Joe Mikulec collected 50,000 signatures, among them of six former American presidents Nathan Raab (USA) and Viktor Šimunić (Croatia) in Philadelphia in 2025, by the book in which Josip Joe Mikulec (1878-1933)…
Category: Education
Marko Perkovic Thompson 2025 Zagreb: the largest ticketed concert in history – more than half a million people
The music of Marko Perkovic – Thompson represents the fusion of rock and folk, carying powerful lyrics that celebrate Croatian history, nature, and Biblical values. About 90% of the audience were young people. The stage was a towering structure 33 m high and 150 m wide, crafted by experts from Dubai. This was the greatest ticketed concert in history, surpassing Rolling Stones, Micheal Jackson, ACDC,…! Marko Perković – Thompson and his wife Sandra are blessed with five children.
Ivan Rakitić top class Croatian football player
Ivan Rakitić was born in 1988 in Switzerland to Croatian parents. His height is 1.84 m. As a child, he fluently learned Croatian and German languages, and than added Castillian, English, French, and Italian. He played for Croatian national football representation (196 appearances). On the club level, he played for Basel (Switzerland), Shalke 04 (Germany), Sevilla (Spain), Barcelona (capital of Catalonia, in Spain), Al-Shabab (Saudi Arabia), and Hajduk (Croatia). With his beautiful wife Raquel Mauri he has two children. According to Jose Mourinho, he is “one of the most underrated players in the world”.
PM Modi of India attended dinner hosted by PM Plenkovic in Croatia's capital Zagreb, 18th of June 2025
In his address, H. E. Narendra Modi, PM of India, invited his colleague Andrej Plenković, PM of Croatia, to visit India as soon as possible. Mr Modi mentioned several interesting facts dealing with centuries old history mutual relations between the two countries: the first printed sanskrit grammar in Europe was written by Filip Vezdin, a Croatian scholar, by the end of the 18th century (1798); the study of Sanskrit in Croatia was started at the University of Zagreb already in 1876; the modern day department of Indology at the University of Zagreb was started in 1959.
Ivana Marija Vidović declared Honorary Academician in Bari, Italy 2025
Academy of Arts and Philosophical Sciences in Bari, Italy: We are appointing Ivana Marija Vidović as an Honorary Academician because of her extraordinary talent, primarily as a pianist, because of her dedication to music and culture in general, because of the international reputation she has achieved during her career so far. An artist of rare dedication to music and sensibility, Ivana Marija Vidović enchants audiences around the world.
The Apostle of the Sunderbans The Life and Mission of Fr Ante Gabric, Servant of God
The 176-page biography vividly depicts the holiness and Spartan lifestyle of Fr Ante Gabrić, whom Mother Teresa (now St Teresa of Calcutta) hailed as the “living love of Jesus.” Fr Ante’s tomb at Maria Palli has become a place of pilgrimage, which people of all faiths visit to pray for his intercession. To Croatians and to the faithful of Baruipur Diocese, he’s already a saint. He set sail for India on October 20, 1938, at 23. On October 20, 1988, exactly fifty years later, he breathed his last at Mariapalli parish, which he had founded on January 20, 1975.
Ping Pong Parkinson World Championship Italy 2025 Lignano Sabbiadoro October 20-26
We build neurons! PingPongParkinson.org
Tomislav Gavranic 1937-2025 Croatian doctor of Aboriginal Health in Australia
Dedicated to the Aboriginal people, written by Maja Gavranic Tomislav Gavranic Remembrance PieceWritten by Mara Gavranic, Australia (daughter of Tomislav Gavranic)Tomislav Gavranic, Dulcie’s loving husband and our Dad, was an amazing man…
Tomislav Gavranic 1937-2025 Croatian doctor of Aboriginal Health in Australia
Tomislav Gavranić, born in Croatia on the island of Korčula (in the town of Blato), was very passionate, loyal and dedicated to the Aboriginal people which we all know. This was shown in both his private and working life. He was honoured whilst working in Gove to be initiated into the Marika Clan in Yirrkala. His aboriginal family kept in contact and they would come to visit, where many a story was told around a very multicultural table. We provide a text written by Mrs. Tuga Tarle, in Croatian. It was a part of her PhD thesis, and included into her very interesting monograph published in 2024 in Zagreb.
Darko Vodopich CEO of Global Med Travels
Darko’s extensive background in both medicine and travel gives him a unique perspective in the medical tourism industry. His journey from guiding travelers across Europe to founding and leading GlobalMedTravels shows a seamless integration of his passions for healthcare and global exploration. With over 30 years of experience in the medical field across various regions in the USA and Europe, his deep knowledge of both patient care and international travel positions him as a key figure in making healthcare accessible worldwide.
Dragutin Cifrek painting small birds – Tieeki
Dragutin Cifrek was born in 1951 in the village of Gornje Makojišće near the town of Novi Marof on the north of the city of Zagreb, Croatia. He is a top Croatian painter and graphic artist, educated at the at the Academy of Arts of the University of Zagreb. He lives in Slovenia. In 2025, he exhibited his fascinating portraits of small birds (tičeki) in the Cultural Center of “Ivan Rabuzin” in Novi Marof.
Dragutin Cifrek distinguished Croatian miniature painter and calligrapher
Dragutin Cifrek is distinguished Croatian painter, calligrapher and miniaturist, living in Slovenia. He completed his studies at the Academy of Arts of the University of Zagreb . In 2005, his self-portrait was awarded the first prize on an international competition organized in Finland. It was even chosen to appear on a postage stamp in Finland (on the photo)! Here we provide his very beautiful miniatures inspired by the rich tradition of Croatian Easter eggs painting. Mr. Cifrek was born in a village of Makoišće gornje on the north of the city of Zagreb.
Indian Mathematics Day in Croatia 2024
About 40 mathematicians plus several guests have participated at the meeting honoring the birth of Srinivasa Ramanujan, the greatest Indian mathematician in history. This yearly event, already fourth in order, was organized at the Mathematics Department of the Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb . The principal sponsors were the Embassy of India , the mentioned Math Department, along with the Croatian Mathematical Society (its president Professor Vesna Županović is on the photo), and the Croatian-Indian Society . Three short, but very interesting 15 min lectures were delivered by distinguished Croatian experts Andrej Dujella, Zvonimir Šikić, and Mirko Primc.
Esperanto connecting Croatia globally
Croatian Esperanto literature has its beginnings since 1908. Croatian Esperanto-League (KEL, Kroata Esperanto-Ligo, Hrvatski espernatski savez ) was founded in Zagreb in 1909. Many Croatian literary books have been translated into various languages worldwide due to their translations into Esperanto. Especially interesting are translations into Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Bengali, and Parsi languages. So, for example, children of Bengal can read Strange Adventures of Apprentice Hlapić by Ivana Brlić Mažuranić due to its translation from Croatian into Esperanto. On the photo – Mrs. Spomenka Štimec, former president of KEL.
Rudolf Matz 1901-1988 distinguished Croatian cello teacher
Croatian born Rudolf Matz (1901-1988) began work on what would become his First Years of Violoncello in the early 1940-s, and he would continue to expand, revise, and make more complete this monumental undertaking for the next 45 years. His interest and experience as a teacher, performer, composer and author informed the content of these of these technical exercises, etudes, and concert pieces, as did his early life experience as a competitive sprinter and his later interest in and study of anatomy, physiology, and ergonomics.
G2 Meeting Second Generation, November 14 and 15, 2024
The largest, best, and longest-running business networking conference between Croatia and the diaspora – MEETING G2 – will take place on November 14 and 15, 2024, at the Westin Hotel in Zagreb, the right place to connect, meet Croats from all over the world, and meet 10 top award winners. Hear their success stories, their love for the homeland, get inspired, and realize your full potential! On the photo – Mara Vitols Hrgetić. Since 2015 she and her husband Josip Hrgetić, they organize annualbusiness meetings for Croatia and its diaspora.
Nenad Bach speaking at TEDx Zagreb: PingPong vs Parkinson Uncommon Solution, Nov 21, 2024
In 2010, Nenad was diagnosed with Parkinson. In 2017, he launched PingPongParkinson” – a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping as many people as possible find relief from Parkinson symptoms by playing ping pong. This initiative has quickly evolved into a global movement spanning 25 countries and five World Championships. The organization’s story is captured in a recently published book, “PingPongParkinson”: It Started with a Tremor and It’s Shaking Up the World”. On November 21, 2024, Nenad will release his seventh album.
Helen Merrill aka Jelena Ana Milcetic, one of the most distinctive jazz singers ever
Helen Merrill, distinguished Croatian-American jazz singer, was born in New York in 1929 as Jelena Ana Milčetić. Her both parents are from Croatia, originating from the island of Krk. Accorading to Joao Moreira dos Santos, she is one of the most distinctive jazz singers ever. Her music production i senormous, including also songs that she sung in Italian, Japanese, French, and her native Croatian languages. Some of the melodies that she sung in Croatian are “Kyrie” (glagolitic church song), “Tanac” (Dance, from the island of Krk in Croatia), and “Ti si rajski cvijet” (You are a heavenly flower).
Anica Markov – A Dalmatian Girl from Two Continents
“A Dalmatian girl from two continents” is an autobiographical book in which the author describes her untypical life from her birth up to her adulthood. She was born in Split, Croatia as the fourth child in a well-to-do family. However, due to political reasons, her parents decided to emigrate when she was 15. She loved Croatia and her life there, and she hated to emigrate. The book illustrates some memories of her childhood in various cities of Croatia. Then she continues describing her adulthood in a refugee camp in Italy, emigration to Chile and finally to Venezuela where the family settled. However, her love for Croatia was always present in her life.
Johnny Mercer, distinguished American singer, lyricist and songwriter, has Croatian roots on his mother's side
Among the best known of Johnny Mercer’s songs are “Moon River”, “Autumn Leaves”, “Days of Wine and Roses”, and “Hooray for Hollywood”. He wrote the lyrics to more than 1,500 songs, including compositions for movies and Broadway shows. He received nineteen Oscar nominations, and won four Best Original Song Oscars. His roots on his mother’s side are Croatia: his grandfather (Ivan Josip Čučević, i.e., John Joseph Ciucevich) was born in Croatia on the island of Lastovo.