Croatians Borna Coric and Ana Konjuh (left) swept the U.S. Open juniors titles Sunday.The 15-year-old Konjuh defeated Tornado Alicia Black of the United States 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the girls’ final, adding to her Australian Open junior title this year. Coric, 16, beat Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the boys’ final.
Croatian folklore groups from Zadar won gold medals at the 2013 World Championship of Folklore in Bulgaria
Two Croatian folklore groups, Sv. Jeronim from Vlašić and Sv. Šime from Rtina as one (under the name of Dalmatika), and Privlaka and Radovin as another, won gold medals at the World Folk 2013 competition organized in Bulgaria. The international competition is organized by the World Association of Folklore Festival and the European Association of Folklore Festivals. More than hundred folklor groups from all five continents participated. Outside the competition, four Croatian folklore groups (about 60 singers) sang old-Croatian Glagolitic songs in two Bulgarian historical churches, which was registered by local TV. Congratulations to Mr. Livio Marijan and his coleagues from the Zadar hinterland.
Croatia won gold in quadruple sculls at 2013 World Championship in Korea ahead of Germany and GB
David Šain, Martin Sinković, Damir Martin (on the photo) and Valent Sinković representing Croatia are continuing with amazing results in quadruple sculls rowing. At the 2013 World Championship held in Korea, Croatia won the first place, Germany the second (last year’s Olympic champions in London, Croatia was second then), and Great Britain the third. Croatia won the title of world champions for the second time (2011 and 2013), and is at the same time the tripple world cup champion (2010, 2011, 2-013), which is an unbeleivable achievement besides such countries like Germany, Great Britain, Rusia, USA, etc..
Alexei Tanovitski Russian singer opening Metropolitan opera season 2013-2014 in New York on September 23
Award-winning Russian bass, Alexei Tanovitski, is one of the brightest stars of his generation. He has impressed audiences the world over and won wide-spread critical acclaim for his performances in the most prominent theaters and concert halls. He was recently appointed as an ambassador to promote the UNESCO World-Heritage-Listed city of Trogir on Croatia’s Adriatic Coast. He lives with his wife Ivana in Croatia’s capital Zagreb. Mr. Tanovitski is opening the Metropolitan Opera season 2003-2014 on September 23.
Dorat d.o.o. Company from Varazdin Croatia manufacturing social games out of paper and cardboard
The idea came from the need of familiarizing cultural, natural and historical landmarks that are recognizable for certain place, area or region to all who want to do so, especially to those who are not introduced with specific landmarks and beauty of that region or area. Some of those games are puzzles, memory, dominos and etc. Recently we developed some new products and new ideas that are interesting for the “business world”. Products are formed as souvenirs or gifts and as such they serve as promotion of landmarks, cities or regions to broad public within Croatia and abroad. The producer is DORAT d.o.o. Company from the city of Varazdin in Croatia.
Josip Hanjs world champion in Shorthand Speech Capturing competition organized in Ghent in Belgium 2013
In 2013 Mr. Josip Hanjš, representing Croatia, became the world champion in a Shorthand Speech Capturing international organized in Ghent, Belgium. Seven countries participated: except Croatia, also Hungary, Italy, Germany, Argentina, France and Turkey. Mr. Hanjš is the president of Croatian Shorthand Association, one of the oldest in Europe, founded in 1882 (five years before London). This is his secon world title in his career: the first title of the world champion has been won in Prague in 2007. It is interesting that here both female and male participants compete all together.
Croatians are the World Cup champions in quadruple sculls for the third time – in 2010, 2012 and 2013!
Qadruple sculls is one of elite sports in world’s rowing. To be among the first ten nations in the world raniking is a great exploit for every nation. The results of Croatian however are absolutely amazing: David Šain, Martin Sinković, Damir Martin and Valent Sinković are dominant among such nations like Germany, Great Britain, Russia, Norway, Canada, USA, etc. With these results Croatia has been established as a world superforce in this sporting discipline. In 2013 they were winners for the third time in the last four years, this time in Luzern in Switzerland. Furthermore, Damir Martin had a birthday on this great winning day.
Radoslav Lorkovic Croatian-American pianist: Clear and Cold + Homer A Piano Odyssey
We are glad to present to the readers of the CROWN the two recently published CD’s by Radoslav Lorković, Croatian-American pianist, accordion player, singer and composer. Drawing from a multitude of influences ranging from elegant classical and jazz styles to the rawest, most basic blues, country and soul, Radoslav Lorković has taken on an unusually broad musical spectrum and refined it into his distinctive piano style. His grand-mother, Melita Lorković, was a famous Croatian classical pianist.
First Taste: Dubrovnik in New Rochelle. Croatian Restaurant in New York
Okay, folks, close your laptop and pick up the phone. You need to book a meal at Dubrovnik Restaurant in New Rochelle, New York, right now, this instant. Here’s the deal: this month-old Croatian restaurant has an intimate stony outdoor terrace on which its owner has built a serious, bang-up, wood-burning oven. Imagine tiny, tender, smoke scented octopus and squid, the tips of their tentacles curled lightly charred. Or a generous whole branzino, its belly stuffed with herbs, sparkling with Croatian sea salt, and still cracking from the fire. Heaven.
WTTW Chicago to rebroadcast documentary film "They Never Walked Alone" on Velika Gospa
Thursday, August 15, 2013 the day of the Feast of the Assumption (Velika Gospa) WTTW Prime in Chicago will be rebroadcasting the documentary film called “They Never Walked Alone” that celebrates 100 years of St. Jerome Croatian parish located in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood. The film will air starting at 2:00 pm CST.
Sandra Perkovic young Croatian athlete world champion in discus throw in Moscow 2013
Sandra Perković, young Croatian athlete, is the best discus thrower among women in the world today. Olympic champion in 2012, double European champion (2010 in Barcelona and in 2012 in Helsinki), winner of many international competitions during the past several years, in 2013 she became the world champion during the World Athletics Competition held in Moscow. She is also the winner of the 2013 Diamond League. Sandra is one of the greatest sportswomen in the history of Croatian sport, next to famous Janica Kostelić (skiing superstar) and Blanka Vlašić (high-jumping superstar).
Pope Francis and his encounters with Croatians in Argentina and Brasil
Pope Francis, as a cardinal of Buenos Aires, encountered Croatians in Argentina in various occasions. He concelebrated during a mass dedicated to blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac (1898-1960). His personal confessor was Croatian Franciscan Berislav Ostojić. We express our gratitude to Carmen Verlichak, Croatian-Argentinean writer living in Buenos Aires, for providing us with interesting photos.
Operation "Storm" 1995 prevented genocide in Bihać area of BiH and liberated occupied parts of Croatia
According to Professor Slobodan Lang, distinguished Croatian peace activist, “STORM was humanitarian operation which prevented genocide.” The old Croatian mediaeval royal town of Knin was liberated in just a few days after five years of occupation. Congratulations on the occasion of Victory Day and the Day of Croatian Defenders on 5th August to citizens of Croatia and all Croatians in the world. On the photo president Franjo Tuđman kissing Croatian flag on the liberated mediaeval fortress of Knin.
Domagoj Cevid and Borna Vukorepa won 2 golds at the 2013 International Mathematical Olympiad in Colombia
Croatian national team of best young Croatian mathematicians participated at the 53rd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in 2013 with 6 competitors, among 97 countries. Two of them, Domagoj Ćevid (on the photo) and Borna Vukorepa, won the highest prizes – gold medals. Furthermore, for Domagoj it was the second gold medal, since in 2012, he won the first gold medal for Croatia in history. It should be noted that some of our best former competitors are now distinguished scientists working in Croatia, like Marko Tadić, Andrej Dujella and Pavle Pandžić, or abroad, like Mladen Bestvina and Ivan Mirković, to name just a few.
Marin Soljacic Croatian-American physicist researching from wireless energy transfer to photonic crystals
Croatian-American physicist Marin Soljačić, professor at MIT, USA, is best know for his work on wireless energy transfer. In addition to this, he works on numerous problems on electromagnetism in materials structured on the scale of the wavelength, such as micro- and nano-structured materials for infrared and visible light, including nonlinear optical devices and surface plasmons. His recent research, supported by a US$20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, focuses on use of photonic crystals in solar cells. In 2007 he founded WiTricity Corp., together with a group of his colleagues at MIT.
Miro Gavran's play Night of the Gods translated into Hindi will be played in Hyderabad India on August 3rd 2013
The Croatian author Miro Gavran’s play “NIGHT OF THE GODS” will be premiered in THE TURIYA THEATRE in the Indian city of Hyderabad on August 3rd. The play has been translated into Hindi and is being directing by Bavani Ganti, while the main roles are being played by Rabul Reddy, Vinay Abhishek and Afroz Hussaini. To date “NIGHT OF THE GODS” has been played in 20 premiere performances. His works have been translated into 35 languages, and his books have come out in 150 different editions at home and abroad. His dramas and comedies have had more than 200 theatre first nights around the world and have been seen by more than two million theatre-goers.
Carmen Verlichak Croatian-Argentinean writer published a monograph El Cardenal Stepinac in Buenos Aires 2013
In 2013 Carmen Verlichak, Croatian-Argentiean writer living in Buenos Aires, wrote a monograph about Blessed Cardinal dr. Alojzije Stepinac 1898-1960, entitled El Cardenal Stepinac. It has been published by the Krivodol Press in Argentinean’s capital. This is the first monograph in Castellano about this important historical and religious figure published in South America. In 1998 Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Marija Bistrica, during his second Apostolic visit to Croatia.
Croatia – Land and People internet project of the Public Diplomacy Service and the Lexicographic Institute
We are pleased to inform the readers of the CROWN that, on the occasion of Croatia’s accession to the EU, a new website has been recently launched: www.croatia.eu, that is, “Croatia – Land and People“. It has been produced on the initiative of the Public Diplomacy Service of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, with the support of the Institute of Lexicography in Zagreb. The project has been initiated by Mr. Zvonimir Frka Petešić, head of the Public Diplomacy Service.
George Mikan gentle giant and the first big dominant basketball player in the history of NBA has Croatian roots
George Mikan, a famous Croatian-American basketball player, the first big and dominant man in the NBA (212 cm tall). He was born in Joliet, and baptized in the Croatian Roman Catholic Church in. His grandfather, whose name is also George Mikan, was born in Croatia, as Juraj Mikan (in Croatian, Juraj = George), and he once said th efollowing: “I am proud of my grandson, and am glad that we Croatians have made a contribution to the progress and development of our America, not only in its industry, but in its sporting world, also.” A statue was erected in honor of the NBA Hall of Famer at the Target Center in Minneapolis. In 2013 his two grand-daughters, Gina and Molly, visited Croatia and, among others, payed a visit to the native village of George Mikan’s grand-father, and to their relatives – Mikans in Croatia.
Azithromycin or Sumamed one of world's best-selling antibiotics product of Croatian company PLIVA Zagreb
Azithromycin or Sumamed is one of the world’s best-selling antibiotics, used to treat or prevent certain bacterial infections, most often those causing middle ear infections, strep throat, pneumonia, typhoid, bronchitis and sinusitis. It has been discovered Croatia’s capital Zagreb in 1980, by a team of researchers at the Croatian pharmaceutical company Pliva: Gabrijela Kobrehel, Gorjana Radobolja-Lazarevski, and Zrinka Tamburašev, led by Slobodan Đokić. They are recipients of the 2000 award Heroes of Chemistry in the USA. The first roots of Pliva go to 1921. Croatian Nobel Prize winner Vladimir Prelog (1975 for chemistry) worked in a company preceding Pliva in 1935. The earnings are estimated to 1.5 billon US$ per year! Croatia is one of only nine countries in the world with its own antibiotic product.