This culture event, an international festival of amateur theatre, links Croatian minority communities from neighbouring countries with Croatia and their Croatian roots, all with the aim of preserving the common cultural heritage.
The traditional Days of Croatian Popular Theatre were staged in the town of Hercegovac on 22 and 23 February. This culture event, an international festival of amateur theatre, links Croatian minority communities from neighbouring countries with Croatia and their Croatian roots, all with the aim of preserving the common cultural heritage.
The organiser was, again this year, the Croatian Reading Room of Hercegovac, joined by co-organiser the Croatian Heritage Foundation. Sponsors were the Croatian Ministry of Culture, Bjelovar-Bilogora County and the Municipality of Hercegovac. Performing at the festival, along with the Hercegovac Popular Theatre were the Theatre Society of Petrovo Selo (Hungary), the Croatian Reading Room of Subotica (Serbia), the Croatian Amateur Theatre of Travnik (Bosnia-Herzegovina) and the Picollo Theatre of Stari Grad on the island of Hvar. The Days were also enriched by a workshop led by stage director Nina Kleflin.
The capacity audience that gathered for the event was greeted by the president of the Croatian Reading Room Zrinka Cjetojević, who expressed her delight with the turnout of theatre troupes and their valuable contribution to the preservation of Croatian culture. Also on hand to greet the gathered were Andra Prugovečki Klepac, the head of the county administrative department for education, culture and sport and Croatian Heritage Foundation director Marin Knezović. The CHF director declared the festival open, noting that events of this kind contribute much more to our culture than any of the historic events we usually consider to be critical determinants of our lives. On hand at the opening on behalf of the Municipality of Hercegovac were deputy mayor Dragutin Kučera and the president of the municipal council Ivan Koren.
This unique theatre event has made an exceptional contribution to the preservation of traditions and the Croatian identity.
Text by: Marija Hećimović