In October 2019, I visited one of the most progressive – and most remote – primary schools in the country. With one of THE most inspiring and progressive teachers. Goran Padunovic from Popovac Primary School close to the Hungarian border has been an occasional (and outstanding) TCN contributor for TCN over the years, and on a 2019 visit to Slavonia, I invited myself to come and visit the school to see just what kind of excellence can be achieved with the right mindset and dedication of quality teachers such as Goran. You can read more about that trip in Popovac Primary School, a Creative Beacon of Hope in Baranja.
As I climbed the Baranja equivalent of Mount Everest (about 100m above sea level, from memory), I looked back at this beautiful, fertile and increasingly empty part of eastern Croatia, and I wrote this:
I had come to the east of Croatia knowing I would meet great people (it is impossible not to in Slavonia), but I thought I would come across a lot more despair. Quite the opposite was true. People here have got such a great attitude to life, the nature truly is unspoiled, and there is a great sense of community and a very safe environment.
As I took a tour of the area with Goran, Marijana and the deputy mayor to the highest point of Baranja (not that high!), I looked back over the flatlands of Baranja and Hungary beyond, and I wondered. Emptying today, but for how long?
As they said in the school, the only thing missing in this paradise is jobs which has led to people leaving. In many other aspects, it is a gorgeous place to live, especially for those looking to escape the rat race in exchange for a more natural way of life.
The digital revolution is coming, and it will come to Baranja as well in time. With one estimate of one billion people working remotely by 2035, I for one would not be surprised if a little creative thinking and investment might reverse the emigration and attract people to come and work remotely and raise their kids in this lovely, natural part of the planet.
And then, yesterday, in my LinkedIn inbox – this!
This week my company Beyondi Business Beyond Development acquired this etno village house with 7000m2 land from 19th century.
We are going to build a first-ever IT Village on this planet with a goal to introduce various technologies, trends and education, supported only by crypto!
Our goal is to support the amazing Osijek, Croatia IT community with STEM education for kids, remote offices, jumpstart developer educations, masterminds, digital nomads etc!
We will combine our Slavonian hospitality, agriculture and technology! You are all welcome here!
I have an announcement for one of the biggest projects already confirmed! It is Cryptoberfest from Munich! Amazing crew and network of investors, professionals, developers! David Widmann Jens Ziesel will come and host it in Karanac (near Osijek), Croatia! My heart is full and this will be my legacy for this region! Thank you.
And so it starts…
Did you know that the closest point in Croatia to Budapest Airport is Baranja?
Change is coming, as the Era of Community is upon us. Mobile community.
If you have not been to eastern Croatia yet, and have little idea what you are missing out on, it is something like this – Time to Tell the Truth about Slavonia Full of Life.
If you are a foreign business investing in a business or social enterprise in eastern Croatia and would like to be featured on TCN in this series, please contact [email protected] Subject Slavonia, Full of Life.
