On 30 May 2018, a ceremony of hoisting the Croatian flag to the Croatian national anthem was held in one of Strasbourg’s central squares, Place de la Republique. The city also held a ceremony of inaugurating a streetcar decorated with the symbols of Croatia’s Council of Europe chairmanship, which it took over on 18 May 2018. The ceremonies saw Croatian Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Council of Europe Secretary-General Thorbjørn Jagland, Strasbourg’s Deputy Mayor for European Affairs Nawel Rafik-Elmrini and Denmark’s permanent representative to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Arnold De Fine Skibsted.
The Croatian flag will fly in downtown Strasbourg and the streetcar will travel the city’s streets for the next six months. This valuable promotion of Croatia was co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the City of Strasbourg. In cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Council of Europe and City of Strasbourg, Croatia will presented itself to Strasbourg’s public over the next six months through various cultural events.