It has been concluded that Croatia has the best opportunity to promote the tie during the forthcoming period as it prepares to assume the European Union presidency on the 1st of January, 2020.
As Darko Bicak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 7th of September, 2018, the tie should become synonymous with Croatia during the country’s presidency of the EU.
What Samsung is for South Korea, and what the iPhone is for the United States, the tie should become for Croatia – a globally used item which everyone will identify with Croatia, as was stated at the “Kravatna Diplomacija” gathering held in Zagreb on Friday under the organisation of the Academia Cravatica and the Club for public diplomacy of Croatian society for the United Nations.
As Zvonimir Frka-Patešić, a long-time diplomat, explained, the tie is not only a recognisable European symbol, but they are also given by the country heading the current rotating EU presidency to euro-diplomats.
“It’s a historical fact that nobody in the world disputes, that the tie is ”tied” to the Croats,” stated Zvonimir Frka-Patešić, adding that it is well-known that during the thirty year war in which they fought (1618-1648), the Croatian cavalry wore such garments, with the French taking a liking to them, eventually adapting them as fashion accessories and details under the name ”cravate”.
Therefore, the tie is definitely inspired by the Croats, the French have turned them into a fashion accessory, the English have given them the type of cut they are known for today, and the Italians made them somewhat ”omnipresent” with their massive fashion industry for which the country is known. The Germans also opened the very first tie museum.
”It’s clear that it [the tie] is a symbol of the European Union that should be stronger in relation to Croatian identity,” Frka-Patešić added.
At the meeting, it was announced that in 2020, there would attempt to be an agreement in place with all capital cities across the EU that the Croatian tie should be placed on a monument to a respective national character, if the monument or sculpture is already ”wearing” some sort of tie in the first place.
Experts from the marketing and diplomatic team also spoke at the conference, who stated Croatia’s incredible sporting success and wild popularity among tourists should work to add a cultural “touch” that would give the country added value in its overall global recognisability. Academia Cravatica, headed by Marijan Bušić, has been working on that topic already for many years, especially here in Croatia.
Their most visible project, supported by the Zagreb Tourist Board, is the Kravat Regiment, which can be regularly seen in various locations in the Croatian capital engaging with the public in front of nationally important institutions, which is a natural magnet for many curious tourists visiting Zagreb.
Click here for the original article by Darko Bicak for Poslovni Dnevnik
