Press conference held over collective exhibition of Croatian-descended Austrian artists entitled “The Austrian Connection”

On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the co-organiser and sponsor of the exhibition, a speech was held by Assistant Minister at the Directorate for Croatian Minorities, Emigration and Immigration Mirjana Bohanec Vidović.

Reporting on the ceremonial opening of the exhibition, to be held 19 May 2008 at the Vladimir Filakovac gallery of Narodno sveučilište Dubrava (Dubrava 51a), Assistant Minister Bohanec Vidović said that through this project the Ministry is trying to contribute to the strengthening of the ties between Croatian expatriates and their homeland, as well as promote the cultural relations between the two friendly countries – the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Austria, who is also a sponsor country.

Six Croatian-descended artists – Vladimir Bedeniković, Edit Glavurtić, Herman Hemetek, Veronika Kokalj, Erich Novoszel and Dragutin Šantek, will be presenting a total of 66 works, a part of which will be exhibited in the lobby of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Europski dom, and the Austrian Cultural Forum, while most will be featured at the Vladimir Filakovac gallery, until 4 June 2008.

Also taking part in sponsoring the exhibition were Narodno sveučilište Dubrava, the Austrian Cultural Forum, Austrian Embassy in Zagreb, and the Zagreb City Office for Education, Culture, and Sports, while partners in the project were Europski dom and the Croatian-Austrian Society.