The exhibition was presented by organiser Nives Antoljak, artists and project initiators Ankica and Ante Karačić, and by CHF acting director Mirjana Ana-Maria Piskulić, who opened the exhibition and wished everyone a happy Independence Day.
The Glagolitic Script in the Eyes and Hearts of Children exhibition has arrived in Zagreb. The exhibition was presented at the Croatian Heritage Foundation headquarters to visitors and competition participants by its organiser Nives Antoljak. Artists Ankica and Ante Karačić, the initiators of the project, were also on hand to speak, as was Antonella D’Antuono, president of the Glagoljica and Jedna Musika associations from Kruč (Acquaviva Collecroce). She spoke in the Molise Croat dialect, which they refer to as “na našo” (in our tongue). The artists thanked and presented letters of appreciation to long-time project supporters Kata Oreč, a retired Croatian Information Centre (HIC) staffer, and the editor of the CHF web portal. The gathered were also welcomed by CHF acting director Mirjana Ana-Maria Piskulić, who opened the exhibition and wished everyone a happy Independence Day.
This project is in its 16th year and has gathered 1,000 children, 200 pedagogues, 150 schools and associations from seventeen countries. It was initiated by Ilok natives Ankica and Ante Karačić, now resident in the German town of Iserlohn. Their altruistic and, above all, successful work has brought together children in the homeland and in the emigrant communities. The travelling exhibition is the crown of their efforts and has presented brilliant examples of creative work by children in a number of countries.
This year’s competition on the topic of The Glagolitic Script in the Eyes and Hearts of Children has seen submissions of children’s artwork from all across Croatia, including children with special needs, from orphanages and from all the national minorities living in Croatia. Artwork was also submitted by children from Hungary, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Serbia (Vojvodina), Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia and Germany (children attending Croatian language supplementary instruction in Bavaria, Hessen, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Berlin). The competition winners were announced at the municipal gallery in Iserlohn before being incorporated in this travelling exhibition. The Iserlohn presentation was followed by one in Rome, at the Ćokovac Benedictine monastery in Tkon on the island of Pašman, at the Molisaic event in the Molise region and now, on October 7th, in Zagreb. The exhibition was brought to Zagreb from the Molise region by the presidents of the Croatian associations Jedna Muzika and the Croatian-Italian Mosaic of Rome (Hrvatsko-talijanski mozaik Rim), Antonella D’Antuono and Zrinka Bačić respectively. The exhibition will move on to Zadar later this month and then to Subotica in December.
One hundred pupils received prizes this year in two categories: from 1st to 4th grade and from 5th to 8th grade. The winners were announced at the municipal gallery in Iserlohn on the 19th of April, with letters of commendation sent by post to all the winners.
This successful and long-standing art competition is sponsored by the State Office for Croats Abroad, the Croatian Embassy in Rome, the Croatian Heritage Foundation, the Jedna Muzika association, the Croatian-Italian Mosaic of Rome, Hrvatski glas of Berlin, the City of Rome, the City of Zagreb, the City of Zadar, the Municipality of Acquaviva Collecroce, the Municipality of Tkon (island of Pašman) and Zadarski otoci Elementary School in Zadar.
Text by: Diana Šimurina-Šoufek; Photos by: Snježana Radoš
