Croatian returnees call on expats to move back to homeland

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

ZAGREB, 8 Feb (Hina/CW) – More than 400 people gathered on Friday for the 4th Evening of Croatian Returnees in Zagreb, an event dedicated to boosting ties between Croatia and the Croatian diaspora and encouraging their return, the Croatian Heritage Foundation (HMI) reported.

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

“Data are finally showing that the trend has reversed: an increasing number of Croats and their descendants are returning to their roots, which gives us at HMI, whose mission is to connect the homeland with the Croatian diaspora, great pleasure,” said the institution’s director, Zdeslav Milas, at the gathering.

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

Denis Gudasić, president of the association Hrvatska uzdanica, said that moving from city to city is a big step, moving from one country to another is even bigger, and moving from one continent to another is an especially big step.

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

“Return is not just an arrival, it is a decision to contribute to the community and the future of the country we call our homeland.”

He pointed out that no government has taken concrete steps for return like this government led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

State Secretary at the Central State Office for Croats Abroad, Zvonko Milas, paid tribute to all those who, in the 1990s, came from the countries where they had been living to defend the homeland during Croatia’s war of independence.

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman recalled Croatia’s first president, Franjo Tuđman’s statement that all Croats living outside the homeland were welcome in Croatia.

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

The speakers particularly emphasised the importance of creating conditions for sustainable return, employment, entrepreneurship and the active inclusion of returnees in social life.

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

Entertainment on the night was led by a performance by the Tamburitza Band Kas from Osijek.

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

The informal part of the program continued with the guests socialising, conversations and connecting people from different parts of the world.

(Photo: Hrvatska matica iseljenika/ Jurica Galoić)

The government was the patron of the event, which was organised by HMI and the association Hrvatska uzdanica, with the support of the Central State Office for Croats Abroad, the statement said.