The Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Pretoria organized a traditional reception on Friday, May 29th, to celebrate the Statehood Day of the Republic of Croatia. The solemn reception was held at the Pretoria Country Club, gathering around 160 guests from diplomatic and political circles, representatives of the South African government, business sectors, numerous members of the Croatian diaspora community, and other prominent guests from South Africa's public life.
The official part of the program began with the playing of the national anthems of the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of South Africa. In his welcoming speech, the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia, Ante Cicvarić, highlighted the historical and contemporary importance of Statehood Day for the Croatian people. The Ambassador reflected on the bilateral relations between the two countries, emphasizing the potential for their further development, and provided a recent overview of regional, European, and global trends in the world.
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, the guests were addressed by a high representative, Advocate Melanchton Makobe, Acting Director-General of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME). In his address, he confirmed the importance of further improving the dialogue between the two nations. He particularly emphasized the significance of continuing to strengthen political and economic cooperation, especially through the tourism sector, as well as maintaining the exchange of views while incorporating new areas of collaboration.
This year's celebration also featured a special cultural dimension within the project 'Promotion of Klapa Singing as a Protected Intangible Cultural Heritage', which was made possible with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, provided and approved under the MFEA Public Call. On this occasion, the male group "More" from Split performed at the reception. This prominent musical ensemble has been active for more than two decades and has completed successful tours across Europe, North America, and Asia. In the informal part of the program, klapa "More" delighted the attendees with their recognizable, traditional a cappella performances. Through a rich repertoire of authentic songs, they brought Croatian musical tradition and cultural heritage closer to the guests in the most beautiful way, gracefully concluding this formal celebration in Pretoria.
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