After an emotional visit to Chicago, President Grabar Kitarović is now heading to Minneapolis
Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović started her year with a working visit to the United States. She attended a charity dinner on January 3, 2016, organised by the Croatian Cultural Center in Chicago for the Bubamara Vinkovci non-profit assciation for people with disability. $10 000 was raised during the charity dinner: “We should be proud that as a community, our proceeds totaling $10,000 from last night’s event went to help those in need at the Bubamara Vinkovci non-profit organization” members of the Croatian Cultural Center stated.
It was a very emotional evening for some 600 members of the Croatian Community in Chicago, especially whem, in an unprecedented move, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović announced that she would take pictures with each table of guests. Some atendees could not hold back the tears as they excitedly positioned themselves to take a historic selfie with the first visiting president from Croatia.
“I used to visit Chicago and the Croatian community often during my post in Washington. Coming here is like coming to visit friends or family. I consider these people and the entire Croatian community to be my family. And I am happy to see this kind of a reaction whenever I visit Croatian communities abroad” President Grabar Kitarović said.
She also stated that the Croatian Diaspora has high expectations of the new Prime Minister Designate Tihomir Orešković: “A new level of optimism can be seen among Croatians both at home and abroad. I believe that with the fellowship in achieving common goals, to provide a better life in a better Croatia, we can really accomplish a lot” she added.
President Grabar Kitarović is travelling to Minneapolis in Minnesota on January 4, 2016 where she will be the guest of the Minnesota National Guard in order to mark the 20 year anniversary of the successful cooperation between Croatia and Minnesota within the State Partnership Program.
For those not able to attend today’s luncheon with the president of Croatia, here is a portion of her speech. “Mi smo jedan narod, jedna dusa.”
Posted by Sandra Punda on Sunday, 3 January 2016
