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.
Category: Friends
Croatian Library for the Blind in Zagreb visited by Joginder Singh Nijjar and Jane Sha
Mr. Jogdiner Singh Nijjar, president of the Croatian-Indian Society in Zagreb, accompanied with Jane Sha and Darko Žubrinić, have visited the Croatian Library for the Blind in Zagreb . Except of the library, this institution contains a printing house for the needs of blind persons. The building where the library is placed contains also The Blind Theatre Company “New Life” (the oldest blind theatre company in Europe! Founded in 1948), the Typhlological Museum, Radio Club, Chess Club, as well as Sports Club for the blind persons. On the photo: tamburitza orchestra consisting of blind children.
Dubrovnik gets a new sister city – Sorrento in Italy due to an initiative of Ivana Marija Vidović
The Charter on twinning and cooperation between the City of Dubrovnik and the City of Sorrento was signed on Feb 5, 2023, by two mayors, Mato Franković on behalf of the City of Dubrovnik and Massimo Coppola on behalf of the City of Sorrento. The Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra and the Sorrento Dubrovnik Festival, as well as the Dubrovnik pianist Ivana Marija Vidović and conductor maestro Paolo Scibilia, are the most responsible for the intensification of cooperation between the two cities.
Paul Bradbury: Life as a Croatian Postman on the island of Hvar
Of all the interviews and feature stories that Paul Bradbury has done on his Total Croatia News internet project over the years, few were as much fun as an impromptu interview with his local postman over a beer in the town of Jelsa one day in 2016, as he explained to him the incredible Dalmatian GPS system they used to deliver mail on island of Hvar, Croatia. Mr. Bradbury lives in Croatia since 2003. He has published more than two thousand articles about various aspects of culture, life and bussiness in Croatia.
David Byler 1946-2020 was 8th generation Croatian-American and permanent correspondent of the CROWN
David Byler (1946-2020) served as a Lutheran Pastor as well as a permanent correspondent of the Croatian World Network – CROWN. Being an eighth generation Croatian-American, he has contributed in the past years some extremely interesting and insghtful articles to our readers. His wisdom, knowledge, passion and perserverence will be missed by us all. He is listed among twenty greatest Croatian Americans in the USA. David liked to be nicknamed Slavonac (Slavonia is a historical region on the North of Croatia). We express our sincere condolences to his family.
Kinjo Gakuin high school from Japan visited High School Sesvete in Croatia in 2019
Japanese students and teachers arrived in Zagreb on March, 21st 2019. They were wellcomed by students and teachers from Gimnazija Sesvete at Franjo Tuđman airport. The program consisted of multimedial presentations and workshops which presented Gimnazija Sesvete, Croatian educational system, attractions, beauty and culture of Zagreb and Croatia. Japanese students from Nagoya also presented their school, city and talked about education in Japan. The main purpose of this event was promotion of music as a universal way of connecting people as well as promoting school choir singing.
Japanese-Croatian Friendship House in Tokamachi emits a permanent light
Croatian Ambassador to Japan Dr. Drago Štambuk initiated in 2006 the construction of a Japanese – Croatian Friendship House. It was designed in 2009-2010 and its opening ceremony was held in 2012 in the city of Tokamachi. the facility was designed by the Croatian architectural tandem Vinko Penezić and Krešimir Rogina. Guided by the common cultural heritage and symbols of both countries, a project of high architectural and symbolic value was achieved. On the photo Mayor of the city of Tokamachi Mr. Sekiguchi with Dr. Štambuk
Giovanna Drpic moves to CBS46 in Atlanta
Giovanna Drpic (left) can say she’s from the South and South America. She grew up in Texas, but she was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Giovanna is now proud to call Atlanta home as CBS46’s political reporter. She previously served as host/producer of the Emmy-nominated business show, “Money & Main$treet”, on Verizon FiOS1 News Long Island. Giovanna has also been honored by the NY Associated Press Awards, Folio Awards, the Press Club of Long Island and the Garden State Journalism Association.
Yoko Nishii Japanese pianist has a series of concerts throughout Croatia in Sep 2016
Yoko Nishii is known as a leading promoter of the music of Dora Pejačević, after having published the complete pianist works of the first Croatian woman composer in Tokyo in the Spring of 2016. Yoko-san is preparing her new concert tour in Croatia for September 2016, starting in the town of Rovinj on the Sep 8th. Having studied piano in Japan, Yoko-san continued her specialisation in Croatian town of Lovran. She is fluent in Croatian language, and in the past years visited as a pianist numerous Croatian towns. This time, by the courtesy of Mr. Vjeko Martinko, she will also be hosted among others by Hotel Villa Astra in Lovran, where she will meet her numerous friends.
Brenda Brkusic won her 5th and 6th Emmy Awards at the Television Academy's LA Area Emmy Awards
Croatian American Brenda Brkusic (left) won her 5th and 6th Emmy Awards at the Television Academy’s LA Area Emmy Awards held on July 23, 2016. She was recognized as Executive Producer of “Variety Studio: Actors on Actors” and “China’s Challenges: Can China Be Harmonious?” Last year she took home an Emmy for Producing “Mia: A Dancer’s Journey” a film about Croatian-born ballerina Mia Corak Slavenska.
Brenda Brkusic wins 3rd and 4th Los Angeles Area Emmy
Brenda Brkusic (left) and her production teams won two Los Angeles Emmys for the film “Mia, a dancer’s journey” in the Arts and Culture/History category and “Variety Studio: Actors on Actors” in the Best Entertainment Program category. The winners were announced at the 67th Los Angeles Area Emmy(R) Awards presentation on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at The Skirball Cultural Center Guerin Pavilion in Herscher Hall.
Danny Schechter 1942 – 2015 journalist, documentary filmmaker, social justice activist and media critic
By definition Danny was a journalist, documentary filmmaker, social justice activist and media critic, but that would be a reduction and simplification of what Danny real was and is. The man who understood the world affairs; talks one minute to the president of a country and the next minute talks to a group of elementary school kids. Only highly intelligent and highly compassionate people can do that. Danny did and could work for major networks as a highly paid producer. By being and staying as an independent journalist, Danny chose truth vs comfort. Only rare birds put such value on truth.
Vuprem oci an old traditional Croatian song very popular among French vocal choirs
Vuprem oči is a very tender and poetic Croatian folk song from the region of Međimurje on the north of Croatia. Its simple melody follows a pentatonic pattern, so typical for this part of Croatia. We express our deep gratitude to Professor Krešimir Veselić, distinguished Croatian mathematician, who informed us about popularity of this song in France. We also owe our sincere gratitude to numerous French choirs and their conductors for their exceptional perfomances. Moreover, they all sing this song in Croatian! This song is a jewel of the European cultural landscape. On the photo Mrs. Pascale Scarabin from France, fantastic solo interpretor of Vuprem oči .
Frok Zefi Catholic priest, historian and publicist in Croatia
Besides his regular duties in his parish, Don Frok Zefi (on the photo) is very active as a historian and publicist. Till now he has published about a dozen of books and monographs, most of them in Zagreb and Osijek, and some of them printed in Albanian as well. No doubt, the greatest Albanian in history was legenedary Mother Teresa, educated as a girl by Croatian Jesuits. The greatest expert in the history of Albanians was distinguished Croatian scientist and polyglot Milan pl. Šufflay (1879-1931).
Zoran Orlic captures the band Trampled By Turtles in a new book
Croatian-American photographer Zoran Orlic (left) was given the opportunity to capture the band “Trampled by Turtles” as they performed their 10th anniversary concert in Minneapolis earlier this year. Those photos which feature candid backstage shots as well as explosive onstage moments have been collected in a book commemorating the event. The book goes on sale in November and is limited to 1,000 copies. Pre-order your copy today!
Oleh Hirnyk translated Hrvoje Kacic's monograph from Croatian into Ukrainian and published in Kyiv 2013
Mr. Oleh Hirnyk translated an important monograph by Dr. Hrvoje Kačić, Serving My Country (U službi domovine), from Croatian into Ukrainian. The Ukrainian title is Hrvats’ki proriv (Croatian Break Through). The monograph has an extensive preface to the book, written by the translator, revealing many little known details from the history of relations between Croatia and Ukraine. The book has been published in 2013 in Kyiv, and we congratulate Mr. Oleh Hirnyk and the Ukrainian publisher Tempora on great job. The book was previously translated from Croatian into English, Castillian, German, and now into Ukrainian.
Tarara: Croats and Maori in New Zealand, monograph by Senka Bozic-Vrbancic
Maori called us Tarara. , as we speak so fast… At the beginning of the twentieth century, as Croatians left Dalmatia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire for the brave new world of New Zealand, Drawing from official documents, oral histories, novels, letters, newspaper articles, marriage certificates, and much more, Senka Bozic-Vrbancic on the photo explores relationships between Maori and Croats. How has their collective identity been shaped by changing legal regulations from colonial times to the bi cultural New Zealand of today? Croatian and Maori Christmas concert for 2011 in New Zealand. Dame Mira Szászy b. Petričević was the first Maori woman with university degree. Her father was Croatian.
Marie Bernadette Rouaux – Universal Language
My name is Marie-Bernadette Rouaux, I chose these few photos that recall me some “reflections and spaces” from Bretagne and some wonderful days in Croatia, its intensive blue and green beauty. I loved Varazdin under the rain, an evening at Zagreb, the river Sava near Cigoc, the green immersion at Plitvice, the Cadillac at Vitina in Herzegovina, the picnic at Majerovo Vrilo, the sunset on the Kornati, the isle of Solta where I feel at home. At 8 a.m., waiting for the departure to Split, I took two photos in the same moment , the rowboat on the quiet sea and the taking flight of a seagull. I felt the strange sensation of suspended time. When I take pictures, I feel fugitive sensations and deep feelings and it’s a great joy for me to share emotions without words, just going with the flow, “au fil de l’eau”.
Travels bring experiences and memories that last a lifetime. Capt. Iv Vidos and Violi Calvert
Travels bring experiences and memories that last a lifetime. They give us the opportunities to visit beautiful and interesting places, and meet amazing people. During a recent holiday my husband and I had included a 10-night Mediterranean cruise. In his welcome address I noted that the Captain is Croatian. Captain Iv Vidos reflected in his talk to passengers his great love for the sea and his mission of ensuring the safety and enjoyment of the holidaymakers as well as the staff of the ship. Aside from sharing valuable information and pointers, his good sense of humour came through his announcements before docking at various ports.
Google congratulated the Independence Day October 8 to Croatia – many thanx to Google!
On 8 October 1991 the Croatian Deit (Parliament) decided to cancel all ties with ex-Yugoslavia. The day before Zagreb has been bombed by the Yugoslav army attempting to assasinate president Franjo Tuđman and Croatian Government. The decision has been undertaken in circumstances of Serbian agression on Croatia, where the ex-Yu army was left without control of ex-Yugoslav presidency. The Decision obtained support of great majority of citizens of Croatia. Thank you, Google, for celebrating Croatian Independence Day with us!