Croatian minority in Serbia to gain wider access to scholarships

The Croatian Heritage Foundation (HMI) head, Zdeslav Milas, announced in Subotica that cooperation with the Croat community in Serbia would be intensified, with the message that Croats in Serbia would be more strongly included in HMI educational, cultural and sporting programmes.

Speaking at a press conference in Subotica, Milas said that the Foundation, whose primary mission is to preserve the national, linguistic, and cultural identity of Croats living abroad, would in future be “more strongly present among Croats in Serbia,” CE Report quotes HINA.

“We will increase the quota for our Croats in Serbia. We have a variety of programmes, and everyone can find something for themselves within them,” said Milas.

He announced that, alongside traditional programmes such as winter and summer schools of Croatian folklore, the Croatian minority in Serbia would also have access to new initiatives, including a pilot sports camp project for young people aged 14 to 18 in Međimurje.

Milas also referred to scholarships, the school of the Croatian language organised in cooperation with the University of Zagreb, and new theatre seminars, stressing that the aim was to offer programmes that would attract as many young people as possible.

He particularly praised the vitality of the Croat community in Serbia and the large number of young people involved in its activities.

The President of the Croatian National Council in Serbia and Member of the Croatian Sabor, Jasna Vojnić, highlighted that the HMI had for decades represented “a living bridge” between Croats abroad and Croatia.

“Even in times when there was no open communication with Croatia, the Croatian Heritage Foundation was the only living bridge with the homeland,” said Vojnić.

He recalled that many children from the Croat community in Serbia had first visited Croatia through the Foundation’s programmes, learned the Croatian language, participated in folklore schools, and formed friendships with Croats from all over the world.

The press conference also announced the first “Week of Croats Outside Croatia”, which will take place in Zagreb from 25 May and will bring together Croat communities from around the world.

Numerous Croat associations from Serbia will also take part in the programme.

Photo: AI