Croats showcase traditions at their National Day celebrations

Yassine Majdi ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 06/26/2009 12:28 PM  |  World

The Croatian community in Indonesia used the occasion of its National Day reception on Thursday to showcase its traditions and symbols of national pride to hundreds of guests at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta.

Croatian Ambassador Cimbur Zeljko greeted his guests, including the Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s director general for European and American affairs, Retno L.P. Marsudi, and Indonesian public figures and members of the diplomatic community, with bread and salt, a sign of Croatian hospitality. This little act particularly pleased the guests.

“It was a really nice greeting. It was a little part of the Croatian soul,” said Norwegian Ambassador Eivind S. Homme.

The ambassador also opened a bottle of champagne with a traditional knife.
Guests were served mouthwatering Croatian delicacies.

“I lived in Zagreb for some time. And I can tell you this is a real Croatian atmosphere.  Especially thanks to the Balkan food, which transports you directly to the Adriatic Sea” said Austrian Ambassador Klaus Wolfer.

Any people do not know that the necktie and pen originated in Croatia. That’s why Cimbur made these two little items the theme for this year’s Croatian National Day celebrations in Indonesia.

“The necktie and the pen are both Croatian inventions that now belong to the world. I want to make people know about Croatia and I’m really glad that all these people came to pay respect to my country, which is a little country. For next year, I am planning to place the event under the theme of Marco Polo, who was also a Croatian,” said Cimbur.

Croatia declared its independence from the then Yugoslav Federation on June 25, 1991.

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