Some forty young Croatians from the communities abroad in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Macedonia, Romania, Germany and Bosnia-Herzegovina will be in Šibenik this summer where they will take part in the CHF’s Eco Heritage Task Force 2016.
Some forty young Croatians from the communities abroad in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Macedonia, Romania, Germany and Bosnia-Herzegovina will be in Šibenik this summer where they will take an active role in an archaeological investigation of the Burnum site and a Šibenik fortresses programme. An agreement was signed to this effect on the 13th of May between Šibenik mayor Željko Burić, Krka National Park director Krešimir Šakić and Croatian Heritage Foundation director Marin Knezović.
“We are delighted to see young Croatians from the communities abroad visiting Šibenik, the oldest city established by Croatians, in the year in which we celebrate the 950th anniversary of the first written record of the city’s existence,” said Šibenik mayor Željko Burić. “Active participation in the work of our fortresses, and with Krka National Park,” he added, “is the best route to getting acquainted with Šibenik – a city which celebrates in particular Croatian King Peter Krešimir IV the Great – and its environs and, I am confident, further strengthening links to the ancestral homeland of these young people.”
The young Croatians from the communities abroad will be accompanied by field guides, Croatian language instructors, media workshop leaders and the leader of the dramatic arts/film workshop.
“The Eco Heritage Task Force is one of the programmes closely identified with the Croatian Heritage Foundation,” said Croatian Heritage Foundation director Marin Knezović. “The enthusiasm of these young people from the Croatian emigrant communities and our own enthusiasm in the homeland,” he added, “is a source of renewed inspiration from year to year and fills us with pride. We are happy to see that the City of Šibenik, Krka National Park, and Šibenik-Knin County have offered their support to this enthusiasm this year, to these young people from around the world. I am confident that this has the potential of growing into a long-term collaboration,” Knezović concluded.
Along with the work on the archaeological investigation of the Burnum site, the young Croatians from the communities abroad will also work on the maintenance of a section of the hiking trails in Krka National Park at the Roški waterfall (Roški slap) location.
“Krka National Park will be the proud host of these young people in their efforts to actively get to know their ancestral homeland. The nicest possible way to do so is to spend time absorbing its wealth of natural and cultural/historical heritage, the kind we find in Krka National Park, the city of Šibenik and the county as a whole, and to meet the people who live and work here and – I am confident – to discover life-long acquaintances. Krka National Park is visited by people from all these countries and these young people will be our best global ambassadors,” said Krka National Park director Krešimir Šakić.
During their time in Croatia the participants will also visit the venues of previous Eco Heritage Task Force events, Skradin and Bribirska glavica (1997), Murter (2013), and tour the cities of Split, Trogir and Zadar.
The Croatian Heritage Foundation is organising the transport of the young Croatians from the emigrant communities from Zagreb to Šibenik and back and covering the fees of the leaders and lectures and the costs of promotional materials. Krka National Park will, for its part, finance board for the participants (breakfast, lunch and dinner), while the City of Šibenik has agreed to secure lodging at the student dormitory in Šibenik. Also joining the project are the Tourism Boards of the City of Šibenik and of Šibenik-Knin County, who will secure apartment lodging for the project chief leader and instructor(s) and organise the excursions.
This visit by young Croatians from the communities abroad will run from the 24th of July to the 13th of August and is organised based on the Croatian Heritage Foundation’s 2016 work plan in the frame of the Eco Heritage Task Force 2016 project and involves the participation of young people (above the age of eighteen) from the Croatian emigrant communities.
Read more about the project at: www.matis.hr