On October 29, 2024 a celebratory reception in Ottawa marked the 30th anniversary of the historic project "Croatian Embassy in Canada" and the 25th anniversary of the official opening of the renovated building of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia. The event gathered numerous guests - both members of the Croatian community who had traveled from all parts of Canada for this occasion, as well as dignitaries from Canadian public and political life.
As pointed out by Ambassador Skračić in his speech, the goal of this event was to pay tribute to all the members of the community who contributed to this historical project - both those who had a leading role in the Coordination Committees and the implementation of the project, as well as to all individuals, families and organizations representing Croatians in Canada whose selfless contributions, work, knowledge and engagement enabled the purchase and renovation of this historic building, which they donated to their Homeland, the Republic of Croatia.
The event was also an opportunity to recall the overall contribution of the Croatian community in Canada to the struggle for independence and independence of the Republic of Croatia, as highlighted in the intervention by the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman, who praised the strength and vitality of Croatian unity and patriotism in Canada. The role of Canadian Croats as a strong bridge connecting the two countries and their contribution to the Canadian society was also highlighted in the speech by the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Robert Oliphant on behalf of the Canadian Government, pointing to the strong symbolism of the Croatian Embassy as the place where Croatian and Canadian heritage come together, as well as the citizens of both countries.
After a complex renovation of Embassy building, located at 229 Chapel Street in the historic Ottawa neighborhood of Sandy Hill, it opened officially in November 1999. The Embassy received a special award from the City of Ottawa for the successful renovation of a heritage property, which enhanced the character of Sandy Hill community to the benefit of all its citizens. The Embassy is decorated with several works of art donated by Canadian-Croatian artists, including Mrs. Nada Sesar Raffay, who on this occasion donated a print of her artwork "Croatian Rhapsody", which will decorate the renovated premises of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia in Zagreb.
In parallel with this important anniversary in Ottawa, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Gordan Grlić Radman, visited Canada to participate in the Ministerial Conference on the Humane Dimension of the Ukraine’s Ten-Point Peace Formula (Montreal, October 30-31, 2024), where underlined Croatia's strong and comprehensive support for Ukraine, including humanitarian aid and sharing its own experience of the Homeland War and the post-war period.
As part of the visit, the Minister held several meetings with representatives of the Croatian community in Canada, including with members of the Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce. He also visited the Croatian Church of St. Leopold Mandić in Ottawa and the Croatian Church of St. Nikola Tavelić in Montreal.
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