http://hometown.aol.com/vgoss/ugh.htm
Globalna Hrvatska Answer to Cultural Neglect
A Citizens Association Globalna Hrvatska (Global Croatia) held its
Founding Assembly in Zagreb on January 20, 2002. The Association (Udruga
Gradjana = NGO) was initiated by Lilijana Domic, top Croatian art and
literary critic and gallerist, and a major poet, and by Dr. Vladimir P. Goss,
Croatian-American writer, journalist and art history professor. Among
founding members are Professor Vladimir Malekovic, Director of the Arts and
Crafts Museum of Zagreb, painter Miroslav Sutej, Croatian-American painter
Marko Spalatin, Professor Dr. Zlatko Juric of the Faculty of Arts and
Sciences and Art Academy, Judge Edward Damich, Court of Federal Claims,
Washington, Professor Silvija Letica, head of the Education Department of the
Croatian Heritage Foundation (Matica hrvatskih iseljenika), Ms. Visnja Boras
Bedenko, Architect, Member of the City of Zagreb Preservation of Monuments
Office, Dr. Nenad Vidovic, a well-known Zagreb attorney.
According to the By-Laws, the Association is a voluntary form of citiz
ens’ association created in order to stimulate, promote and implement
cooperation between Croatia and the Croats abroad, which together constitute
Global Croatia, in the fields of art and culture, and in related areas of
mutual interest.
The stated goals of the Association are to stimulate, promote, organize,
improve and implement cooperation in the field of art and culture (and in
related areas) between the Homeland and the Croats abroad, i.e., within
Global Croatia, which is comprised of the constitutional homelands of the
Croatian people, the Republics of Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and
the Croatian communities around the world; to bring about better mutual
understanding between the Croatian people at home and the Croatian
communities abroad, and to support good and fruitful relationship in
particular in the fields of culture and the arts by spreading information and
supporting education on all levels in order to improve the knowledge of
Croatian culture, and to advocate a global approach to Croatian studies.
The Association will carry out its activities in a spirit of mutual
creative cooperation, partnership, and respect within Global Croatia.
It will sponsor and promote such activities as exhibitions, lectures,
round tables, festivals, concerts, performances, readings, symposia, etc.,
introducing to the Homeland Croatian artists and cultural activists from
abroad, as well as promoting Croatian artists and cultural activists abroad,
in the countries with substantial Croatian communities, or in any country
which is interested in the type of activity offered by the Association.
The Association will also seek membership for Croatian artists and
cultural activists from abroad in Croatian professional organizations and
institutions, and vice versa. It will promote virtual links within Global
Croatia by the way of the Internet. It will strongly advocate spreading
knowledge of Global Croatian culture by encouraging programs of studies at
the institutions of high and higher learning, as well as education of the
media, both at home and abroad. It intends to create a publication program,
and a library including electronic media.
Membership in Global Croatia is open to individuals and legal
entities both in Croatia and abroad, as long as they accept the By-Laws of
the Association. Annual membership fee is a voluntary contribution.
Why Global Croatia?
According to the initiators, there is a state of insufficient knowledge,
not to say of total ignorance, in Croatia concerning the art of the Croats
abroad. And just in Chile there are 150 published writers of Croatian origin.
In Argentina, Carmen Verlichak has claimed a major literary prize. So also
have Josip Novakovich, Mary Helen Stefaniak, Melissa Milich, Anthony
Mlikotin, Alain Horic in the US or Canada; or Amelia Batistich in New
Zealand. Marko Spalatin is recognized as one of the top US painters of today.
So also is Anton Cetin in Canada; and Charles Bilich in the Pacific region.
Until recently there was no systematic program of exhibitions of Croatian
artists from abroad in Croatia. Not until one such program was proposed and
initiated by the founders of the Association. Croatian writers from abroad
have beendenied membership in Croatian writers associations.
On the other hand, there are many outstanding Croatian artists and other
cultural activists who need to be introduced to the world. Recently a top US
institution proposed to fund a major exhibition of Croatian painting in the
US there were no takers in Croatia to act as partners.
All this, in our opinion, constitutes a major case of cultural neglect,
and Global Croatia hopes to remedy the situation.
Wonders of Croatian culture are still insufficiently known, both inside
and outside Croatia. The fact that there exists a Global Croatian culture is
a concept shared by just a few both at home and abroad. Please join us in our
effort to promote some of the best aspects of Croatia’s past and present.
Accept this as our cordial invitation to join.
Vladimir P. Goss
vgoss@aol.com
919-732-7576 (in the US)
091-503-0117 (in Croatia)
distributed by CROWN – www.croatianworld.net – CroWorldNet@aol.com
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