Croatia/ 3.4 International cultural co-operation  

3.4.6 Other relevant issues

According to available data from the Ministry of Culture, the majority of the programmes of international cultural cooperation in 2009 concentrated on the countries of the European Union (57.36%), and other European countries (16.65%). The latter includes the cooperation projects (mainly focussing on transfer of knowledge and exchange of experiences) in the region of South-East Europe. Programmes that support "culture in development" are not designed as special measures outlined and proclaimed by cultural policy and Croatia does not have a tradition of funding such projects abroad.

Croatia has a large Diaspora around the world from North and South America, Australia and New Zealand to Western European countries particularly Germany, Switzerland and Austria. An independent organisation / institution "Croatian Heritage Association" (Matica Hrvatska) established by the government, and funded through the Ministry of Culture, supports and coordinates cultural programmes for Croatians abroad. The Ministry of Culture also supports special radio programmes aimed at the Croatian Diaspora, as well as satellite programmes on Croatian television.

"Croatie, la voici" (http://croatielavoici.com/), a three-month long festival of Croatian culture that was held in France during September-December 2012, is a result of a strategic partnership which was signed in 2010 at the highest level between the France and Croatia. The cooperation aims at strengthening cultural cooperation between France and Croatia in the light of Croatia joining the European Union in 2013. The festival offers more than 60 projects ranging from key artworks of Croatian cultural heritage, to contemporary arts – films, comics, etc.

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