Croatian culture and statehood festival in Melbourne
Text by: Antun Babiæ
Croatian Statehood Day, organised by the Croatian General Consulate and emigrant organisations, was celebrated in Melbourne on June 25th and 27th with four events and a special Croatian festival. A Croatian flag raising ceremony, accompanied by the Croatian national anthem, was held on Federation Square in downtown Melbourne on June 25th. Eight Croatian flags flew on the square throughout the day. Ahead of the ceremony, gathering over a hundred members of the local Croatian community, a video presentation of the tourism offer in Croatia was screened on the square. All of the Croatian Statehood Day events, and the Croatian festival, were largely geared toward promoting Croatia as a tourism destination. Following the flag raising ceremony in downtown Melbourne the Croatian general consul addressed the members of the Croatian community on hand. A formal reception was later given at the Seasons Botanic Gardens hotel. On hand were some 200 representatives of the State of Victoria, the City of Melbourne, the consular corps, Melbourne universities and Croatian emigrant associations and organisations, and the local press from Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Also on hand were a large number of second and third generation Croatian immigrants who have achieved prominence in the Australian academic and business scene, Australian national institutions, culture, sports and in other areas. A Croatian Festival organised by the city's Immigration Museum and Croatian associations was staged in Melbourne June 27th. The festival was opened at the impressive premises of the Immigration Museum by General Consul Antun Babiæ. Stands were set up at the festival by the many Croatian immigrant organisations and associations in Melbourne and Geelong featuring Croatian folk garb, photos, football (soccer) team jerseys, books, newspapers, letters and the like. The many visitors of the festival were drawn particularly by the performances of Croatian folklore groups, the Lado-Geelong Croatian Culture & Arts Society, Mladi Hrvati (Young Croatians), Hrvatska zora (Croatian Dawn), Antun Mihanoviæ and many others. The visitors also enjoyed Croatian specialities, with preparation demonstrations put on by the chefs of the well-known Dalmatino Croatian restaurant in Port Melbourne. Another two successful Croatian Statehood Day events organised by Croatian immigrant organisations were held in Melbourne and Geelong June 27th. Several hundred members of the local Croatian community took part.
