The closing event programme was produced by Iva Cvetko, the head of the tamburitza section Tibor Bün, the head of the traditional instruments section Vjekoslav Martinić and by Kristina Benko Markovica. The Winter School of Folklore was led by Andrija Ivančan and organised by Srebrenka Šeravić.
A grand closing concert at Koprivnica’s Domoljub Hall on the 12th of January wrapped up this year’s Winter School of Folklore, with the participants showcasing what they had learned in the course of the twenty day programme.
“This most important form of educating young folklorists has been organised for the past half century by the Croatian Heritage Foundation – this year it was staged in Koprivnica for the first time where we found fertile ground and a very high level of support,” noted CHF director Marin Knezović.
“Koprivnica has won our hearts with its serious approach to our programme. From what we have heard from the participants they are delighted. We can expect to see the Winter School of Folklore, which was staged in Crikvenica for the past several years, again in Koprivnica,” Knezović added.
“With this excellent experience behind us,” he noted, “we see no reason not to come back again, for this to become a permanent collaboration and a part of the culture offer and culture life of Koprivnica and its environs. I see no reason not to do that.”
Koprivnica mayor Vesna Želježnjak also promised her support to the organisers and participants.
“We will be your excellent hosts in the future, bringing this wonderful event to the city of Koprivnica. Our fellow citizens and dear guests will enjoy everything they have learned and the courses attended.”
Deputy county prefect Ivan Pal also called on the organisers to once again stage this valuable event in the Podravina region.
“We are one people. If we fail to preserve our traditions, if we do not hold on to that which we most treasure, we are likely to lose an important foundation stone. So let’s hold on to what is very valuable to us. We are always here to help. I too join in the invitation and call on you: come again next year for the Winter School, we’ll be here and delighted to welcome you. Enjoy the coming year in happiness, health and Godspeed, and we’ll see each other in a year’s time.”
This year the Winter School of Folklore gathered a record 130 participants from Australia, the USA, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Vojvodina, Bosnia-Herzegovina and from across Croatia. Divided into three study groups they spent ten days learning the dances, songs, folk costumes and musical instruments of the Croatian Pannonian region – from Baranja, Slavonia, Moslavina and Posavina to Turopolje and Zagreb, and the dances and traditions of the Croatians of Hungary, Vojvodina and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The closing event programme was produced by Iva Cvetko, the head of the tamburitza section Tibor Bün, the head of the traditional instruments section Vjekoslav Martinić and by Kristina Benko Markovica. The Winter School of Folklore was led by Andrija Ivančan and organised by Srebrenka Šeravić.
