17.11.2008. S. S. Kranjčević Award presented to Vlado Franjević and Dragica Rajčić
	Photos: Ratko Mavar; HMI

The Croatian Heritage Foundation's Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević Awards for literature by emigrants and their descendants were presented on 25 November 2008, at the 31st Interliber book fair, to Vlado Franjević of Liechtenstein in the poetry category and to Dragica Rajčić of Switzerland in the prose category.

The laureates, Vlado Franjević and Dragica Rajčić, write in Croatian and German, adhering to modern literary trends in the countries in which they live – Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The award, presented biannually, was conferred by Croatian Heritage Foundation director Danira Bilić.

The CHF director thanked the many people who had turned out and who listened with interest to a reading of the award-winning works, in the quite tempestuous atmosphere of the Interliber book fair. She expressed particular thanks to the Swiss embassy, which provided financial support for the appearance of writer Dragica Rajčić at the 31st Interliber.

With the aim of creating links between emigrant Croats and the country of origin, the CHF's branch office in Rijeka has, since 1984, presented the S. S. Kranjčević literary competition.

23 authors from Europe and North America submitted their works this year. This year's panel of experts included Katica Ivanišević, Branka Kalogjera and Estela Banov. (Hina)