President Milanović Receives Croatian Fraternal Union of America Delegation
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received today a delegation of the Croatian Fraternal Union of America visiting Croatia on the occasion of the organization and holding of a Tamburitza Festival in Zagreb.
The tamburitza festival “Tambura kroz generacije“ under the patronage of the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović will be held on 28 and 29 June 2024 in the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb, organized by the Croatian Fraternal Union and the Croatian Heritage Foundation. More than 900 participants, parents and children – adults and juniors of all ensembles will perform at the Festival. The representatives of the Croatian Fraternal Union noted that an estimated 1,500 descendants of Croats from America and Canada, members of the CFU, are coming to Croatia.
During the discussion they stated that a total of 41 ensembles of the Croatian Fraternal Union of the USA and Canada are arriving in Zagreb to participate in the first joint Croatian cultural festival of CFU members and with their performances they will demonstrate how they are preserving the Croatian heritage in their work. At the meeting, it was also pointed out that this kind of music and dance presentation of the Croatian Fraternal Community and its members greatly contributes to the excellent relations between the United States of America, Canada and the Republic of Croatia, and at the same time demonstrates the great success that the Croatian Fraternal Community has achieved during all the years of its active activities in establishing cultural cooperation with the Homeland.
In addition to the Festival, at the meeting representatives of the Croatian Fraternal Community informed President Milanović of their other activities as well as the challenges they face in their work and activities. The Croatian Fraternal Union was founded in 1894 and is a fraternal charitable society of Croatian emigrants whose centre is located in Pittsburgh.
The delegation of the Croatian Fraternal Union of America included: National President and Chairman of Executive and National Board of Directors Edward W. Pezo, National Secretary/Treasurer and Secretary of Executive and National Board of Directors Bernadette M. Luketich-Sikaras, Executive Vice President and member of Executive Board and National Board of Directors Franjo Bertović, 2nd National Vice President and member of the National Board of Directors Michael J. Ricci, President of the Board of Trustees and member of the National Board of Directors Daniel C. Kochis, Secretary of the Board of Trustees and member of the National Board of Directors Ruth Sepich, members of the Board of Trustees and members of the National Board of Directors John Miksich, Robert Luketic, Edward Sambol, Wayne Vlasic and John Staresinic, editors of official organ Zajedničar Ivan Begg and Lorraine Turkall, and Director of Fraternal Programs Derek Hohn.
Alongside the President of the Republic were the Adviser to the President for Foreign and European Policy Neven Pelicarić, the Adviser to the President for Dragan Lozančić, the Director of the Croatian Heritage Foundation Mijo Marić and the Head of the Service for Culture, Education and Publishing of the Croatian Heritage Foundation Ivana Dvorneković.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek