Croatian communities across Europe celebrate Christmas with concerts

Croatian communities from Rome to Zurich, Hamburg and London held Christmas concerts this month to bring Croats together and promote their cultural heritage.

The Croatian-Italian Mosaic Association reported that its traditional concert in Rome was dedicated to promoting Dubrovnik and its heritage, CE Report quotes HINA.

The audience enjoyed works by Luka Sorkočević, the first Croatian symphonist and composer of the former Republic of Dubrovnik.

The Croatian National Dance and Song Ensemble LADO performed for Croats in Switzerland, giving concerts in Zurich, Basel and Lucerne. Its programme featured Christmas songs from various Croatian regions, stirring emotions among the roughly 80,000 Croats living in the country.

"This Christmas tour is a great honour for us as we performed for our expatriates," said the ensemble's director, Ileana Jurin Bakotić.

The Choir of the Croatian Catholic Mission in London sang Croatian folk and religious Christmas songs in a local church.

"The choir contributes to the cultural life of the Croatian community in the United Kingdom," said Ljubomir Šimunović, head of the Croatian Catholic Mission in the country.

In Linz, Austria, around 300 Croats from Austria, Germany and Croatia gathered for Croatian folklore performances and a Christmas reception, organised by the local Cultural and Artistic Society Tkanica.

Folk ensembles performed dances and songs, celebrating Croatian heritage.

In Hamburg, northern Germany, the female a cappella group Neverin performed two concerts for the local Croatian community.

"The two-day programme was an opportunity to convey the Advent atmosphere and strengthen the sense of community among Croats in northern Germany," reported the General Consulate, which organised the events.

As reported by CE Report, Croatia’s Museum of Broken Relationships presented a video by a Russian dissident, a Ukrainian ballerina.

Photo: foto Lana Slivar Dominić