The Croatian Heritage Foundation is a public institution whose fundamental task is to preserve and develop the Croatian national, linguistic and cultural identity of Croats outside the Republic of Croatia. The activities of the Croatian Heritage Foundation were established by the Croatian Heritage Foundation Act (Official Gazette 94/2018).

We are directing our mission, in cooperation with the Central State Office for Croats Abroad and all other institutions of the Croatian state, towards three key groups outside the Republic of Croatia: Croatian emigrants and their descendants, members of Croatian national minorities in twelve European countries and Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where they are a constituent people.

We connect and support all components of the Croatian people outside the state borders of the Republic of Croatia. With them, we share a common history and a sense of belonging, and we build and strengthen the feeling of unity, taking into account the circumstances in which they live.

The Croatian Heritage Foundation implements a variety of cultural, education, science, publishing, information and communication programs and projects with the aim of strengthening the ties of all Croats with their homeland and interconnecting the different Croatian communities around the world. We pay special attention to learning and nurturing the Croatian language, supporting education and cultural creativity, improving communication with our communities and presenting Croatia, its history, natural beauty and rich cultural heritage; especially among the young generations, who are the bearers of future connection and cooperation.

As a place of encounter, cooperation and unity, the Croatian Heritage Foundation remains a permanent link between the Republic of Croatia and millions of Croats around the world, connecting current and future generations.

A Word from the Director

Dear Croats in the homeland and in the diaspora,

Welcome to the website of the Croatian Heritage Foundation!

We are proud members of an old European people, deeply rooted in the Christian tradition, imbued with a strong state-building consciousness, hardened by a lasting pursuit of freedom, independence and the preservation of national identity. This year, with a special sense of pride, we celebrate the 1100th anniversary of the Croatian Kingdom. Our glorious history was marked by the struggle and sacrifice for the preservation of our name, language and freedom, culminating with the creation of our modern, sovereign Croatian state by the will of the people and the sacrifice of Croatian defenders during the Homeland War. All this was accomplished under the leadership of the first Croatian president and founder of the Croatian state, Dr. Franjo Tuđman, who was part of the leadership of our institution in the 1960s.

It was the democratic changes in 1990 that opened a new chapter in Croatian history and enabled our true unity. The Croatian Heritage Foundation, which received its current name, as well as new meaning with Croatian independence, then opened its doors wide to the, until then, proscribed political emigration, which was persecuted, discriminated against and forcibly separated from the homeland by the Yugoslav, communist regime for decades.

Over the centuries, through multiple waves of emigration, many Croats, mostly in their best years, were forced to leave the homeland, mostly in search of a better living standard, while many others, unfortunately, left due to the political circumstances. They emigrated all over Europe, to North and South America, Australia and South Africa, leaving behind family, the homeland and the Croatian language. Despite the distance, they have preserved a strong sense of belonging to the Croatian people and, together with their descendants, today form a living foundation of Croatian communities around the world, of which we are extremely proud.

Today, more than three and a half million Croats and their descendants live throughout the world, from emigrants in Europe and overseas countries, to Croatian minorities in neighboring countries. They all form an inseparable part of the unique Croatian national being; they are the guardians of language, tradition and cultural heritage, without whom our identity would not be complete. A unique position is held by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, its oldest constituent people, resulting in our special relationship with them.

In this sense, the Croatian Heritage Foundation, during this period of modern Croatian sovereignty, has a special and indispensable role: to be a bridge between the homeland and the diaspora, to connect the hearts and the people, to transfer knowledge and experience, to preserve and promote what makes us Croats; our language, our culture, our faith and our belonging to a unique Croatian people.

We are aware that belonging to the Croatian people goes beyond the boundaries of formal citizenship. A Croat is anyone who has Croatian roots, whether they are a descendant of the second, third or fourth generation of emigrants, whether they are just discovering their ties through language, culture or a sense of unity. Within this meaning, we are only a symbol of the always extended hand of the homeland of Croatia to all who want to deepen their connection with their primeval heritage and values. In particular, we are thinking about young people, who are our future and a guarantee of the preservation of “what it means to be Croatian” throughout the world.

Our home in Zagreb, on Stjepan Radić Square, named after another one of our greats who advocated in his political activities the return of emigrants “to their home and hearth”, is open to all. The building of the Croatian Heritage Foundation is not only the administrative headquarters, but the true home of all of us, a place of encounter, cooperation and friendship.

It is especially important for us to reach out to young generations of emigrants and their descendants who may not speak Croatian, but who feel a sense of belonging in their hearts to the Croatian family. During these times of significant global challenges and digital transformation, the Croatian Heritage Foundation will further strengthen and adapt its programs, content and activities, both in the real world and on social media, to allow everyone to become involved in the life of the Croatian community, to become familiar with their own roots, to learn the Croatian language and to actively participate in building unity.

Our work remains focused on concrete projects and programs that bring together, empower and connect Croatian communities around the world. We pay special attention to working with culture and art associations, emigrant periodicals, Croatian Catholic missions that, in addition to pastoral care, play an indispensable role in the preservation of cultural heritage and spiritual connection, Croatian schools and lectureships, language courses, summer and winter programs for young people, as well as providing support to emigrant print and electronic media, Croatian organizations and engaged individuals in all branches of human activity.

I thank all active Croatian women and men, as well as friends of the Croatian people, who work tirelessly to preserve our identity, bring communities together and strengthen the feeling of belonging, community and pride. I invite them to persevere in their work because their dedicated work is the foundation of our global connection, both in the present and for future generations. The Croatian Heritage Foundation remains their partner and a support on this path.

We are also at the disposal of all those who are considering and striving to return to Croatia, descendants of Croatian emigrants who want to return, as well as returnees who have already taken this huge step in life.

Croatia is our homeland!

Zdeslav Milas, M.Sc.
Director of the Croatian Heritage Foundation