Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Australia and New Zealand

Sretan i blagoslovljen Uskrs!

📲 rb.gy/a5cch5

📢The Croatian Heritage Foundation 🇭🇷 Hrvatska matica iseljenika is once again organizing its traditional programs, which include learning the Croatian language and culture, fostering a spirit of sportsmanship, building connections among participants, and strengthening ties with the homeland through shared linguistic, cultural, traditional, sports, and volunteer experiences 🫶.

1. ✅The Eco Heritage Task Force is a program gathering young people of Croatian descent from around the world to engage in voluntary work on the environmental restoration and preservation of Croatian natural cultural heritage in local communities. This year’s program will take place in Gospić, in collaboration with Lika-Senj County, from 3 to 16 August 2026🇭🇷.

‼️ More info on: https://matis.hr/en/news-en/eco-heritage-task-force-2026-3/

2. ✅Sports Camp - The Sports Camp is a new program designed for young people from the Croatian diaspora. Conceived as a space for meeting, development, and connection🫶, the camp offers participants the opportunity to improve their athletic skills, cultivate team spirit, and form new friendships. The program is organized in collaboration with the Croatian Handball Federation. It will take place from 11 to 19 July 2026 in Prelog, Međimurje County, and is intended for young people aged 14 to 18. Accommodation will be provided at Hotel Panorama Prelog and SRC DG Prelog 🇭🇷.

‼️ More info on: https://matis.hr/programi/sportski-kamp-matis/

3. ✅12th Traditional National Folk Costume Show and Contest for the Most Beautiful Croatian Woman in a National Folk Costume Outside of the Republic of Croatia The event will take place from 6 to 12 July 2026 in Tomislavgrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇭🇷💃.

‼️ More info on: https://matis.hr/en/news-en/invitation-to-participate-in-the-12th-traditional-national-folk-costume-show-and-contest-for-the-most-beautiful-croatian-woman-in-a-national-folk-costume-outside-of-the-republic-of-croatia/

Invitation to Participate in the 12th Traditional National Folk Costume Show and Contest for the Most Beautiful Croatian Woman in a National Folk Costume Outside of the Republic of Croatia June 30th to July 6th 2025 in Biograd na Moru and Tomislavgrad (Bosnia and Hercegovina)

The EU and Australia have concluded the negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement, signed a Security and Defence Partnership, and intend to commence negotiations on Australia joining Horizon Europe.

Read more in the joint statement by the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, and European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/australia/joint-statement-hon-anthony-albanese-mp-prime-minister-australia-and-her-excellency-ursula-von-der_en

European Commission Australian Government Anthony Albanese European External Action Service - EEAS

📢 Public Call 2026

The Ministry of Demography and Immigration has announced a public call aimed at strengthening demographic revitalization and creating a supportive social and economic environment in the Republic of Croatia 🇭🇷

🔹 The call is intended for projects that contribute to the inclusion of returnees and immigrants in the social, economic, and cultural life of Croatia

📌 Total available funding €700,000
📌 Funding per project €4,000 – €30,000

👥 Who can apply?
Civil society organizations (associations, foundations), legal entities of the Catholic Church, and religious communities operating in Croatia or abroad.

📌 Key information:
Start of project implementation: January 1, 2026
Project duration: up to 12 months (no later than June 30, 2027)

📩 Applications should be sent to: [email protected]
🗓 Application deadline: April 20, 2026, by 12:00 PM

Please indicate in the application:
“Projects of civil society organizations aimed at encouraging the return, immigration, and integration of Croatian emigrants in 2026”

ℹ️ All additional information is available in the Call text and the accompanying Guidelines.
_________________________________________________________________

📢Ministarstvo demografije i useljeništva objavilo je javni poziv usmjeren ka jačanju demografske revitalizacije te stvaranju poticajnog društvenog i gospodarskog okruženja u Republici Hrvatskoj🇭🇷

🔹 Poziv je namijenjen projektima koji doprinose uključivanju povratnika i useljenika u društveni, gospodarski i kulturni život Hrvatske

📌Ukupan iznos projekta iznosi 700.000 €
📌Potpora po projektu iznosi 4.000 – 30.000 €

👥 Tko se može prijaviti?
Organizacije civilnog društva (udruge, zaklade), pravne osobe Katoličke crkve i vjerske zajednice koje djeluju u RH ili inozemstvu.

📌 Važne informacije
Početak provedbe: 1. siječnja 2026.
Trajanje: do 12 mjeseci (najkasnije do 30. lipnja 2027.)
📩 Prijave se šalju na: [email protected]
🗓 Rok za prijavu: 20. travnja 2026. do 12:00 sati

Uz prijavu obavezno naznačiti:
„Projekti organizacija civilnog društva usmjerenih poticanju povratka, useljavanja i integracije hrvatskog iseljeništva u 2026. godini“

ℹ️ Sve dodatne informacije dostupne su u tekstu Poziva i priloženim Uputama

Poziv za dodjelu bespovratnih sredstava organizacijama civilnog društva za projekte usmjerene poticanju povratka, useljavanja i integracije hrvatskog iseljeništva u 2026. godini

📢Happy to announce that 🇭🇷Croatian Heritage Foundation Hrvatska matica iseljenika is organizing its traditional programs, which include:
📌learning the Croatian language and culture, as well as
📌the volunteer program Eco Heritage Force

📍UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF CROATIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (for participants aged 17+), June 23 to July 17, 2026, Zagreb. The school is intended for youth of 🇭🇷 descent and all other students who wish to get to know Croatia, gain or expand their knowledge about it, and learn or improve their 🇭🇷 language skills.
‼️ Application deadline is May 22, 2026
For more info 👉https://matis.hr/en/news-en/the-university-school-of-croatian-language-and-culture-2/
📍LITTLE SCHOOL OF CROATIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (for participants aged 9–14), from July 20 to July 31, 2026., Novi Vinodolski. Includes language and creative workshops, as well as sports and recreational activities aimed at mastering the 🇭🇷 language and getting to know other aspects of Croatian identity.
Info👉https://matis.hr/en/programs-en/little-summer-school-of-croatian-language-and-culture-2/
📍CROATIAN ONLINE COURSE HIT-1, the first university-level beginner e-course of Croatian as a foreign language in 🇭🇷. The course is held in the spring and autumn semesters. Info👉https://matis.hr/en/programs-en/croatian-internet-course/
📍ECO HERITAGE TASK FORCE, August 3 to August 16, 2026. in Gospić. A volunteer program in which young people from both Croatia and the diaspora have been working since 1992 to preserve the environment, restore neglected parts of Croatia’s natural and cultural heritage. Also includes workshops on the 🇭🇷 language, media culture, culinary workshops, and joint excursions. ‼️ The application period lasts until June 15, 2026, or until the planned number of participants is reached. Info 👉https://matis.hr/en/news-en/eco-heritage-task-force-2026-3/

📌All the info on programs and activities of the Croatian Heritage Foundation can be found on website: https://matis.hr/en/programs/

Programs Programs edit hrID – Hrvatski izvan domovine Online portal UČIMO HRVATSKI edit Little Summer School of Croatian Language and CultureThe planned period - July 15 – July 26, 2024 edit First cal…

Republic of Croatia firmly stands in solidarity with Ukraine, alongside the other EU countries. Slava Ukrajini!

Happy Waitangi Day 🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿

Happy Australia Day! 🇦🇺
Best wishes from Ambassador Betty Pavelich and the Croatian Embassy team from the National Citizenship and Flag Raising Ceremony in the nation’s capital!

Neka vam božićni blagdani donesu mir, ljubav, toplinu i radost, a Nova 2026. godina obilje zdravlja, uspjeha i novih prilika. Sretan i blagoslovljen Božić, te radosnu Novu godinu žele vam veleposlanica Betty Pavelich i tim veleposlanstva Republike Hrvatske u Australiji i Novom Zelandu, Marija, Gordana, Eduard i Ruža!

May this Christmas bring you peace, love, warmth, and joy, and may the New Year 2026 be filled with health, success, and exciting new opportunities. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, from the Ambassador Betty Pavelich and the team of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Australia and New Zealand, Marija, Gordana, Eduard and Ruža!

Ambassador Betty Pavelich was joined by Bondi community resident Peter Pecotic,
and Sonja Palic, Member of the Council for Croats Abroad and Chair of the Australia-New Zealand Croatian Women in Leadership organisation, as she paid her respects to the victims of the incomprehensible terrorist attack that took place on Bondi Beach on December 14, 2025. May the victims rest in eternal peace, may those recovering heal and may humanity prevail over darkness.

Veleposlanici Betty Pavelich pridružiili su se Peter Pecotić i Sonja Palić, članica Savjeta Vlade RH za Hrvate izvan RH i predsjednica Australia-New Zealand Croatian Women in Leadership, kako bi zajedno odali počast žrtvama tragičnog terorističkog napada koji se dogodio na plaži Bondi 14. prosinca 2025. godine.
Neka žrtve počivaju u vječnom miru, neka se ranjeni uspješno oporave, a neka čovječnost, solidarnost i mir nadvladaju nasilje i tamu.

Danas su se veleposlanica Republike Hrvatske, Nj. E. Betty Pavelich, i generalni konzul Republike Hrvatske Ivica Glasnović, upisali u knjige žalosti u Canberri i Sydneyu, izražavajući duboko žaljenje i sućut žrtvama terorističkog napada na plaži Bondi, koji je potresao cijelu Australiju, suosjećajući s narodom Australije i odajući poštovanje stradalima u ovoj tragediji.

Today, the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia, H. E. Betty Pavelich, and the Consul General of the Republic of Croatia, Ivica Glasnović, signed the books of condolence in Canberra and Sydney, expressing their deep sorrow and sympathy for the victims of the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, which has shaken the entire nation of Australia.

The Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Canberra extends its most sincere condolences to the loved ones of the victims of the senseless, antisemitic terrorist attack that ended 15 innocent lives and injured many others at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, on December 14, 2025. We mourn the tragic loss of life and we stand with the Jewish community, as well with the people of Sydney and Australia, at this difficult time. There are no words that can possibly ease the pain that this heinous and evil act has perpetrated, just as there is no place in any society for antisemitism, extremism or intolerance. May the victims rest in eternal peace.