INAUGURACION DE LA SEMANA DE CROACIA EN LA OEA

El 20 de septiembre de 1999, el Observador Permanente de Croacia ante la OEA y Embajador ante los EEUU, Dr. Miomir Zuzul, inauguró la “Semana de Croacia” en la OEA. En una ceremonia que se llevó a cabo en el Patio Azteca del Edificio de la OEA en Washington,  el Embajador Zuzul también inauguró la exposición de fotografías de las esculturas más importantes del reconocido artista croata Ivan Mestrovic.

En dicho acto estuvieron también presentes las máximas autoridades de la OEA: el Secretario General, Dr. César Gaviria, el Secretario General Adjunto, Embajador Chrisopher Thomas y el Presidente del Consejo Permanente, Embajador Sir Arlington Griffith Butler.

En su discurso de apertura, el Dr. Gaviria recalcó la importancia de la obra de Ivan Mestrovic y su influencia en las corrientes artísticas en las Américas. Asimismo, subrayó que la OEA saluda las inciativas presentadas por los países observadores y, en este sentido, felicitó a la Misión Observadora de Croacia por la organización de la Exposición de Ivan Mestrovic y la Semana de Croacia en la OEA.

INAUGURATION OF THE CROATIAN WEEK AT THE OAS

Mr. Secretary General, Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Chairman of the Permanent Council, Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives and Observers to the Organization of American States, dear friends from the Americas,

It is my great pleasure to inaugurate today the “Week of the Republic of Croatia at the Organization of American States” and the exhibition of photographs of the most famous sculptures made by the greatest Croatian sculptor in this century, Ivan Mestrovic.

I am most honored to make this official presentation of the Republic of Croatia, bringing your attention to the reality of our country, its natural beauties, its rich cultural heritage and, of course, its people and the huge contribution made by the Croatian immigrants to the development of the Americas.

In this regard, we understood that this Mestrovic exhibition would be the best way to show you the broad scope of dynamic interaction between Croatia and the Americas.

Ivan Mestrovic is not only the most important Croatian sculptor in this century. He is also a vivid example of those Croats who came to the New World seeking freedom and peace, making at the same time a remarkable contribution to the cultural, social, economic and even political development of the Western Hemisphere.
Born in the Sava valley in the northern part of Croatia, in 1883, and raised in a Dalmatian mountain village, Mestrovic moved to the United States after the Second World War. Bringing a vast experience from Europe, Mestrovic very soon became one of the most recognized sculptors in the country. In 1947 he became the first living artist in the Metropolitan Museum of New York’s history to be honored with a one-man show.

Mestrovic also taught at the Syracuse University and the University of Notre Dame, in South Bend, Indiana, where he died in 1962.

As you could appreciate in this exhibition, Mestrovic dedicated also some of his works to American motives. The most famous surely is the “Indian with a Spear”, a sculpture in bronze placed in the Grant Park in the center of the city of Chicago.
As a Croat and European who spent a long period of his life in the Americas, Mestrovic managed to successfully combine perspectives from both sides of the Atlantic. However, if something can define Mestrovic that is his assumption that “national pride in the hands of the creative becomes an instrument for the liberation of the Spirit and the mutual understanding of all mankind”.

Definitely, Mestrovic was a “Patriot-Sculptor”, an artist who expressed through his work the heart and soul of his homeland, Croatia. However, his strong national feelings did not move him into a nationalistic or limited perspective. On the contrary, Mestrovic’s works of art are both, deeply Croatian and deeply universal, at the same time.

In short, we could say that Mestrovic’s life summarizes the experience of many other Croats who came to the Americas and built an imaginary bridge across the Atlantic, nearing Croatia and the American countries.

Actually, this connection between Croatia and the Americas exists for a long period of time. As one of the oldest nations in Europe, the Croats established some kind of relationship with the Americas immediately after the Columbus’ expedition to the New World.  Furthermore, according to some recently discovered documents, it seems that among the Columbus’ crew were sailors from the Croatian city of Dubrovnik. Although this fact is not completely proved, the true is that the first Croats came to the Americas almost 500 years ago.

For example, Vice Bune, a citizen of Dubrovnik who served the Spanish Crown became Viceroy of Mexico during the reign of Philip II. Also serving the Spanish Monarchy, Petar Ohmucevic, a Croatian noble from Hercegovina, represented the King Philip II in Central America and was declared Captain General of the Indies.

Due to the good relations with Spain, many other Croats visited or settled in Central and South America. Croats also established some contacts with North America; for example, the Croatian city of Dubrovnik, which at that time was an independent Republic, was among the first countries in Europe that recognized the independence of the United States of America.

Croats also came to the Americas as missionaries and explorers. Among the most famous were the jesuits Ivan Ratkaj, who came to Veracruz, Mexico, in the 17th century, and Ferdinand Konscak, who draw the maps of California in 1746.

Of course, the relationship was not only one-sided. It is interesting to note that, for example, one of the biggest heroes of the venezuelan and Latin American independence, General Francisco de Miranda, went to the Croatian city of Dubrovnik looking for a constitutional model for his homeland.

However, Croats began to emigrate to the Americas in a bigger number in the last quarter of the past century and all along the 20th century. Due to economic or political reasons, Croats emigrated and settled in almost every country in the American continent.

Even before the First World War, a large number of Croats settled in Buenos Aires, Rosario and the provinces of Santa Fe and Chaco, in Argentina. Also in Antofagasta, Punta Arenas and Valparaiso in Chile; Callao and Lima in Peru; Oruro, Potosi and Santa Cruz in Bolivia; Montevideo in Uruguay, Sao Paulo in Brazil. After the WW II, also a bigger number of political emigrants went to Caracas and Buenos Aires.

In the same way, Croats emigrated to North America, especially to Canada and the United States, where large Croatian communities live in Toronto, Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Pittsburg, San Pedro and many other cities in this part of the continent.

All these Croatian emigrants, from Canada to Chile, quickly became very respectable citizens of their new countries, integrated into new societies and contributing to the development of the Americas. It is difficult to summarize the contribution given by the Croats or their descendants in the Americas. But let me mention, for example, the contribution of Radomir Tomic to the democracy in Chile. Or in Argentina we can find Nikola Mihanovic, the founder of the first Argentine commercial float. Also in Uruguay, Antonio Lussich founded a world famous company for the rescue of ships in the South Atlantic and also wrote one the classics of the uruguayan literature “Los tres gauchos orientales”.

The list of significant Croatian or Croatian-American intellectuals, professionals and businessmen is certainly very long. The Republic of Croatia and the Croatian people are very proud of them and very thankful to the American countries who opened the door to the Croatian emigrants when their homeland was in a difficult situation.

Fortunately, today Croatia is finally an independent nation and the Croats are no longer forced to leave their country. However, the Republic of Croatia does not want to forget the large Croatian communities living in the American continent and those countries that offered them a new life in the New World.

On the contrary, Croatia is committed to strengthen ties with the Americas and that is why Croatia became and Observer Member to the Organization of American States. In our view, the OAS is not only the oldest regional organization in the continent, but also the natural forum of the Americas, an open window to the Western Hemisphere.

Just like we did today by signing a Joint Declaration and establishing diplomatic relations with Honduras, we will take every opportunity given by the OAS to develop bilateral relations with the American countries. Certainly, we will also participate in the OAS activities aimed at promoting democracy, peace, security and development for the Americas.

This first Croatian Week at the OAS is surely one important step in that direction. In this regard, let me express our gratitude to the OAS Office of External Relations, especially to its specialist Ms. Magdalena Talamas, who helped us in the organization of this event. I hope this Croatian Week will serve to promote new initiatives and I expect that, with the joint efforts of the General Secretariat, the Member States and our Observer Mission, we will strengthen ties between the Americas and the Republic of Croatia.
Thank you.