The National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation (NFCACF) celebrated its 30^th anniversary on June 3^rd in Washington, D.C. As a national umbrella organization, the NFCACF was founded in Chicago in September 1993.  The NFCACF continues to be a strong advocate for the Croatian American community, especially in American politics and diplomacy, thanks to the charter that was ratified by twenty Croatian American groups. Over the last decade, the organization has undertaken many innovative cultural and educational projects of great interest to the community.

The Assembly of Delegates of the NFCACF met this time with 28 delegates from a dozen Croatian American organizations to discuss a wide range of issues. Initiatives, such as the Congressional Croatian Caucus, the NFCACF-Croatian Fraternal Union (CFU), Croatian American Sports Hall of Fame (CAS-HOF), the new Youth Committee, the Art Donation Committee, and the History Speaker Series were a few of the major topics discussed. At the delegate's meeting, the following Executive Committee officers were elected: Steve Rukavina-President, Biljana Lovrinovic-Abel, Executive Vice President, and three Vice Presidents: John Kraljic, Mario Spalatin, and Ron Zivic. National Treasurer Adam Radman was re-elected as the National Treasurer, and also, were Anna Maria Sicenica-Secretary and Mark Plavetic-Assistant Secretary, and with Officers-At-Large Bernadette Luketich-Sikaras and Carolyn Bruno.  There were seventeen Board Members elected too on Saturday.

As a result of his incredible dedication to the NFCACF since its founding in 1993, Dr. Joseph Cindrich received the first ever "NFCACF Legacy Award." The award was given to Dr. Cindrich for his service as former NFCACF president in 1998 and six-term member of the board. Unfortunately, Dr. Joseph Cindrich was unable to attend the event in person, but upon receiving the news at his home in Menlo Park, CA, he expressed his gratitude, stating, "As a dedicated Croatian, I was very proud in being co-founder the establishment of National Federation of Croatian Americans in the 1990s and later served as its President." Dr. Cindrich was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 for his assistance to the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and for all his Croatian activism, including his many years on the Board of Directors of the Croatian Scholarship Fund (CA). NFCACF president, Steve Rukavina, expressed his group's intention to annually recognize and pay tribute to Croatian American activists who played a crucial role in the establishment of our national umbrella organization. 

The NFCACF Anne Pavlich "Volunteer of the Year" award was presented to Joe Brajevich (San Pedro CA) for his contribution to the NFCACF Special Olympics Committee. The amount of funds raised by him set a record for Croatia's Special Olympics organization and were used to fully sponsor Croatia's twenty-member delegation at the Summer World Games in Berlin, Germany, which begins on June 17th with 7,500 athletes from 140 countries.

A public session was held in the afternoon featuring the Croatian Ambassador Pjer Simunovic (US-Croatian Alliance), as well as Professor Edward P. Joseph of Johns Hopkins-SAIS (Southeast Europe regional issues); Sherry Ricchiardi (War Journalism/Croatia 1991), Richard Lolich (Croatian American Sports HOF and its inaugural ceremony in Cleveland in October 2022), Joe Foley (Washington Report-Congressional Croatian Caucus), and Steve Rukavina, NFCACF President ("40 Highlights Over 30 Years").

In celebration of this milestone anniversary, the NFCACF held a reception at the Croatian Embassy on Saturday night. The Cosmopolitan Grill catered the meal for the sixty guests, while Croatian Premium Wines provided Croatian wines, including Malvazija and Plavac Mali. Speakers at the evening reception included Michael Sawkiw from the Ukrainian Congress of America, and Pulitzer Prize winner Roy Gutman (author of A Witness to Genocide). During the Embassy reception, Maya Brlecic, an internationally acclaimed pianist from Zagreb, played to fill the air with celebration music while Croatian wine smiles flourished.

Photos: NFCACF & Sanja Bogovic

July 14, 2022 - The National Federation of Croatian Americans (NFCACF) convened the 29th Annual Assembly of Delegates in Baltimore and with thirty delegates from a dozen Croatian American groups participating in the hybrid event held on July 1st and 2nd. The weekend affair was held at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott Hotel, right across the water from the famous Baltimore landmark, Fort McHenry. 

It was a productive and fun meeting integrated within the Croatian Fraternal Union (CFU) Junior TamFest. There were thirteen Junior Tambura Ensembles that performed throughout the weekend and with Jason Ottmann as the festival's guest conductor. Also, it was wonderful to have a Tamburitzan Catholic Mass on Saturday afternoon with co-celebrants Father William Hritsko and Father Maurus Dolcic. There were social events with tambura music and dance on both weekend nights. The Saturday music was provided by the Orkestar Zadnja Stanica of Steelton, Pennsylvania.  Ed Pazo, CFU National President was the Master of Ceremonies, all weekend for all the Junior Tamfest activities and it was a music-filled weekend.

President Steve Rukavina opened the private Friday delegate's meeting with his annual NFCACF State of the Union address. The long-term President shared that the organization was coming off a busy last twelve months. He was pleased that we have eight Board Members and committee members under the age of forty and emerging as super activists within our organization. He shared updates about the Visa Waiver Program and the positive progress with the bilateral Avoidance of Double Taxation Treaty. The President discussed ways that the NFCACF and the Croatian American community has shown support for Ukraine's efforts against the Russian aggressor. The NFCACF has been collaborating with the Central Eastern European Coalition (CEEC) too now with a heavy emphasis on the war in Ukraine. President Rukavina gave a long list of developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including many nuanced details about the challenges facing the Croat community there, especially with electoral reform issues, dealing with the Dayton Peace Accord being circumvented and with the October 2nd election pending.

Public Affairs Consultant Joe Foley gave his 23rd Washington Report, highlighting all key NFCACF activities in the nation's capital, including quite a few details about what to expect with the U.S. Senate approval process with the bilateral Avoidance of the Double Taxation treaty. He also shared a few updates about projects connected to the Congressional Croatian Caucus and the Three Seas Initiative. The NFCACF was appreciative that Croatian Ambassador Pjer Simunovic attended the Saturday public session and spoke to all delegates and guests about recent activities in Washington, DC. The Ambassador spoke highly of recent US-Croatia developments and including about the recent visit by Croatia's Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic to the nation's capital and also, about a fifteen-member Croatian government delegation that visited in March too for a very important US-Croatia Strategic Alliance set of high-level meetings.

There was a major Croatian American Sports Hall of Fame (CAS-HOF) presentation on Saturday to highlight the plans for this exciting initiative in 2022. CAS-HOF Co-Chair Vedran Nazor shared key details and announced the ten inductees and Sunday, October 16th was chosen for the induction ceremony to be held in Cleveland. CAS-HOF Selection Committee members Steve Rukavina, Tom Steich, Dino Mattisich and Derek Hohn were on hand too. President Rukavina shared details about the group's Special Olympics Committee and the plans to hold a major fundraiser in the Los Angeles area in October, led by Chair Joe Brajevich and also, and committee members Kata Rudela and Dana Kandic, attended the Baltimore meeting.  

There were four national Presidents participating in the NFCACF's private Friday delegate's meeting with Ed Pazo, Croatian Fraternal Union, John Kraljic, Croatian Academy of America and Dr. Steve Pavletic, of the Association of Croatian American Professionals all joining with Steve Rukavina, the NFCACF President for substantive discussions about ten major Croatian priority projects.

On Friday, July 1st, the elections were held and the newly elected officers of the NFCACF Executive Committee are: included: Steve Rukavina (President) Andrea Novak-Neumann (Executive Vice President), Adam Radman (Treasurer), Anna Maria Sicenica (Secretary), Mark Plavetic (Assistant Secretary) and with three Vice-Presidents, Mario Spalatin, John Kraljic, Biljana Lovrinovic and two officers at-large, Carolyn Bruno, and Bernadette Luketich-Sikaras.

The remaining board members elected: Eric Gregrich, Bob Jerin, Marko Kirn, Nena Komarica, Tom Mustac, Tatjana Mustac, Vesna Jezic, Jim Kresnik, Zvonko Labas, Vedran Nazor, Sanja Newman, Dr. Steve Pavletic, Jelena Rudela, Tom Steich, Judi Zivic and Ron Zivic.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.