About twenty participants of this year’s EHTF from 10 countries around the world, spent two weeks working, swimming, learning Croatian, making a film or collecting photos and statements for the media workshop.
Participants of the jubilee EHTF from 10 countries of the world gathered in Brodarica to volunteer and participate in CHF’s project, the goal of which is for young people over the age of 18 to work on the preservation of Croatian natural and cultural heritage. This year, it was held on the small island of Krapanj, which is known for its ancient sponge harvesters. This year, the event was visited by students, saddlers, professors, teachers, animation experts, active members of the Macedonian-Croatian Society, actors, sculptors… About twenty of them spent two weeks working, swimming, learning Croatian, making a film or collecting photos and statements for the media workshop.
They managed to leave a mark. This year’s host, the president of the Krapanj local self-government, Dalibor Garma, can also confirm this as he has spent every day on the field with the participants. He expressed his satisfaction with what was done, and that is no small thing. Of course, they did not just work, they were also given a tour of Krka National Park and enjoyed its natural beauty. They got to explore nearby Šibenik and celebrated with the people of Krapanj the Feast of their Lady of the Angels.
The focal point was a celebration of 30 years of the Task Force project in Šibenik, which was given by one of the founders of TF, Steve Hrkač. Also present were the co-founder, his sister Sylvia Hrkač from Canada, the first leader of the TF in Voćin in 1992, Nik Vidak, as well as the deputy director of CHF Ivan Tepeš, who handed out certificates of appreciation to this year’s participants.
On the last day, on August 5, preparations were made for the closing ceremony. On the small square in front of the Vito tavern, where, in addition to lunch, the participants had the opportunity to hear about the history of Krapanj, everything was ready. The canvas was hung and a film shot at the “Ajkula s Krapnja” film workshop was being watched. The local crowd laughed. The participants of the Croatian language workshop sang a song by Oliver Dragojević and the media workshop participants showed their works. There was no lack of applause. Our emigrants and returnees were among the audience and they all looked at the youth with affection and hoped that at least one of them would one day return to Krapanj.
Text: Nives Antoljak
Photo: Mihovil Rora