PROMISING' SLATE 


"I think the fact that just among the feature selections there are six world premieres, of which five are American, is promising," Scarlet added. 


East Asia figures prominently in the feature lineup, including Berlin Silver Bear winner "Blind Shaft" by Li Yang, about Chinese mine workers involved in murder and extortion; experimental theater director Jinghui Meng's drama about the transition from idealism to commercialism in Chinese culture, "Chicken Poets"; and South Korean helmer Chan-ok Park's "Jealousy Is My Middle Name," an honoree at the Rotterdam and Pusan fests. 


Also selected is the debut of French-Italian thesp Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, "It Is Easier for a Camel ...," about a woman retreating into daydreams to maintain balance in her life, starring the director with Chiara Mastroianni, Jean-Hugues Anglade (news), Emmanuelle Devos and Lambert Wilson. The second entry representing France is "Ballroom," by Patrick Mario Bernard, Pierre Trividic and Xavier Brillat, about an artist who sets up his studio in a former dance hall. 


The struggles of Afghan emigrants in the U.S. are chronicled in Vida Zaher-Khadeem's "FireDancer," completed after the director's brutal murder in 2001, while Homayoun Karimpour's "Nilofar in the Rain" examines the troubled relationship between an Afghan refugee in Pakistan and another exiled in Paris. 


DUAL DOC TRACKS 


Documentary selections are split into two competitions: one for first- and second-time directors, the other for more established filmmakers. 


Entries in these sections include "A Normal Life" about Albanian Kosovar refugees, by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Hugo Berkeley; "Sumo East and West," Ferne Pearlstein's examination of foreign inroads into the ancient Japanese art of sumo wrestling; and "Step Into Liquid," in which Dana Brown, the son of "Endless Summer" director Bruce Brown, documents a surfing community. 


Music films are cued up with Maxie Collier's study of hip-hop entrepreneurs, "Paper Chasers," featuring Ludacris, Damon Dash and Public Enemy; and "Keeping Time: The Life, Music & Photographs of Milt Hinton," David G. Berger, Holly Maxson and Kate Hirso's portrait of the jazz musician. 


Also screening is "This So-Called Disaster," director Michael Almereyda's look at the creation of a stage production, in this case Sam Shepard's "The Late Henry Moss," with Nick Nolte, Sean Penn and Woody Harrelson

Tribeca Film Festival Unveils 2003 Slate
Wed, Mar 26, 2003, 09:03 AM PT


HOLLYWOOD (Zap2it.com) - Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal unveiled the competitive line-up for their second annual Tribeca Film Festival Tuesday (March 26), featuring an impressive 11 world premieres and 22 North American premieres. 

"We're pleased to be introducing the work of an exciting group of new moviemaking talents from all over the world and to be presenting the work of an additional dozen who aren't beginners but who have yet to get the recognition they deserve," executive director Peter Scarlet said in a statement. "I think viewers will find it an intriguing, challenging and interesting selection." 

The three competitive strands are features and documentary Features -- for first and second-time filmmakers -- and documentaries, for directors of more than two pictures. 

Four U.S. entries will premiere in the narrative feature competition for first- and second-time filmmakers; "Bomb the System" about New York City graffiti artists; "Justice," Evan Oppenheimer's examination of post-Sept. 11 grief through the work of a maverick comic book artist; "Levelland,"Clark Walker's tale of West Texas adolescents; and Ramin Niami's contemporary drama, "Paris." 

The three documentaries are Rory Kennedy's "Boy's Life," Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill's "Aileen: Life And Death Of A Serial Killer," and Michael Almereyda's "This So-Called Disaster," featuring Sean Penn, Sam Shepard, Nick Nolte and Woody Harrelson. 

The festival runs May 3 to 11, with screenings taking place in the Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. 


Tribeca Fest Sets Competition Slate for 2003 Event

by Eugene Hernandez
------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Tribeca Film Festival executive director Peter Scarlet joined event founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal in announcing the competition lineups for the 2003 second-annual Tribeca Film Festival (May 6-11). Forty-one films will screen in three competitive sections at this year's festival.

"We are eager to again present such a world-class line-up of feature films in competition to share with New Yorkers and visitors from around the globe," said Rosenthal in a prepared statement. "This year's selections are created by extraordinary filmmakers who have proven their talents on a variety of levels."

In addition to a dramatic and a documentary competition, organizers have created a new "Documentaries >2" section which offers work by more established filmmakers. Competition films are from those who are presenting their first or second feature film. Jurors are yet to be announced.

Scarlet stated, "We're pleased to be introducing the work of an exciting group of new moviemaking talents from all over the world and to be presenting the work of an additional dozen who aren't beginners but who have yet to get the recognition they deserve."

Festival tickets will go on sale on April 27, with American Express card members getting a jump on the sale from April 21-26. The card company is the primary sponsor of the annual event. Residents who live below Canal Street in Manhattan will get a $2 discount.

The complete competition lineup follows (information provided by The Tribeca Film Festival):


DRAMATIC FEATURES SECTION

"Ballroom" (Dancing) directed by Patrick Mario Bernard, Pierre Trividic and Xavier Brillat (France) -- International Premiere

"Blind Shaft" (Mang Jing) directed by Li Yang (China) -- North American Premiere

"Bomb the System" directed by Adam Bhala Lough (U.S.A.) -- World Premiere

"The Bookstore" (el Kotbia) directed by Nawfel Sahed-Ettaba (Tunisia) -- North American Premiere

"Chicken Poets" (Xiang Ji Mao Yi Yang Fei) directed by Jinghui Meng (China)

"Fire Dancer" directed by Jawed Wassel (Afghanistan /U.S.A) -- International Premiere

"It Is Easier for a Camel" (Il Est Plus Facile Pour Un Chameau) directed by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi (France) -- International Premiere

"Jealousy Is My Middle Name" (Jiltoo-neun Na-e Him) directed by Chan-ok Park (Korea) -- North American Premiere

"Justice" directed by Evan Oppenheimer and starring Erik Palladino (U.S.A.) -- World Premiere

"Levelland" directed by Clark Walker (U.S.A.) -- World Premiere

"Margarette's Feast" (A Festa de Margarette) directed by Renato Falcăo (Brazil/U.S.A.) -- North American Premiere

"Nilofar in the Rain" (Nilofar dar Baraan) directed by Homayoun Karimpour (Afghanistan/France) -- World Premiere

"Open My Heart" (Aprimi Il Cuore) directed by Giada Colagrande (Italy) -- International

"Paris" directed by Ramin Niami and starring Bai Ling and Chad Allen with an original score by John Cale (U.S.A.) -- World Premiere

"Some Secrets" (Vylet) directed by Alice Nellis (Czech Republic)

"Squint Your Eyes" (Zmruz Oczy) directed by Andrzej Jakimowski (Poland) -- North American Premiere

"Yossi & Jagger" directed by Eytan Fox (Israel) -- North American Premiere.


DOCUMENTARY FEATURES SECTION

"A Boy's Life" directed by Rory Kennedy (U.S.A.)

"Carlo Giuliani, a Boy" (Carlo Giuliani, Ragazzo) directed by Francesca Comencini (Italy) - North American Premiere

"Every Child is Born a Poet: The Life & Work of Piri Thomas" directed by Jonathan Robinson (U.S.A.) - World Premiere

"Heaven's Path" (Rah-e Behesht) directed by Mahmoud Behraznia (Iran) - North American Premiere

"Keeping Time: The Life, Music & Photographs of Milt Hinton" directed by David G. Berger, Holly Maxson and Kate Hirson (U.S.A.)

"A Normal Life" directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Hugo Berkeley (U.S.A./Kosovo) - World Premiere

"Paper Chasers" directed by Maxie Collier and featuring Ludacris, Damon Dash, Fat Joe, and Public Enemy (U.S.A.) - World Premiere

"Seville, Southside" (Poligono Sur) directed by Dominique Abel (Spain) -North American Premiere

"Song of the Millennium" (Le Chant du Millénaire) directed by Mohammed Zran (Tunisia) - North American Premiere

"Step into Liquid" directed by Dana Brown (U.S.A.) - World Premiere

"Sumo East AND West" directed by Ferne Pearlstein (U.S.A.) - World Premiere

"Sunset Story" directed by Laura Gabbert (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.


DOCUMENTARIES > 2

"Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer" directed by Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill (United Kingdom) - North American Premiere

"And Along Came a Spider" (Va Ankaboot Amad) directed by Maziar Bahari (Iran) - North American Premiere

"Dance, GrozNy, Dance" (Dans Grozny, Dans) directed by Jos de Putter (Netherlands) - North American Premiere

"Dream Cuisine" (Aji) directed by Ying Li (Japan) - North American Premiere

"Forget Baghdad: Jews and Arabs" - The Iraqi Experience directed by Samir (Switzerland/Germany) - North American Premiere

"HUSH!" (Tishe!) directed by Victor Kossakovsky (Russia) - North American Premiere

"Jonas at the Ocean" directed by Peter Sempel and featuring Vincent Canby, Nick Cave, Allen Ginsberg, Harvey Keitel, Nam June Paik and Wim Wenders (Germany) - North American Premiere

"The Lost Film" (El film el mafkoud) directed by Khalil Joreige and Joanna Hadjithomas (Lebanon/France) - North American Premiere

"On Hitler's Highway" directed by Lech Kowalski (France) - North American Premiere

"Our Times" (Ruzegar-e Ma) directed by Rakhshan Bani-Etemad (Iran) - North American Premiere

"This So-Called Disaster" directed by Michael Almereyda and starring Sean Penn, Sam Shepard, Nick Nolte and Woody Harrelson (U.S.A.) - North American Premiere

"Trial" (Mohakeme) directed by Moslem Mansouri (Iran/U.S.A.) - North American Premiere.

Tribeca Film Festival Founders Announce 11 World Premieres

POSTED: 3:20 p.m. EST March 26, 2003

NEW YORK -- The co-founders of the Tribeca Film Festival, Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal, Wednesday announced the films slated for competition. 

Tribeca Film Fest Returns Among the movies are 11 world premieres, including "Jonas At The Ocean," starring Harvey Keitel, and a film titled "This So-Called Disaster," starring Sean Penn, Sam Shephard, Nick Nolte and Woody Harrelson. 


NewsChannel4 is a proud sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival. Tickets go on sale April 27.

Copyright 2003 by WNBC.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Croatian Academy of America, Inc.

Volume42 of theJournal of Croatian Studies

The Croatian Academy of America issuedvolume 42 of the Journal of CroatianStudies, an annual interdisciplinary review dedicated to Croatian studies.

In the opening piece on the response ofthe international community to the war in former Yugoslavia (1991-95), ZdenkaGredel-Manuele examines whether the international community was willing and ableto bring about a peaceful and just solution to the conflict.

Croatia’s musical heritage isaddressed by several contributions. William A. Everett looks at the role ofthree composers with international reputations (Franz von Suppé, Ivan Zajc, andSrećko Albini), who contributed significantly to Croatian operetta of the19th century. Everett’s piece lays the foundation for the contribution byVjera Katalinić, which looks at the famous 1566 siege of Siget and theinspiration that musical composers of the 19th century derived from theunyielding courage of Siget commander and Croatian Ban Nikola ŠubićZrinski, who along with his soldiers, perished while defending the town from avastly superior Ottoman Turkish force.

Hana Breko shares the findings of herresearch into the influences on, and unique features of, medieval musicalliturgical manuscripts of Croatia. In her first piece, she highlights thediscovery of the presence of different chant traditions and scripts of German,Central Italy, and Normano-Sicilian provenance in the region of Dalmatia fromthe late 11th century onward. In her second piece, Breko outlines the range ofliturgical traditions that have influenced the development of plainchant sourcesof the Croatian Middle Ages. She focuses her attention on the influences andfeatures of medieval musical liturgical codices centered around Dubrovnik,Trogir, Zadar, and Šibenik, in Croatia’s littoral region, and those centeredaround Zagreb which represent the northern continental part of Croatia. Bothpieces are accompanied by reproductions from the medieval manuscripts discussedand analyzed.

In the final piece, Jasna M. Meyerpresents the findings of her research into Croatian conversational storytelling,and its comparison to Euro-American conversational storytelling. Through amicroanalysis of discourse, she delineates the conversational structures andpatterns of Croatian storytelling in natural talk for the first time.

Several reviews on recent scholarshipare also included in the issue. James J. Sadkovich provides a thorough criticalreview of Mark Biondich’s recent well-documented and extensively researchedsurvey of Stjepan Radić’s political thought. Two books dealing withYugoslavia, Željan Šuster’s Historical Dictionary and Sabrina P.Ramet’s Balkan Babel, are critiqued by Carol Hodge and Marko AttilaHoare, respectively. Bosnia-Hercegovina are represented in the issue by threebooks: Philip Corwin’s Dubious Mandate, a memoir of his role as UNCivil Affairs coordinator in 1995 Bosnia, is reviewed by Kurt Bassuener; AnteČuvalo’s collection of letters and political memoranda related toBosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia in Removing the Mask, is reviewed byNorman Cigar; while Theresa M. Ursic’s Religious Freedom, whichexamines the challenges faced by Catholic nuns in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatiafrom 1945-60, is reviewed by Sabrina P. Ramet. Ivo Goldstein’s recent book Croatia:A History and Damir Zorić’s work on the 18th century ethnologicalinvestigations of Ferdinand Konšćak in Lower California are commented onby Vjeran Pavlaković. The recent issue of the Old Church SlavonicInstitute’s journal Slovo (Zagreb, nos. 47-48) is reviewed by BrankoFranolić, while Stan Granic covers Ivo Smoljan’s Hrvatska dijasporaand Norman Cigar covers Jaksa Kušan’s Bitka za Novu Hrvatsku.

Also included in the issue are reportson the Academy’s 47th Annual General Assembly, meetings with culturalinstitutions in Croatia, academic freedom in Croatia, membership activities, andobituaries.

With this latest 182-page issue, the Journalof Croatian Studies continues to build on its well-established reputation asthe premiere review in English on matters related to Croatian history andculture.

The Croatian Academy of America wasestablished in 1953 and has published the Journalof Croatian Studies since 1960.  Managingeditors of the Journal are Karlo Mirthand Jerome Jareb.

Single issues of the Journal may be ordered at a price of US $25 for individuals and US$40 for institutions.

To order a copy of the Journal contact:

                       The Croatian Academy of America, Inc.

P.O.Box 1767, Grand Central Station

NewYork, NY 10163-1767

U.S.A.

Fax(516) 935-0019; e-mail croatacad@aol.com

Website: www.croatianacademy.org 

Articles appearing in theJournal are indexed by ABC-CLIOHistorical Abstracts, MLA International Bibliography of the ModernLanguages Association and Public Affairs Information Service.

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Dear NFCA Member:

The NFCA had a successful year of accomplishments in 2002, and this year
promises to be even better. However, our continued success is contingent
upon the generous contributions and support of our individual members.
Now more then ever, as we approach our National Convention, we need you
to contribute your 2003 membership dues, if you have not done so
already. At this time we are asking for an additional contribution to
the NFCA in order to keep our lobbyist, Joe Foley, on retainer through
the spring. He has been very instrumental in obtaining increased
economic aid to Croatia. A contribution of $200 or higher would make you
a silver donor and a key reason why we will have a successful year once
again.

We have raised almost $17,000 through the fundraising efforts of Erik
Milman, our Development Director, who has been working with us since
November, 2002. Erik has brought new energy and enthusiasm to our
organization through his focused efforts on fundraising and membership
development. He has created a database for the NFCA with the names and
addresses of over 2,000 Croatian Americans as part of his ongoing
initiatives for the NFCA. We would very much like to keep Erik on board
full time with NFCA. However, this can only be accomplished with your
generous support.

On another note of pride for our community, Erik was the Campaign
Manager for the Tell The Truth Committee that played a key role in
defeating Helen Bentley's campaign for Congress.

Our Tenth Annual Assembly of Delegates will be in Washington, D.C. on
May 30 - June 1. This promises to be an exciting Convention with a
dinner at the Embassy and special guests, including members of Congress.
You can be part of all these events as a Delegate. The NFCA Executive
Committee can appoint ten at large delegates who must be dues paying
members of the NFCA.

If you have any friend who would like to donate or become a member,
please call Erik Milman at 202-331-2830.

Thank You,

John Kraljic     Steve Rukavina       Andrew Jezic
President         Past President         Treasurer

Urucene nagrade HSK

NAKON TRODNEVNOG SKUPA HRVATSKOG SVJETSKOG KONGRESA

Urucene nagrade HSK

Slobodna Dalmacija, D. IVANKOVIC, 29. ozujka 2003. http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/

ZAGREB - Hrvatski svjetski kongres dodijelio je godisnje nagrade domacim i svjetskim uglednicima koji su, prema procjeni krovne hrvatske organizacije hrvatske dijaspore, najvise pridonijeli ostvarivanju hrvatskih nacionalnih interesa. 

Za nesebicno zauzimanje za Hrvate izvan domovine nagradjen je Nenad Gol, za istaknutog novinara u izgradnji mostova izmedju domovine i izvandomovinstva Vladimir Goss, svecanu povelju za promicanje hrvatskog imena u svijetu dobila je Rukometna reprezentacija Hrvatske. Svecana povelja za stranca koji se najvise zauzimao i podupirao interese Hrvatske dodijeljena je francuskom filozofu Alainu Finkelkrautu, u cije je ime povelju preuzela Zeljka Corak.

Fra Simun Sito Coric, predsjednik HSK koji je u protekla tri dana u Zagrebu odrzao sastanak sredisnjeg odbora, iznio je, potom neke aktualne stavove HSK. Govoreci o stanju u BiH, Coric se zalozio za doradu Daytona koji je bio dobar za zaustavljanje rata, ali ga valja preraditi prema svicarskom ili belgijskom modelu uredjenja drzave. Zbog katastrofalnih demografskih perspektiva hrvatskog naroda, nuzno je da RH sto prije ponudi programe povratka Hrvatima izvan domovine, kaze Coric.

Lider HSK obavijestio je novinare kako je ova udruga pokrenula tuzbu protiv Wolfganga Petritscha pred sudom u New Yorku koji je, kao mandatar UN-a u BiH, prema procjeni odvjetnika HSK ostetio BiH Hrvate za minimalno 300 milijuna US dolara. Na konferenciji za novinare receno je i kako slijedi 110 tisuca eura vrijedna obnova i dorada spomenika hrvatskim zrtvama u Bleiburgu, koja ce biti dovrsena do komemoracije iduce godine.
Note: 
The Croatian World Congress CWC, functions on all continents and in all countries of the world where there exist Croatian communities. The Croatian World Congress (CWC) is a non-profit, non-governmental and non-party international organization that enjoys advisory status as a NGO member of the United Nations.

The Croatian World Congress CWC, although a young institution, unites numerous Croatian associations world-wide as no other Croatian body has succeeded nor attempted to achieve to date (4.5 million Croats and people of Croatian heritage live outside of the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina). 

Croatian World Congress H.S.K. 
NGO Member of the United Nations
Prof. dr. Simun Sito Coric, President
http://www.crowc.org/  

THE CROATIAN NEW YORKER CLUB 

in conjunction with Croatian Relief Services of Fairview, New Jersey is having a clothing drive for people in need in Bosnia andSlavonia.

The wars in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are over, but people still have basic needs for clothing, food and shelter.

If you have any winter or summer clothing to donate, volunteers from our organization are willing to pick them up in the New York metro area on or before MARCH 29th.

If you can help us transport donations to New Jersey on Saturday March 29th - help is needed.

To arrange for a pick- up or to volunteer to help - please contact via this e-mail address ( e-mail;aangelich@aol.com ) or call 718 549 4604 and leave a message.

Thanks!

Anton Angelich
CROATIAN NEW YORKER CLUB

AAngelich@aol.com  

For Higher Learning,
Students Use a Plane

(Orange County Register, Santa Ana, CA)
March 23, 2003

Croatia pays for kids who live on tiny islands in the Adriatic Sea to fly to nearby islands to attend school.

By Snjezana Vukic, AP

Unije, Croatia. Anabeli and Robi board a plane and off they go - to school. The two eight-graders aren't millionaire's kids. Their six-minute flight in an old Cessna is the only way they can get from the tiny island of Unije to a school on a larger island where they can learn, play soccer and argue and laugh with other children their age. 

The Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea is dotted with about 1,000 islands. Only about sixty are populated, and the years are long gone when the archipelago was rich in wine, fish, olives and culture. Most island dwellers have migrated to the mainland, looking for jobs, higher education and an easier and more modern life. Today, most islands are desolate, with only a few elderly holdouts. Apart from the summer tourist season, the stone houses and Renaissance palaces are empty, and the bells of Roman-era churches rarely sound.

But there are still children - two here, five there - and they need to go to school. The authorities and parents struggle to make it possible. Fortunately, there are school buildings on most islands - remnants of their more crowded times. The teachers hired by the Education Ministry instruct different grades - mathematics for a second grader, literature for two fifth-graders and biology for a pair of eight-graders.

Ivanka Mohoric, 39, is a teacher on Unije. Twice a week however, her son Robi, along with Anabeli
Ibrahimovic, is sent to the regular school in Losinj, a bigger island. "They must see and learn how it is among other kids of their age before going to high school", said Mohoric, whose family also lives in the school building. "Otherwise, it would be a shock to them." It is all possible because Unije, which once hosted an army base, has an airport, and a private airline provides a plane. The government pays the costs. 

On the southern island of Drvenik, teacher Dunja Zuro persuaded the authorities to pay for a camera, television and computer so that two fifth-graders, Nada Mestrovic and Nane Vulas, can attend class in the coastal village of Trogir by video link. "They are forced to seek their own, individual ways of learning", said Sime Simicevic, an Education Ministry official. "But that's the islanders' fate." It is a fading way of life.

On the small island of Srakane, a school remained in operation for just two children. When they reached high school age, their parents moved to the mainland, and the school was closed. Today, only two 80-year-olds live there. "I hope that one day, people will begin returning to the islands", said Katica Sagur, 68, from Unije.
"Life is so different when you hear children laughing."