Dear Sir or Madam,
The “Stećak” Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Croatian Traditional Culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in cooperation with the Croatian Heritage Foundation, is organizing the 11th Traditional National Folk Costume Show and Contest for the Most Beautiful Croatian Woman in a National Folk Costume Outside of the Republic of Croatia, which will take place from 8 to 14 July 2024 in Tomislavgrad, Bosnia and Hercegovina.
The aim of the programme is for Croats from all over the world to meet and connect for the purpose of promoting common traditional culture and getting to know and supporting Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in strengthening and preserving their national and cultural identity.
Croatian women, representatives of Croatian emigrant communities from various European countries, but also from other continents, from North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as representatives of Croatian minority communities, participated in the shows and contests in previous years. We invite you to join the programme and support the 11th Show and Contest in 2024.
Programme duration: July 8th – July 14th, 2024
July 8th – Arrival in Biograd, accommodation in hotel, dinner at restaurant ROKO
July 9th – Trip to the island of Tkon, photoshoot at Čokovac monastery, lunch on the island of Pašman
July 10th – Visit to Vransko jezero Nature Park, visit to Zadar – ‘’Pozdrav suncu’’ and lunch Return to Biograd, 21:00 SHOW IN THE SUMMER MOVIE THEATRE IN BIOGRAD
July 11th – Breakafast, departure for Tomislavgrad, arrival and visit to Samograd. Lunch, accommodation in hotel. Sightseeing of the city’s landmarks: museum, library, African collection. Dinner and socialazing with youth of Tomislavgrad – FRIENDSIHP EVENING.
July 12th – Rehearsal at Ganga Square, lunch at the hotel, preparation for the fashion show and the 11th TRADITIONAL CLOTHING REVIEW AND THE SELECTION OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CROATIAN WOMAN IN FOLK COSTUME OUTSIDE THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA. Gala dinner after the fashion show.
July 13th – Breakfast, photoshoot at Libu in traditional attire, return to the hotel, and after changing clothes, excursion to Masna Luka and lunch at NPR Vrleti. Dinner by arrangement with socializing.
July 14th – Breakfast and departure from Tomislavgrad to Zagreb
Contest rules:
1. The female contestants participate in the national folk costume of the region where they or their ancestors come from. If the contestant does not have the costume of her region, she participates in the costume chosen by her or the ensemble she is representing.
2. Female contestants must be between 18 and 32 years old.
3. Each female contestant can bring one person/chaperone as a companion who will help her to get ready, get dressed and the like. Contestants are not allowed to bring along a boyfriend or fiancé as chaperone.
4. Female contestants and their chaperones are provided with free meals and transportation to excursions, as well as other programme-related expenses during their stay.
5. Female contestants and their chaperones are not provided with travel expenses for arrival in and departure from Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, a special free bus from Zagreb to Tomislavgrad (with return to Zagreb) will be provided for all female contestants traveling via Zagreb.
6. After application, and before the Contest (at the latest by June 1st 2024), all contestants must send two photos of themselves in national folk costume to the organizer: one portrait and one photo of the entire contestant (medium shot). The submitted photos will be used for the selection of Miss Photogenic via the website and Facebook pages of the “Stećak” Association, which will precede the Show and Contest.
7. On July 11th, an artistic photo shoot of the female contestants will take place. The photo shoot will be carried out by a professional photographer, and each female contestant will receive her photo in national folk costume – printed on canvas, size 50×70 cm.
8. The winner will be proclaimed the most beautiful Croatian woman in a national folk costume outside of the Republic of Croatia. Her 1st and 2nd runners-up will also be proclaimed and will receive appropriate prizes.
9. Each country can be represented by a maximum of two contestants that represent Croatian communities and organizations, and the contestants from Bosnia and Herzegovina will make arrangements directly with the organizer – Stećak.
10. The participants of the Show, by accepting the contest rules, waive any claims from the organizers based on compensation of any form of damage that could arise during the Programme of the 11th Show.
How to apply for the Contest:
You have to complete the enclosed application form and, at the latest by June 1st 2024, send it to the email address stecakudruga@gmail.com, with anita.bracic@matis.hr in CC;
We kindly ask you to accept our invitation and participate in this valuable Programme with the aim of promoting the Croatian traditional heritage of the Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina and preserving the Croatian cultural identity.
Ivana Rora, Head of the Project of the Croatian Heritage Foundation