August 14, 2019 - As previously reported on TCN, the first Domovina Birthright Program took place in Croatia last month, an initiative between the American Croatian Association of Professionals, and the Croatian Government.

The idea of the program is to take the young adults of Croatian descent (ages 18 – 30), who wish to learn about their heritage, explore Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults on an amazing trip to Croatia.

Kristiana Banđen is one of the 34 initial participants in the program, and she has kindly agreed to document her journey as she explores the country of her heritage. Over to Kristiana for Day 10-16:

The last 6 days of our trip were full on! On Day 10, we spent the morning driving to Zadar from Knin where we spent half the day exploring the city before driving to Šibenik.

I was excited to visit Zadar with the group because it is my favourite city (from all the countries I have visited) ever! Over the summers growing up, my family and I would stay with my aunt in Pakoštane and we would often spend days visiting Zadar, so it brings back a lot of great memories. I have always enjoyed jumping off the sea wall and sitting by the sea organs. I was happy to visit all my favourite spots during our guided walking tour.  After our walking tour, we visited Rector’s Palace for a lecture, exhibition and lunch before driving to Šibenik. 

When we arrived in Šibenik we had another walking guided tour of the city which I really enjoyed, our tour guide was great and Šibenik is such a beautiful city! It’s a city I’ve visited as a child but have not spent a lot of time here. To end our tour, we visited the Fortress of St. Mihovil that has breathtaking views of the city. Luckily for us, when we were there, singer Tony Cetinski was in the middle of his dress rehearsal for his evening show at the Fortress. 

We enjoyed dinner at restaurant Peškarija to end the day. Great food! 

The next day, we visited Ivan Meštrović’s mausoleum in Otavice. It was really cool to see so many of the sculptor’s creations throughout the trip. The mausoleum was beautiful, and I highly recommend visiting if you have the chance to! Next, we drove to Imotski, where we enjoyed lunch and the artwork at the Don Ivan Turić’s museum. We explored the city and visited the Blue and Red Lakes. I never even knew Croatia had an attraction like this, I really enjoyed seeing the lakes. Dugopolje was our stop for dinner before ending our day in Split, where, we spent the next 2 nights. Our lodging throughout the trip was mostly in dorms and I really enjoyed sleeping in the student dorms at the local universities. It made our experience in Croatia feel more like a local than a tourist. 

The start of our tour in Split began at the University of Split for a lecture and tour of the campus. There are so many courses offered in English at all the universities we visited in Croatia. Although I finished my studies, it was interesting to hear that there are so many opportunities to study in Croatia and what each university offered. Following our university tour, we had a walking tour of the city centre of Split. Split is another favourite city of mine, so I enjoyed having some free time for shopping and swimming! Afterwards we visited the Ivan Meštrović gallery. I love touring galleries and this one didn’t disappoint. His work is amazing, especially the meanings behind them, which was nice to hear from our guide. Following the gallery, we walked over to Velum for dinner.

Last, but not least, the last two days of our trip! From Split, we travelled to Dubrovnik by ferry. After the 5-hour trip in the Old City, we right away jumped onto the ferry to the island of Lokrum where we were greeted upon arrival and walked over to lunch. After lunch and some free time to swim, we toured Rector’s Court back in the Old City and stayed in the centre for dinner.

The following two days in Dubrovnik concluded our Domovina trip. Throughout the last two days, we had a private walking tour of the city, walked the city walls, viewed the sunset at the top of the city by cable car and visited Cavtat. I have previously visited Dubrovnik when I was really young, that I don’t even remember, so it was great spending a couple of days here with the group. The Old City of Dubrovnik is beautiful, and the walls of Dubrovnik walk is a must do to take in all the sights. I’m glad we had our tour early at 8am. The city gets unbelievably packed after 10am and in the afternoon, it’s almost impossible to walk. For this reason, I really enjoyed being able to visit Cavtat. It’s the perfect location close to Dubrovnik for some peace and quiet, not overcrowded like the Old City. Cavtat is already on my list of cities to return to!

As Domovina 2019 has ended, I had some time to reflect on the experience. I am truly grateful and appreciative that a program like this was introduced and that I was chosen as part of the members of the first year to attend. Throughout the trip I was able to see, visit and learn so much more of my country that I never knew of. I knew quite a bit about the Croatian culture because as a child I was actively involved in the Croatian community in Vancouver as well as having travelled to Croatia. I was already so proud to be Croatian, but this trip made me appreciate it more. We were able to meet with many politicians and members of the government who made us feel very welcomed. Hearing the excitement from them, about us being here, reflected on the importance of young Croatians from outside of the country to visit, see their roots and uphold our culture and language. All 33 of us (participants) now have a better understanding of our amazing culture and country, which we all brought back to our native homes. The warmth we felt throughout the trip was a feeling of home that we will always cherish and remember.

If you are interested in being a part of the group next year or in the future, we (and I speak for everyone who attended) highly recommend this experience. It will open your hearts and eyes to your heritage and the experience with others your age from around the world is truly unique and unlike any other. I have memories to cherish a lifetime!

To follow the latest news from the Croatian diaspora, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

August 5, 2019 - As previously reported on TCN, the first Domovina Birthright Program took place in Croatia last month, an initiative between the American Croatian Association of Professionals, and the Croatian Government.

The idea of the program is to take the young adults of Croatian descent (ages 18 – 30), who wish to learn about their heritage, explore Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults on an amazing trip to Croatia.

Kristiana Banđen is one of the 34 initial participants in the program, and she has kindly agreed to document her journey as she explores the country of her heritage. Over to Kristiana for Day 8-9:

On day 8 of our trip, from Pula, we travelled to Smiljan to visit Nikola Tesla’s hometown and memorial centre. 

It was really cool to see that the memorial centre was built in the home of Nikola and his family. Although made modern for the museum, all the old structure is still in place. Our tour guide was really insightful and shared a lot of interesting facts about Nikola as a child. Today, his most notable contribution is the modern alternating current electricity supply system as well as the Tesla coil, the induction motor, neon light and the radio to name a few. 

I think it’s important as a Croatian to take note of the influence Croatians have had on today’s modern day. Although Tesla was born on land that is part of Croatia today, his family was of Serbian background.

My favourite aspect of the memorial centre in Smiljan was the attic of Nikola’s home where it showcases samples of his inventions. Pressing the buttons puts on a display of the invention, showcasing how it looked through photographs and not modernized for how it’s used today. 

After lunch, we arrived in Knin where we had some free time and time to prepare for a meeting and dinner with the Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia. Not only was it amazing to have the opportunity to speak to and dine with this company, but we had the chance to do so in an amazing venue, the Knin Fortress! Catching the sunset at the top of the fortress was absolutely breathtaking with the view! 

We were blessed again with an amazing meal. Not only was the food delicious (as per usual!), we were able to enjoy the vocals from Klapa Sveti Juraj! What a great experience! 

For a little bit of fun and relaxation, for the next day, a Kornati trip was organized for us on a private boat for the group. I have previously taken a tour for the Kornati National Park with my family but with the trip I had taken before, we didn’t have the opportunity to stop at the memorial crosses. The crosses, found on the island Veliki Kornat, commemorates the Croatian firefighters who lost their lives in the Kornati tragedy on August 30, 2007. On that day over 10 years ago, a group of firefighters were deployed to the island to extinguish a small fire. Unfortunately, for an unknown reason, the fire had taken the lives of the group. Croatia remembers the heroes as a permanent reminder for the dedication of the profession. This is something that almost all of us in the group had no idea of. It has been really riveting to learn about incidents such as this one that I never knew about. 

Swimming, beautiful views, good food, singing and dancing soon ended and the party continued to Vrana for the evening to enjoy dinner at Maškovića Han. Located in my dad’s hometown, it made dinner even more special. I remember how the location of the restaurant/hotel looked like before it is what it is today. As a child, we would walk the grounds with my family, and I loved watching all the rabbits jumping around. It is amazing how Croatia as a whole has developed so much throughout my years visiting. Each year, the country becomes more developed, but not in a bad way. It makes my childhood memories even more precious to have had experienced the country in its most simplistic form, which I feel others could relate as well! 

Next up: More of the Dalmatia coast! 

To follow the latest news from the Croatian diaspora, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

July 31, 2019 - As previously reported on TCN, the first Domovina Birthright Program took place in Croatia this month, an initiative between the American Croatian Association of Professionals, and the Croatian Government.

The idea of the program is to take the young adults of Croatian descent (ages 18 – 30), who wish to learn about their heritage, explore Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults on an amazing trip to Croatia.

Kristiana Banđen is one of the 34 initial participants in the program, and she has kindly agreed to document her journey as she explores the country of her heritage. Over to Kristiana for Day 6-7:

Visiting Istria was two of our most packed days on the trip. One of my favourite sites to see was in Krašić, when we had the opportunity to visit the home of Cardinal Stepinac. Led by Krašić’s local priest, Ivan Vučaq, we had the opportunity to see the chapel the Cardinal used when he was under house arrest and the bed he took his last breath on. Cardinal Stepinac was a very important man in history for our nation, and we all really enjoyed learning more about his life. Inside his home, we were shown photos and records of his trial which led to his arrest. Even though he is buried in the cathedral in Zagreb, his history lies in Krašić. Inside the local church, you can find a mantle devoted to him, with a handkerchief bearing his blood and the bone of his pinky finger inside a glass display.  

On our way to lunch, we visited Grožnjan, a city which takes up most of the Istra peninsula and the only settlement to have an Italian influence. After a quick tour of the town, we ate traditional dishes for the Istra area at Tavern Jadruhi just outside of Grožnjan.  

Grožnjan was beautiful, but my favourite city in the Istra region was Rovinj, which is where I wished we had the opportunity to spend more time! Nonetheless, I am glad we had a quick visit after lunch. It was my first time visiting Rovinj and I will definitely be back. Its cute quaint streets are so colourful and there are so many shops with amazing artists selling their art.  

After Grožnjan, we drove to Pula where we were based to sleep and spent the next morning visiting the Pula aAena. Built in 27 BC - 68 AD, it is one of the last remaining Roman amphitheaters to have three architectural orders completely preserved and among six of the largest Roman arenas left standing in the world. I have visited the arena once before, but the opportunity to view it with a private guide made me appreciate the architecture and history of where once gladiators fought. Under the arena, in the subterranean tunnels, there is an exhibition of Roman objects and a display of how wine and olive oil were processed during that time. Today, apart from being one of Croatia’s largest tourist attractions, it is also used to host concerts. During our stay in Pula, the arena housed the Pula Film Festival, which is held there every summer.  

After concluding our tour, we arrived by ship to Brijuni National Park. Brijuni was another first visit for me and most definitely not my last. Its pristine waters made swimming amazing (but really, swimming everywhere in Croatia is amazing). Apart from getting a little time in the sun, we had refreshments and a meeting with the park board followed by a train tour of the island.  

To end off our Istra adventure, we stopped in Bale for a tour before dinner back in Pula. Bale was another one of my favourite cities in the region. It is small, with only just over 1000 habitants, but holds a lot of character, showcasing elements of Venetian Gothic churches and medieval streets as a symbol of the Roman past. The church of St. Julian holds so much history beneath it, in its museum. My favourite part of Bale was the Soardo-Bembo Palace, a museum, but also holds the most amazing view from the top floor. I was lucky to end off our Istra visits from the windowsill of the palace to catch the beautiful sunset over the town!  

Next up: Smiljan and Knin!

To follow the latest news from the Croatian diaspora, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

July 12, 2019 - As previously reported on TCN, the first Domovina Birthright Program is taking place in Croatia at the moment, an initiative between the American Croatian Association of Professionals, and the Croatian Government.

The idea of the program is to take the young adults of Croatian descent (ages 18 – 30), who wish to learn about their heritage, explore Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults on an amazing trip to Croatia.

Kristiana Banđen is one of the 34 initial participants in the program, and she has kindly agreed to document her journey as she explores the country of her heritage. Over to Kristiana:for Day 4-5:

Day 4 into the Domovina Program, we headed back to Zagreb to spend two days exploring the capital. Even though our initial meeting place was Zagreb at the beginning of the trip, we did not spend any time there. Before leaving towards Zagreb, we stopped at Borovo shoe store, where Startas shoes had generously offered every participant to receive a free pair of the Croatian made shoe. A big thank you to Startas from the Domovina group!  

Upon arrival in Zagreb, we enjoyed a mouth-watering lunch at Apetit City Restaurant and Bar. Located on Masarykova street in the city centre, it is one of the restaurants in Zagreb awarded with a Michelin star. We were spoiled with another three course meal, which included prosciutto and cheese, strukli (a traditional Zagreb cheese dish), lamb as the main course and a chocolate mousse cake for dessert. None of us are complaining about the amazing food, that’s for sure!

To walk off our meal, we had a private tour through the old and new part of the old city centre. Visiting the historical monuments including the Ban Josip Jelačić statue, the cathedral (along with viewing cardinal Stepinac’s burial site), St. Mark’s church, the parliament buildings and the stone gate. All of these sights have interesting history that I enjoyed learning about and should be on everyone’s list to research and visit when exploring Zagreb. We finished off our walk at Katarina’s square and were welcomed into the Dverce Palace  by members of the government for a reception with appetizers and drinks. We ended our first night in Zagreb with a night out like true Croatians.  

Day 5 fell on a Sunday in which we had the option to enjoy mass in the morning followed by some free time to do some shopping for souvenirs and enjoy coffee like locals. It has been really great connecting with everyone on this trip, so it was also nice to spend some free time outside of the excursions to further connect!

A group of us stayed behind with our leaders to explore Lenuci’s horseshoe walk, a U-shaped area of seven landscaped town squares and a botanical garden in the city. Along the way, we admired many statues, parks and buildings. Another great walk to add onto a visit in Zagreb.  

Lunch was enjoyed at the University of Zagreb followed by a presentation from the dean and two students. The University of Zagreb has so many great opportunities to study abroad with a semester or even to consider a full degree. The university is always open to speaking to potential students about the opportunities. If you are interested or know anyone who may be, the university is very welcoming!

Our send-off from Zagreb was dinner at the Croatian Heritage Foundation building.

To follow the latest news from the Croatian diaspora, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

July 12, 2019 - As previously reported on TCN, the first Domovina Birthright Program is taking place in Croatia at the moment, an initiative between the American Croatian Association of Professionals, and the Croatian Government.

The idea of the program is to take the young adults of Croatian descent (ages 18 – 30), who wish to learn about their heritage, explore Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults on an amazing trip to Croatia.

Kristiana Banđen is one of the 34 initial participants in the program, and she has kindly agreed to document her journey as she explores the country of her heritage. Over to Kristiana:for Day 3:

So far, this trip has been truly amazing!

This is my first time in the Slavonian region and it was absolutely breathtaking. 

Croatians are known for being hospitable and the warm welcome and hospitality of everyone we have met in Slavonia has been beyond expectation. We are being treated like royalty.

During our 3 day stay our lodging was in the student dorms, each room had bedding for two, small kitchen, and private washroom in the room. Our days are long with a start time of 7:30 am and ongoing until midnight.  

Day 3, again did not disappoint we visited the University of Vukovar before making our way to Đakovo.  

In Đakovo we were greeted by the Mayor Marin Mandarić who joined us in a tour of the cathedral and walked us over to City Hall where we were welcomed with refreshments. The cathedral left us all in awe. The amazing history, character and artwork was magnificent. We were fortunate to have been taken down to the basement to view the tombs, which is not open to the public.  

We enjoyed another amazing meal at National Lipizzan Stud Farm Đakovo along with domaći kolači. An amazing venue for weddings and events. Not to mention, the horses were beautiful!  

Our day continued to the University of Osijek where our group was divided to smaller groups, to have a private tour of the university and town. So far, it has been really great to have opportunities to speak to locals, giving many of us the opportunity to practice our Croatian and make connections. Our group leaders joined us for a private tour and performance in the Croatian National Theatre in Osijek accompanied with more vino of course!  

My favourite part of our third day of our trip was our evening dinner. Enjoyed in a beautiful property in Osijek, we were able to savour in our meal with the sounds of Mario Zbiljski playing tamburica joined with a group of musicians playing the cello and small guitars.  

Follow #domovina2019 and @kristianabanden @kikibann for more insights.

To follow the latest news from the Croatian diaspora, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

July 12, 2019 - As previously reported on TCN, the first Domovina Birthright Program is taking place in Croatia at the moment, an initiative between the American Croatian Association of Professionals, and the Croatian Government.

The idea of the program is to take the young adults of Croatian descent (ages 18 – 30), who wish to learn about their heritage, explore Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults on an amazing trip to Croatia.

Kristiana Banđen is one of the 34 initial participants in the program, and she has kindly agreed to document her journey as she explores the country of her heritage. Over to Kristiana:

Wow - what a journey so far, and it is only two days into the Domovina Birthright Program! It has been absolutely amazing so far.  

Day 1

Upon meeting all the participants, with welcome messages from the organizers, we started our journey towards Ilok where we spent the afternoon drinking lots of wine to say the least!  

Once we arrived to Ilok, we were welcomed by local students who were joining us for lunch accompanied by the mayor of Ilok. Mayor Marina Budimir who welcomed us to her city with a lovely speech before the start of lunch, which by the way, was absolutely delicious. I can speak for the group and say we are all enjoying the food so much. At first, I was a bit unsure about how much food we will be getting. I eat a lot, and wondered if I would need to pack along snacks. This has not been the case at all! After a fulfilling breakfast we enjoyed a three-course meal at Iločki Podrumi with the mayor and local students. Juha, meso, palačinke and given that we were at a winery, lots and lots of vino!    

After our lunch, we walked through the Odescalchi Palace, the central building situated in the medieval Ilok, the church and a scenic car ride down to Principovac where we enjoyed the beautiful view with, of course, more vino!  

Day 2 was an emotional and empowering day in Vukovar visiting the hospital, the memorial centre for Vukovar’s homeland war, Ovacara Memorial Centre and payed our respects to the victims at the Memorial Cemetery of the Victims of Homeland War.  A great way to start our trip. The battle of Vukovar is what founded the independence of Croatia and is absolutely important for all Croatian descendants to know the history. Speaking to local veterans of the war along with tours of the memorial sights gave us all a great perspective and a feeling of love for the strength of our country and what we have rebuilt and overcome.  

Follow #domovina2019 and @kristianabanden for more photos and insights.

To follow the latest news from the Croatian diaspora, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

The inaugural Domovina Birth Program begins in Croatia on July 10, 2019. Kristiana Banđen is one of the 34 participants. Her hopes and expectations. 

There have been several new initiatives to bring the Croatian diaspora closer to the Homeland in recent times. Conferences such as G2 in Zagreb and the recent diaspora tourism conference in Split are the more public of these, but other grassroots ideas are also taking place, including a unique opportunity to connect young diaspora to Croatia with a once-in-a-lifetime visit.

Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP), working with the Croatian government, has organized a 16-day cultural and educational immersion tour of Croatia called the Domovina Birthright Program Trip. The idea of the program is to take the young adults of Croatian descent (ages 18 – 30), who wish to learn about their heritage, explore Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults on an amazing trip to Croatia! Eligible individuals for the trip are those who identify as Croatian and have at least one Croatian birth grandparent. All participants must be between 18 and 30 as of July 1, 2019 and have finished high school by the time their trip departs (meaning they need to be born between July 2, 1988 and July 1, 2001.)

As previously reported, Kristiana Banđen will be on the plane to Croatia to take part in the first Domovina Birthright Program, and she has kindly agreed to document her journey on TCN. With just a few days to go, here is Kristiana on her hopes from the trip. We hope you have an amazing time and look forward to reading about it on TCN.

Only a few more days until I travel to Zagreb and meet up with the rest of the Domovina participants!

!I am feeling lots of emotions, nervousness, excited, energized, and to be honest a bit scared, especially when it comes to PACKING! Although I am a seasoned traveller, having started traveling at the tender age of year old, I still have issues with the whole packing aspect. My main issue is packing light; I feel all girls can relate!

I have been very fortunate to have traveled to Croatia annually throughout my childhood and on my own as an adult, but have never been able to see the country in its depths as the way that the Domovina program entails. So, when I first saw the article about the Domovina Birthright Program on Total Croatia News, I knew right away that I wanted to apply to participate.

Throughout the program, we will be travelling to a new city daily, some cities of which I am very familiar with and have family living there but also new cities I have yet had the chance to visit. The most exciting factor for me going into the program is that I will be experiencing this with young adults my age, some of whom have never travelled to Croatia. One of my hopeful expectations is to be able to leave from this experience having built new lifelong friendships with the participants who are coming from all parts of the world. In addition to all the participants we will also be joined by local young Croatians, a few that will travel with us and others we will meet during the daily excursions in their native cities and towns.It is my goal throughout the duration of the program to really take in all the new cities and sights, and sharing my daily diary with the readers.

My aim is to gain new knowledge of Croatia's history and take photos of the scenery throughout. I imagine that, as a group, we will be enlightened with our country. Sharing our heritage with others is a blessing to have.

To follow Kristiana's journey - and more from the Croatian diaspora - check out the dedicated TCN section.

Explore Croatia. Make new friends from around the globe. Reconnect with your cultural roots.

Don’t let those opportunities pass you up. The Association of Croatian American Professionals’ Domovina Birthright Program deadline is right around the corner — apply by Tuesday, April 30, 2019.

The Domovina Birthright Program is for young adults of Croatian descent between the ages of 18 and 30 who want to learn about their Croatian heritage, explore the beauty and excitement of Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults. Domovina is a 16-day cultural and educational immersion tour of Croatia organized by the Croatian government that takes place July 10 – 25, 2019.

Croatian cities that will be visited on the trip include: Zagreb, Ilok, Vukovar, Đakovo, Osijek, Kopački rit, Rovinj, Grožnjan, Pula, Brijuni, Bale, Pazin, Smiljan, Knin, Pakoštane, Kornati, Zadar, Šibenik, Split, Vis, Cavtat and Dubrovnik.

Join us for a once in a lifetime experience in Croatia.  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until May 10, space permitting.

Learn more about and apply to the Domovina Birthright Program now!

Come on this journey with us – we look forward to seeing you in Croatia.

Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP), working with the Croatian government, has organized a 16-day cultural and educational immersion tour of Croatia called the Domovina Birthright Program Trip. The idea of the program is to take the young adults of Croatian descent (ages 18 – 30), who wish to learn about their heritage, explore Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults on an amazing trip to Croatia! Eligible individuals for the trip are those who identify as Croatian and have at least one Croatian birth grandparent. All participants must be between 18 and 30 as of July 1, 2019 and have finished high school by the time their trip departs (meaning they need to be born between July 2, 1988 and July 1, 2001.)

The participants will travel throughout the country, explore sites of historic, cultural, and religious significance, hike and take in Croatia’s varied landscape and nature. One of the greatest things about the program is the fact that young people living in Croatia will also be joining in on the trip, helping navigate Croatia and introducing their guests from the States to what it’s like to live in Croatia.

The itinerary starts on July 10, and finishes on July 25 in Zagreb. It includes visits to the heroic city of Vukovar, the wine cellars of Ilok, the Osječka Tvrđa, the Istrian gems: Bale, Grožnjan, Pula and Rovinj, the most beautiful Croatian islands: Brijuni, Vis and Kornati, the birthplace of Nikola Tesla, the Knin Fortress, the hidden beauties of Imotski and Pakoštane, Zadar and Šibenik, the Dubrovnik riviera. The participants will have to pay $1,250 towards the total cost of the trip, and that does not include the flight to Croatia (which you have to pay on your own). Hotels, transportation in Croatia, meals etc. are included in the aforementioned fee.

For more details on Domovina Birthright Program, including how to apply, please go to CroAmPro website.