Preserving identity and ties with the Homeland: Minister Grlić Radman meets with Croatian emigrants in the U.S.

During his visit to the United States on 20 and 21 September 2025, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman met with members of the Croatian community in New York and New Jersey. He visited the Croatian parish of Saints Cyril and Methodius and Saint Raphael, the Cardinal Stepinac Croatian Cultural Club, the “Croatian Land” Club in New Jersey, the Bosnian Croat Club, as well as Istrian associations in New York.
 
The minister emphasized the important role played by Croatian parishes, cultural societies, and clubs in preserving the faith, language, culture, and identity of Croats living abroad. He expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and for the dedication with which the Croatian spirit is nurtured and the name of the Homeland promoted far beyond its borders.
 
At the parish of Saints Cyril and Methodius and Saint Raphael, Grlić Radman underscored in his address that Croatia remains open to all generations of Croats worldwide, from the first to the fourth, offering a warm welcome to all who wish to visit or return to the Homeland. He highlighted that the Government of Croatia is implementing programs in support of returnees, including financial incentives and tax relief, with the aim of strengthening ties with the diaspora.
 
“The Government of the Republic of Croatia continues to work diligently to preserve connections with Croatian communities across the world,” the minister affirmed, while underlining Croatia’s enduring commitment to ensuring equality and political rights for Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so that they may freely elect their legitimate representatives.
 
At a reception hosted by the Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia, Grlić Radman reiterated the importance of unity, noting that Croats abroad serve as true bridges between the Homeland and the United States, and as the finest ambassadors of the Croatian people and state. He further stressed that the Government of the Republic of Croatia continues to work tirelessly to strengthen the international standing of the country. He recalled that a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement has been signed with the United States, with ratification pending in the Senate, which will facilitate the lives and business activities of emigrants and further reinforce the strong bonds with the Homeland.
 
In the days ahead, Grlić Radman will, in addition to attending the ceremonial opening of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, participate in a series of multilateral events, including the high-level meeting marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, the ministerial meeting of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative member states, the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, as well as meetings within the framework of the European Union and the EU-CELAC partnership.

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