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Botanical Garden in Zagreb founded in 1889, through the lens of Nikola Piasevoli
Nikola Piasevoli amateur photograper fell in love with the Botanical Garden in Zagreb and regularly pays visit on every season, from spring to automn. The Garden was set in 1889 as a gift from the City of Zagreb to the University. The only compensation for it was (and still is) an agreement to open the doors of the Garden to the visitors, free of charge. About 5500 taxa of higher plants grow in Croatia, which is more than in Spain (5050), France (4630) and Germany (3200).
Ivana Marija Vidovic Croatian pianist and poet had Christmas concert in Tirana in Albania Dec 2014
After the concert of Ivana Marija Vidović in Tirana in April 2014, in front of a large audience, in the main hall of the Academy of Arts "Akademia e Arteve" at the festival FLAUTE MAGJIK, a new invitation has followed in December. Vidović took part at the Piano Festival Pianodrom in the same hall of the Academy and under the artistic direction of maestro Fatos Qerimaj, Vidović performed mainly Hispanic repertoire and one work by an Albanian author T. Harapi.
Franjo Dugan playing organs in Zagreb during the first public registration of a gramophone record in Europe
The first remote public registration of a gramophone record in continental Europe was successfully organized in Croatia's capital Zagreb, 1927. It was the third such registration in the world, after the USA, New York in 1925 and GB, London in 1926. The concert of Croatian Christmas carols with Franjo Dugan as the organist in the Zagreb Cathedral (stuffed with 2000 worshippers who were singing), had been registered for the Edison - Bell - Penkala Co. in Zagreb. We mention in passing that Penkala was a famous Croatian inventor, known among others for his "chemical pen", named as penkala in his honor.
Bunjevci Croats from Backa and their Christmas traditions expressed in straw and cakes
Straw work is a unique naive art form which originates from the rich folk art of the Bunjevci-Croats settled in the north of Bačka. In Tavankut, a village near the town Subotica, the self-taught women nourish and preserve this naive art skill by entwining beads and making paintings out of straw which portray specific motifs and themes from the life of the Bunjevci-Croats. Also, delicious and richly ornamented Christmas cakes called božičnjak are prepared. On the photo Christmas cake by Dubravka Vrbljanac. With this article we wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Forum Center in Zagreb connecting Croatia, Venezuela and Latvia via Croatian Glagolitic Script
The aim of Congress Centre FORUM Zagreb is to satisfy the needs of their customers by providing dedicated and customized quality services, as well as prompt and efficient solutions at any time. It is directed by Josip Hrgetić, a Croatian born in Venezuela, and by his wife Mara Vitols Hrgetić, of Latvian origin. The Centre organizes seminars, workshops, courses, market research, launching of new products, video conferences, press conferences and other business and social meetings. Their charming halls are docorated with Croatian Glagolitic Script, and moreover, the halls are named after Croatian Glagolitic characters.
Mia Slavenska Croatian-American ballerina broadcast premiere "Mia, a Dancer's Journey"
"Mia, a dancer's journey" aired November 20th on PBS SoCaL in Southern California and received great ratings and great reviews in the press! Viewers can catch an encore of the film on PBS SoCaL, Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 9 pm! In February, the film will be released to PBS stations across the country and millions of Americans will have access to this film on television. This is the first time a film like this about a Croatian American ballerina has been distributed nationally on Public Television and we are very happy about this accomplishment. Adding to the excitement, the film will have a film festival premiere at the Lincoln Center in New York in January, 2015.
Petar Guberina and his Verbotonal method described by Dr. Carl Asp in Zagreb
Verbotonal method is an auditory-based strategy that maximizes the listening skills of children and adults with hearing impairment and possibly other communications disorders, while simultaneously developing intelligible spoken language through binaural listening. Originally developed by Professor Petar Guberina of Zagreb University (on the photo) for teaching normal hearing people to speak before reading a foreign language, it has been more popularly used in Europe. However, Dr. Carl W. Asp, Professor Emeritus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) has developed both academic and research programs for its applications through the acquisition of a Federal grant since 1967.
Carmen Verlichak author of the book Edificios y monumentos de los Croatas de la Argentina
Carmen Verlichak is the author of a new monograph entitled Edificios y monumentos de los Croatas de la Argentina, published in 2014 by her own company Krivodol Press. She provides short stories about numerous Croatian families in Argentina. Especially interesting is the story about Father Stjepan Gregov from the island of Pašman in Croatia, who emmigrated in dramatic circumstances to Argentina. She also mentions the need for the building at Marcelo T. de Alvear street in Buenos Aires to be directed to its original purpose, a donation to the Croatian people. It was donated by Nicolas Mihanovich, a founder of Argentine Merchent marine.
Professor Ivan Gutman distinguished Croatian expert in mathematical chemistry
Professor Ivan Gutman (b. in 1947) is holder of two PhDs: in Chemistry and in Mathematics, and is a leading international expert in mathematical chemistry in the world today. He has published 1260 professional scientific articles and is author of several research monographs published by Springer, North Holland and Nova Publishers. Professor Gutman has enormous international cooperation with numerous scientists throughout the world in his field of research.
Patrick Hughes Croatian writer guest of Israeli pavilion at the 2014 Frankfurt Book Fair
Patrick Hughes (Zdravko Basarić), Croatian writer, had the honor to participate with his Countdown Trilogy in the pavilion of the State of Israel during the largest book fair in the world in Frankfurt (8-10th of October 2014). Thanks to his publisher for global market Mr. Pierre Lavi, the books are translating into Hebrew. The philosophy of Patrick Hughes is condensed in the following words: "Words and bullets kill, but I prefer to create good words rather than bullets. Help me create words of peace for all humanity".
PhotoMath smart camera calculator and PhotoPay created by Jurica Cerovec and his colleagues in Croatia
It's really stunning: the PhotoMath video on Vimeo has very quickly reached 2 million views. Their web page has over 9000 page views each minute, and the iOS app alone was downloaded more than 1.6M times in less than three days in the Automn 2014, becoming the top free app in most countries around the world. It has been created by Jurica Cerovec and his colleagues at MicroBLINK in Croatia. Their products have recently been shown with great success in London, and they have created enormous interest throughout the world. They open completely new perspectives in education and other areas.
Miro Gavran Croatian playwright to have eight premieres in eight countries
In the next two months, November and December 2014, the Croatian playwright Miro Gavran will have eight theatrical premieres in eight different countries: Russia, Czechia, Slovenia, Romaina, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzgovina and in Poland. This rich theatrical series starts on November 6th with the premiere of Gavran's drama "All About Men", in the famous Russian theater RED TORCH from Novosibirsk. Miro Gavran's works have so far been translated into 35 languages. There have been over 250 theatrical premieres worldwide of his dramas and comedies.
Filip Ude won silver medal in pommel horse at the 2014 World Gymnastics Championship in China
Croatia is becoming a world super-power in gymnastic disciplines due to successes of Filip Ude who won silver medal on the pommel horse at the World Gymnastics Championship in Nanning in China, while Marijo Možnik won silver medal on the bars. This is a big success of Croatian sports. Filip Ude thus has three silver medals from three most prestigious international gymnastics competitions: from the Olympic Games, from European Gymnastics Championships and from World Gymnastics Championships. The latest success in China is a historic event for Croatian sports.
Silvije Vidovic distinguished Croatian pianist in the USA
While having played hundreds of concerts throughout Europe and the U.S., Silvije Vidovic continues to excel through his genuine artistry and profound performances. Mr. Vidovic's extraordinary musical talents come by no surprise as he was born into a family of musicians, and by the age of eight was giving performances in his hometown of Karlovac, Croatia. Presently, Silvije is a lecturer professor at the Florida International University, Lynn University, and at the University of Miami.
Announcing the formation of the Association of Croatian American Professionals
We're very pleased to announce the formation of the Association of Croatian American Professionals. We are an association of professionals in the United States, and around the world, interested in building a lifetime of professional connections to support the business, networking, and social activities of our members. Our members represent all facets of the international professional community, such as scientists, doctors, engineers, attorneys, journalists, artists, business executives, accountants, etc. We also welcome professionals of non-Croatian heritage who are active in the Croatian community.
Darko Sertic's Applied Ceramics company in California, Croatia, Taiwan, Japan and Israel
Darko "Matt" Sertic is a well respected entrepreneur who is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Applied Ceramics headquartered in Fremont, California. Applied Ceramics, Inc., is a worldwide leading fabricator and supplier of custom-made ceramics, quartz, silicon and sapphire components for the semiconductor processing equipment industry. The company has facilities in California, Croatia, Taiwan, Japan and Israel. He also founded the culinary academy in Sisak, Croatia, called Kul In.
Cedomir Antolic distinguished Croatian spiritual singer, composer and songwriter
Čedomir Antolić is distinguished spiritual singer, composer and songwriter in Croatia, active since the early 1970s, a person of unique vocal color and of rare musicality. He is usually accompaning himself with his guitar, singing his beautiful verses and. Mr. Antolić founded several spiritual music groups in the city of Zagreb, and for the last several years he had very successful collaboration with Željka Marinović. Mr. Čedo Antolić also had several public appearances with Nenad Bach. His music style ranges from butterfly tenderness to volcanic force. Equally impressive are his colorful improvizations as a background vocal accompaning other singers.
Faust Vrancic 1551-1617 Memorial Center on the island of Prvic near the town of Sibenik in Croatia
Faust Vrančić was a distinguished Croatian inventor and encyclopaedist during Renaissance 16/17th centuries. Among his most important inventions we mention the parachute as we use today (very different from Leonardo da Vinci'c), suspension bridge and wind turbine. He wrote an important five language dictionary of the most noble Eureopan languages, which included Latin, Italian, German, Croatian and Hungarian. Faust Vrančić, born in the town of Šibenik, now has a superb Memorial Center on the nearby island of Prvić, where he was burried according his last wish.
Poziv na akciju Pokretom protiv Parkinsona 3p u Maksimiru Zagreb 4. listopada 2014 u 10 sati
Program za subotu 4. listopada 2014.: Park Maksimir u Zagrebu, 10-15h prezentacija načina vježbanja, 11h zajedničko hodanje Putem Nade (podrška borbi oboljelih od Parkinsonove bolesti i sindroma), 12h koncert Nenada Bacha, Radojke Šverko i gostiju, 17 h projekcija filma "Everything Is Forever" (Kino Tuškanac). Nakon projekcije filma bit će razgovor s Nenadom Bachom.
Professor Tefko Saracevic distinguished Croatian-American expert in Information Sciences
Professor Tefko Saračević studied electrical engineering at the University of Zagreb, Croatia and completed Ph.D. (1970) studies in information science at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. As principal investigator or co-principal he has received research grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes for Health, Department of Education, Council for Library Resources, the Rockefeller Foundation, UNESCO, and several other national and international organizations. His results are widely reported, distributed, and cited. He is recipient of honorary doctorate from the University of Zadar, which is the oldest Croatian university, founded in 1396.
Ana Vidovic playing and teaching classical guitar in Sao Paulo in Brazil 2013
Ana Vidović is one of the youngest virtuoso guitarists in the world. Ana started playing guitar at the age of 5, and by 7 had given her first public performance. At the age of 11 she was performing internationally, and at 13 became the youngest student to attend the prestigious National Musical Academy in Zagreb, Croatia. Ana has won an impressive number of prizes and international competitions all over the world. Ana Vidović had a great honor to open the 4th International Guitar Festival "Leo Brouwer" in Brazil with her concert program, and she also had a guitar masterclass in Sao Paulo.
Pope Frances appoints bishop Blase J. Cupich Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago
His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed the Bishop of Spokane, Washington, Most Reverend Blase J. Cupich, as the ninth Archbishop of Chicago, the Vatican announced in September 2014. Archbishop Cupich will be installed as Archbishop of Chicago on November 18, 2014, at Holy Name Cathedral. Archbishop Cupich was born on in 1949 in Omaha, Nebraska, to Blase and Mary (Mayhan) Cupich. He is one of nine children, five sisters and three brothers. Archbishop Cupich has Croatia roots.
Marin Čilić wins the US Open in New York!
On September 8, 2013 Marin Čilić became the winner of the US Open in New York at Arthur Ashe Stadium by defeating Kei Nishikori, the man who had defeated the number one tennis player in the world. Two days earlier, Marin took down Roger Federer 6:3 6:4 6:4 while Nishikori outplayed Djokovic 6-4 1-6 7-6(4) 6-3 and so the match of the new Titans was set to different music than most people expected for the game on Monday.
More about Marin Cilic winner of the 2014 US OPEN tennis competition and of the Gram Slam title
In this article we provide several video recordings and interviews, describing the latest success of Marin Čilić at the US OPEN 2014. It is surprising to see a young Croatian giant (197 cm) being so dominant in his games. He likes to work with children. His birthplace is Međugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has been visited by millions of pilgrims from all over the world during the past 30 years. Marin is living in Croatia's capital Zagreb.
Epidaurus Festival in Cavat directed by Ivana Marija Vidovic offering a rich program September 8-14, 2014
Participants of the Epidaurus Festival: Marking 150th anniversary of the birth of Richard Strauss Jordi Vázquez, tenor, Cláudio Suzin Rodríguez, piano (Spain); Ave Maria for Cavtat, by Oliver Lakota, trumpet, Germany, Alexander Frey, organ, USA; Tirana Virtuosi, Lorenc Radovani, violin, Ramazan Peku, violin, Gezim Belegu, cello, Arben Basha, double bass, Fatos Qerimaj, clarientte, Robert Radoja, piano; Evenings of Tino Pattiera, etc. Program compiled by Ivana Marija Vidović, Artistic director of the Epidaurus festival, on the photo.
Ante Glibota interview for Art Investor journal in Munich Germany conducted by Judith Eilers in 2014
Mr Ante Glibota, distinguished Croatian expert in art history completed a rare bibliophilic book (83 x 63cm.) in June 2014 with Otto Piene's lithographs and Fernando Arrabal's poems and his introductive essay, which gave him a lot of pleasure. Another important monograph on 450 pages, aboutChinese artist Li Zhuo, who is one of the most talented artists among the younger Chinese generation, and that will be completed in November 2014, and followed by an exhibition tour in the same European museums. Another important book in preparation deals with Chicago architect Lucian Lagrange, who he follows closely since 1981. It is important to note his preparative work on Swiss multimedia artist Franziska Megert. Etc. etc.
Festival Kvarner in Opatija celebrating five years of existence with attractive concert program for 2014
Mahler was here, Puccini visited it, Lehar and Kalman were regular guests. We are talking about the unique Opatija - a place, where, probably, the most beautiful (concert) venues of the entire Adriatic coast are situated. What brought us to found the Festival Kvarner? To anticipate: Only a re-foundation to revive Opatija's 100 year old tradition as a Gesamtkunstwerk has been done! Program for 2014 includes pieces by J. Haydn, R. Strauss, Irish folk music, etc.
Everything Is Forever makes its New York premiere at the Jacob Burns Film Center Wed. August 27, 2014!
Everything Is Forever makes its New York premiere at the Jacob Burns Film Center, this Wednesday August 27, 2014! Screening begins at 7:30 p.m. Victor Zimet and Stephanie Silber as well as many people from the film will be attending. After the screening there will be a question and answer session with Nenad and Vic hosted by Andrew Jupin. Everything Is Forever won a special jury prize at the 5th annual Starigrad Paklenica Film Festival on 7th August 2014!
Ivana Vidović the first Croatian pianist to perform in the Sao Paulo Concert Hall in Brazil in August 2014
In front of over two thousand people who filled the Sao Paulo Concert Hall, Ivana Vidović had the honor to became the first Croatian pianist to perform in Brazil. With the support of the Symphony Orchestra of the University of Sao Paulo - one of the best symphony orchestras in Latin America - under the baton of maestro Luis Fernando Malheiro, Ivana Vidović played the Piano Concerto in C-sharp Minor, Op.30 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in honor of his 170th anniversary. This musical piece, composed in tribute to Franz Liszt, is rarely played, making the event even more special.
Tomislav Bralić & Klapa Intrade USA and Canada 2014 Tour
Over the decades certainly became one of the most popular Croatian music groups. From the one of the most awarded a cappella groups in 90's, to "mega stars" delivering breathtaking performances in sold-out arenas and stadiums! Their international performances include multiple visits to: USA, Australia, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Germany, Ukraine, Bosnia, and Italy. During their second visit to the USA & Canada, they will showcase their unique talent that stays true to the core of Croatian culture and heritage.
TORONTO CROATIA Great Croatian Story... documentary by Hrvoje Hitrec, Jakov Sedlar and Josip Pavicic
The Documentary film "Toronto Croatia - Great Croatian Story...", from Screenwriter Hrvoje Hitrec, Director Jakov Sedlar and Producer Josip Pavicic captures and for the first time presents the great and unrepeatable Historical documentation. All important witnesses of these Historical accomplishments of Eusebio, Grnja, Bradvic, Bilic, Kenfelja, Ante Pavlovic, Simunic, Suker, Niko Kovac as well as Robert Iarusci, Bruce Thomas and Ante Pavelic testify to this unified and unique team. In 1976 Toronto Croatia won the Continental Championship with as many as 20 consecutive wins and became the champion of the North American League.
Dubrovnik Restaurant to celebrate first anniversary on August 28, 2014
Dubrovnik Restaurant located in New Rochelle, New York will celebrate its first anniversary on August 28, 2014. Dubrovnik serves Croatian dishes and gets its name from owner Zeljko "Jerry" Tomic's hometown. The first annual celebration will have limited seats and will be by reservation only. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
Ana Simic Croatian high jumper winner of bronze medal at European Championships in Zurich 2014
Ana Šimić won bronze medal for Croatia at the European Athletic Championship in Zurich, with her personal best result of 199 cm. Earliear in 2014 she was the winner of the prestigious Diamond League in high jumping for women, organized in Shanghai. Ana is an excellent follower of great Blanka Vlašić. She was born in Gradačac in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1990.
Sandra Perkovic Croatian gold medal winner in discus throw at European Championships in Zurich in 2014
Sandra Perković won the title of European champion in discus throwing in Zurich, Switzerland, in 2014. It is her THIRD consecutive title, and this fact is unique for this sport. Her winning throw was more than 71 meters. Three of her other attempts at the competition would also suffice for the gold medal. The winner of the silver medal representing France had more than 5m weaker result, which shows the dominance of Sandra Perković in this sport. This is one of the greatest achievements in the history of Croatian sports. Sandra is also the current Olympic Champion nad World Champion in discus throwing.
Martin Markovic junior world champion in discus throwin for 2014 at Hayward Field in Eugene USA
Martin Markovic became the second Croatian male athlete to win a world junior title and the first one in 12 years with a world-junior-leading 66.94m in the discus final at Hayward Field. It was his first global medal after four appearances in World Youth and World Junior Championships finals. Markovic's gold was Croatia's second medal in Eugene after Sara Kolak took the silver in the javelin.
Royals by Lorde and the global echo of the most popular song for 2013
Lorde is a very young singer from New Zealand, who won the Grammy Award as the best singer for 2013. Her connection with Croatia is her mother, who is Croatian, while her father is Irish. Her most popular song, Royals, has acquired amazing reception throughout the world. It suffices to see and listen to dozens of other singers and numerous choirs, who sing it and bring to it something new. We provide just a small overview of numerous very witty and entertaining interpretations.
Ivan Saric of Croatia winning at World Chess Olympiad against Magnus Carlsen the current world champion
In the 10th round of the Chess Olympiad in Tromsoe, World Champion Magnus Carlsen lost to Croatia's Ivan Šarić, and Norway's team A lost to Croatia 0.5-3.5. It is interesting that it the 2014 World Chess Olympiad is world's 4th largest sporting event, and Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg opened proceedings and made the first move for Norway's world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, which he then lost with Ivan Šarić. Ivan Šarić is a former Junior World Chess Champion and Junior European Chess Champion.
Otto Piene 1928-2014 in light of poetry and gesture described by Ante Glibota Croatian historian of art
Otto Piene is distinguished German artist, a leading figure of European post-war avant-garde. In 1974, he was appointed as director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Center for Advanced Visual Studies, USA, and stayed on this position during 25 years. Croatian historian of Art and Architecture Mr. Ante Glibota is the author of two extensive monographs about Otto Piene. We provide the text of his Introduction to joint monograph with Otto Piene and Fernando Abral. Mr. Glibota had an exception honor to open, jointly with Mr. Otto Piene, two grand exhibitions in Berlin, one in Neue National Galerie and another one in Deutsche Bank Kunsthalle, in 16th July 2014.
Yin Yang fantastic Chinese painter exhibited in 2014 in Croatia due to indefatigable Ante Glibota
Due to the efforts of indefatigable Mr. Ante Glibota, Croatian artistic critic and director of galleries in Paris in Shanghai, Croatia had a rare opportunity to be acquainted with some of the finest contemporary Chinese artists. Two exhibitions were organized in 2014, one in the city of Pula, and another one in the city of Rijeka. Here we concentrate on works of art Yin Yang, with his artistic (as well as social and philosophical) theme of coal miners. It is in a sense autobiographica exhibition, since Yin Yang worked as a coal miner during about two decades. After Croatia, the exhibition will be shown in Belgium and France. Mr Ante Glibota is a leading international authority for contemporary Chinese art.
Operation "Storm" 1995 prevented new genocide in BiH and liberated occupied parts of Croatia
Congratulations on the occasion of Victory Day and the Day of Croatian Defenders on 5th August to citizens of Croatia and all Croatians in the world. The old Fortress of Croatian King Zvonimir (from 11th century) under the Croatian flag, in liberated town of Knin, just a few days after the start of the operation "Storm" in 1995, has been visited by dr. Franjo Tuđman, the then president of the Republic of Croatia, together with Gojko Šušak, Minister of Defense (both on the photo), general Ante Gotovina and others. The town of Knin has been liberated after five years of occupation.
Drazen Prelec distinguished Croatian expert for Neuroeconomics and professor at MIT, USA
Professor Drazen Prelec, born in Croatia's capital Zagreb in 1955, completed his studies of Applied Mathematics at Harvard University in 1978, and earned Ph.D in 1983 in Experimental Psychology. He is one of the leading experts in Neuroeconomics, where pscychology and neuroscience intersect. Professor Prelec investigates both the development of normative decision theory and the exploration of the empirical failures of that theory. He is professor at MIT, holding three appointments: at the Department of Economics, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and at the Sloan School of Management.
Malka Marom from Israel and Joso Spralja from Croatia singing sensation from 1960s
In 1963, Malka Marom and Joso Špralja formed the singing duo Malka & Joso. For the next four and half years, they sang folk songs of many lands in fourteen languages - well above ground: in Yorkville's coffee houses, college campuses, supper clubs, radio and TV and Capitol recordings. In their repertoire they had Israeli and and Croatian songs as well. Malka & Joso have recorded four albums. Malka & Joso Forever, a CD retrospective of their songs was released by EMI in 2001 to rave reviews.
Mladen Bestvina Croatian mathematician delivered a lecture at the Institut Henri Poincare in Paris
Professor Mladen Bestvina is distinguished Croatian mathematician working at the University of Utah in the USA. Trained in mathematical sciences at the University of Zagreb, he is a corresponding member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. In 2014 he had the honor to deliver the invited lecture at the Insitut Henry Poincare in Paris, one of the most prestigious mathematical institutions in the world. The title of his talk was "On the asymptotic dimension of a curve complex". On the photo Professor Bestvina with his wife Mrs. Cynthia.
Croatian choirs Kastavke and Jane won gold medals at the World Choir Games in Riga Latvia 2014
Croatia successfully participated at the 8th World Choir Games in Riga, winning two gold medals (Kastavke on the photo, Jane, Mir) in various categories: two silver medals and one bronze (Čarobna frula), as well as two gold diplomas (Mir). This competition is the largest choir competition in the world, organized in 29 categories, in which 460 choirs participated with about 27000 singers from 73 countries representing all five continents.
Michel Iellatchitch from France descendant of the Russian branch of noble Croatian family of Jelacic
Mr. Michel Iellatchitch, citizen of France living in the province of Alsace, visited the city of Zagreb from April 25th till 28th with his two sons Victor and François. While walking through the Zrinjevac park, a local guide, describing them important Croatian historical persons, asked them if they are familiar with the name of Jelačić. They answered: "Yes, we are Jelačić's!" Mr. Michel Ielatchitch is a descendant of the so called Russian branch of this noble Croatian family, about the history of which he has written a very nice historical survey in the French language, available via Internet.
Participants of the Croatian World Games in the Zagreb Cathedral and at Jelacic Square 2014
About 750 young Croatians from 25 countries, accompanied by their relatives and friends, attended the solemn Holy Mass at the Zagreb Cathedral, delivered by Bishop Mijo Gorski. It was an unusual and exceptionally pleasant scenery, with so many enthusiastic young people in their colorful costumes, decorated with various insignia representing Croatia and the countries of their residence. After Mass a cultural program ensued with the official opening of the Third Croatian World Games. The aim of these Games is to connect Croatian people by means of sports. The event was started by the Croatian World Congress and is supported by Croatian institutions.
Adriatica Croatian Village in Mckinney, Texas USA, founded by Jeffory D. Blackard
Not a big chest-pounder, Mr. Jeff Blackard is largely under the radar locally. He's probably best known for developing Adriatica in McKinney, whose centerpiece is the bell tower. The $350 million, 45-acre mixed-use project on Virginia Parkway and Stonebridge Drive is modeled after Supetar, a small fishing village on the island of Brač off the coast of Croatia. Looking out from Blackard's perch at Adriatica, with its cobblestone streets, island chapel, and Old World architecture, it's easy to imagine that you're in another place and time.
Croatia winner of the European Senior Taekwondo Championships 2014 held in Baku in Azerbaijan
Croatia, with the astonishing performance of twins Lucija (on the photo) and Ana Zaninović, became Champion of the European Senior Taekwondo Championships, obtaining six medals (3 Golds, 2 Silvers, and 1 Bronze). The first place has been won among 46 participating countries at the European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. Another great international succes: young Matea Jelić and Ivana Babić won gold medals at the 2014 Junior World Taekwondo Championships in Taiwan.
TARARA singing and dance connecting Maori people in New Zealand with Croatians
We invite you to enjoy the magnificent Samoan capella performances and indigenous chants combined with Croatian harmony blockbusters: Vilo moja (My Fairy), Ju te san se zajubio (I Fell In Love With You), Samo moru virujen (I Believe To The See Only), and other. Breathless feeling goes further with Maori who are, within their customs, songs and dances presentation surprising everyone with Maori version of the song "Vilo moja." Maori and Croatian all get on very well. They have a similar way of looking at life and relationships. Tarara is a mixture of Maori people and Croatians in New Zelaland.
Croatian World Games Zagreb 21-26 July 2014
About 750 Croats from 25 countries on 5 continents will participate in the Croatian World Games, 21-26 July, 2014 in Croaia's Zagreb. These are the third Croatian World Games. The previous ones took place in 2006 and 2010 in the city of Zadar and more than 800 competitors participated from 40 countries around the world. In addition to participants from outside the fatherland, participants from Croatia and from Bosnia and Herzegovina will also participate in the Games. The organizer of this important project is the Croatian World Congress and Games are held under the auspices of the President of Croatia. The event starts on 21st July, 19:30, in the Zagreb Cathedral.


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How Much Does Firefighter Gear Weigh?
If you want to be a firefighter then you'd better start training now. Not only do firefighters have to spend long hours on their feet working in dangerous conditions, but they have to do it while carrying a full set of turnout gear and, potentially, other safety equipment too.
Firefighting turnout gear weighs between 45 and 80 pounds (20 to 36kg). This includes the helmet, hood, turnout coat and pants, boots, gloves, SCBA (air pack), facemask, and various tools.
Let's take a look at where all that weight comes from and why it is necessary for firefighters to wear such heavy gear.
Also read: Is There A Weight Limit For Firefighters? Can They Be Fat?
Turnout Pants
Turnout Coat
Air Pack/SCBA
Box Light
Irons (Halligan Bar & Axe)
Why Does Firefighter Gear Weigh So Much?
How Is Gear Cleaned After A Call?
What Does All This Gear Cost?
How Long Is Firefighter's Gear Meant To Last?
The Importance Of Physical Fitness For Firefighters
Firefighters carry a lot of equipment and while each item might not seem to be all that heavy by itself, it quickly adds up to a substantial weight to carry.
If you want some figures to compare this weight to, in ordinary day-to-day life the average woman wears around 1.75lbs. of clothing. The average man, on the other hand, uses about 2.25 lbs. of clothing.
This, of course, means that a firefighter will be carrying about 40 lbs. minimum more weight than an average person when they're on duty.
Also read: The Fitness Requirements for a Firefighter – Explained
The firefighter's safety helmet is a heavy beast, and it has to be, its job isn't just to let people know that you're a firefighter, it's to stop your head from being caved in if something falls on it.
You can expect your average firefighter's helmet to weigh 4 lbs. The weight will increase if you add personalized torches or a thermal imaging camera.
Also read: Why Are Fire Helmets Shaped That Way? A Brief History
The Nomex hood that most firefighters wear in addition to a helmet isn't so heavy but it does add another 4 ounces (0.25 lbs.) to the weight of things and every little bit helps to increase the load that the firefighter must carry all day long.
Also read: The Best Firefighter Particulate Hoods – 2022
Your pants are among the largest items of clothing, and they have to be made of heavy-duty material to ensure that you don't get burned easily and that you don't get soaked through when using the hose.
They can weigh up to 15 lbs. possibly even more and that's a hefty weight when you consider how light a standard pair of jeans is.
The turnout coat which is the standard jacket worn by almost every firefighter weighs in at a fairly hefty 8-10 lbs. depending on the size of the firefighter.
Again, like your pants, it needs to be able to withstand a lot of abuse in the field and leave you protected all the time.
Gloves might seem like a trivial item, but they can weigh almost 1 lb. for a pair. Again, this is because they need to be much tougher than ordinary gloves to ensure you stay protected as you work.
They also need to be able to withstand the friction that can be caused by the fire hose rubbing against them.
A firefighter's boots are an essential kit and they ensure that you don't get your toes crushed as you work in dangerous environments as much as they protect against flame.
They are also very heavy when compared to say, a pair of sneakers. You can expect your boots to weigh 10 lbs. or even more! They are a substantial part of the weight you carry.
Also read: The 7 Best Firefighter Station/Duty Boots – 2022
Your air pack or self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) offers air that should last, in theory, for 30-60 minutes though the reality may be closer to 15-30 minutes when you consider the rigors of the job.
These air packs can be quite heavy, depending on the type, materials, and amount of compressed air storage. SCBAs can range from 25 to 50+ pounds.
Also read: Firefighter Air Tanks and Why They Don't Explode
A thermal imaging camera needs to be rugged enough to stand up to the heat intensity in a fire situation too and that means it must be reinforced and rubberized to endure.
This also means it weighs a bit more than a Go-Pro or similar-looking camera. You can expect a thermal imaging camera to add up to 2lbs. to the weight of your gear, in fact.
A firefighter will usually need a radio when working on a call. That's so that they can stay in touch with their crew even if they lose sight of them in the smoky environment of a fire.
The radios need to be tough enough to withstand the perils of the job and that makes them quite a bit heavier than a cellphone and you can expect them to add 2-5 lbs. to the overall weight of your kit.
Also read: What Is A Code 4? Firefighter Radio Codes
A safe box light for a firefighter's kit will add just 2 more pounds to the pile but by now, you're probably groaning as every small item is added to your kit.
Also read: The 10 Best Firefighter Flashlights: Reviewed 2022
The ax weighs 8 lbs. and the bar another 6 lbs. However, there's no doubt that these two items are the best striking and prying tools in the business, and they can help you breach walls, open doors, break windows, and more.
Here is a video that shows all the gear and gives you an idea of how heavy it is:
Firefighter gear is required to do two things.
The first is to keep the firefighter as safe as possible. This is in the middle of a superheated environment, while they work for potentially hours at a time. That means it needs to be very solid, indeed.
Second, it needs to be durable so that it will last. Firefighting is notoriously hard on equipment. That means it can't just fall to pieces after each call, it's going to be needed again, however, it should be properly cleaned after each use to ensure the safety of the user and to help prolong its life span.
Also read: Why Firefighters Are So Important For The Community
Mainly a firefighter's turnout gear will end up in a commercial washing machine (called an extractor) which helps to remove all contaminants and potentially cancerous particles from the gear.
This can take a little time and thus, many fire departments ensure that their crew has two sets of turnout gear so that one set can be washed and the other worn.
If you're lucky, the fire department you're in may also provide a "gear drier" which is an industrial scale drier that allows you to quickly suit up once your turnout gear has been washed.
Also read: What Is A (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) Alarm Fire? Firefighter Answers
Turnout gear is not cheap. In fact, once you factor in the SCBA, a single set of turnout gear can set a fire department back over $6,000 per person.
That means one of the largest items in a fire department's operating budget is for day-to-day turnout gear and while it is long-lasting it won't last forever and that means it has to be replaced semi-regularly too.
Also read: How Much Does Firefighter Bunker/Turnout Gear Cost?
The NFPA says that you should replace your firefighting gear at least once every 10 years after being put into service.
In reality, much of it doesn't last this long due to rips and tears gained on the job or even too much exposure to heat.
Fire departments try to stretch the life of gear by using qualified repair agencies to try and bring the damaged gear back up to spec but no chances can be taken – if a piece of firefighting gear is no longer up to scratch? It must be thrown out.
And this brings us, finally, to the importance of physical fitness for firefighters. A typical firefighter might weigh between 130 and 200 lbs.
That means their gear is between 50% and 33% of their body weight! This is a lot of extra weight to carry and the only way to make it happen is to remain in peak physical fitness.
This is why so much emphasis is placed on fitness during recruitment and once you're in a crew.
Also read: 8 Tips for the Firefighter Physical Test: Passing the CPAT
Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
CPAT Weighted Vest Stair Climb: Training Secrets
How Much Do Fire Trucks Cost? Apparatus Types and Prices
Do Firefighters Sleep at the Station?
Why Firefighters Are Always Washing Their Trucks

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