WASHINGTON, April 6 - April 7, the day
when ten years ago the United States recognized Croatia, is being marked as
Croatian Day in many U.S. cities. The Embassy initiated and coordinated the
marking of the historic date, as one of the most important in recent Croatian
history, in all U.S. cities where Croatia has diplomatic missions. General and
honorary consulates have been engaged in the implementation of the event.
The celebrations are being held in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, St. Paul and Minneapolis, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Kansas City.
Thus, the Croatian flag was raised in Chicago’s City Hall in the presence of Mayor Richad Daley, while Consul General Domagoj Sola received an honorary charter. Special advisor to the Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Dijana Plestina also addressed all present at the ceremony.
Dr. Miso Munivrana, Croatian Consul General in Los Angeles, initiated the proclamation of April 8 as Croatian Day in Los Angeles, as did Domagoj Kero, Consul General in New York City.
Twin cities St. Paul and Minneapolis as well as the whole state of Minnesota marked the tenth anniversary of Croatia’s recognition by the US on April 5, with a celebration organized by Boris Miksic, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Croatia in St. Paul, Minnesota.
New Orleans’s Croatian Honorary Consul, John Coleman proclaimed Croatian Day on April 7 and marked it with a picnic attended by the local government representatives as well as the New Orleans media.
Marion Mark Vujovich, Honorary Consul in Pittsburgh, and the newly appointed Honorary Consul in Seattle, Frank Brozovich will soon proclaim the Croatian Day in these two cities.
Though Kansas City does not have a
Croatian Consulate, it too marked this anniversary with the proclamation of
the Croatian Day. Namely, during his recent visit to Kansas City Ambassador Grdesic visited the Croatian-American community and met Carol Marinovich,
Mayor of Kansas City, who is also of Croatian descent, where he arranged the
proclamation of the Croatian Day.
Washington DC will mark the ten-year
anniversary on June 25, Croatia's Statehood Day. Ambassador Ivan Grdesic said
the Croatian Embassy and consulates, as well as Croatian Americans, will mark
the event throughout the year.