Promotion of intercultural dialogue is present within the agenda of cultural, media, educational and social policies. However, there are no explicitly formulated policies for the promotion of intercultural dialogue nor is there a special fund or support scheme. It is important to note that due to recent Croatian history and the consequences of the Homeland war, the issue of integration and re-integration of minorities, coexistence, as well as resettlement of refugees and displaced persons have been continuously high on the list of political priorities, but still remain an open issue. Until 2022 Croatia was not a country receiving any substantial number of immigrants other than those from neighbouring countries. This is why the issue of intercultural dialogue within the country remained largely an issue of social integration and creating equal opportunities for all minorities. The recent migrant crisis opened up issues of the changing of the asylum and migration policies but no specific measures especially relating to intercultural dialogue have been made. However, with the new Law on Foreigners from 2020 and the changes in regulation on foreign workers from the quota system to the market test system, the number of foreign workers in Croatia has doubled from 2021 to 2022.This opened dialogue on the questions of new minorities, integration and co-existence and thus on the new perspectives on the issues of intercultural dialogue.
There are a number of NGOs and initiatives, both on national and regional levels, focusing on issues of intercultural dialogue. Examples of good practice that continue each year include:
- BEJAHAD – Jewish cultural scene – a project that has been taking place for more than ten years. The programme consists of a week-long series of cultural programmes, activities and debates where, every year, the Jewish community invites one of the other minority groups from the region as well as a Jewish community from one of the European countries to cooperate in the organisation of this programme.
- Literary seminar “The Days of Vladan Desnica” named after a famous Croatian writer of Serbian nationality. The seminar promotes intercultural dialogue through debates about literature and broader topics.
- Since 2006, “Days of Serbian Culture” organised by the Serbian Cultural Association “Prosvjeta” present contemporary Serbian culture during a week-long festival in Zagreb.
- Days of Italian Culture and Language in Rijeka.
- World Day of the Romani language.
Other examples of good practice that dealt with the issues of intercultural dialogue in the last decade:
- Croatia actively contributed in the process of writing the White Book of Intercultural Dialogue of the Council of Europe;
- The National Foundation for Civil Society Development is the coordinator of the Anna Lindh Foundation – ALF (projects promoting dialogue between cultures of the Euro-Mediterranean region) through the Croatian Network for Cooperation in the Mediterranean.
- Intercultural dialogue is widely promoted through a number of EU supported cultural and educational projects, mainly carried out by NGOs. Such projects are multinational and directly devoted to intercultural dialogue, communication and related multicultural competencies. Their aim is to support cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue through different activities (theatre, music events, exhibitions, festivals, etc.).
- Research projects dealing with cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue are executed through the regular work of institutions in higher education and research system (e.g.Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies);
- For the last 27 years ‘Matica iseljenika’ organizes yearly event entitled ‘Forum of Croatian Minorities’ that opens dialogue of all the representatives of national minority organisations, researchers and policy stakeholders;
- Support is also given for cross-border co-operation projects, both by the Ministry of Culture and Media and the Ministry of Science and Education. Initiatives are usually carried out by NGOs which apply for government funding. Co-operation programmes include joint education programmes, co-operation in promoting common heritage, student camps etc.
- Selected NGOs have created programmes that relate to integration of migrants and welcoming refugees (e.g. Taste of Home/Okusidoma; Are you Syrious?).
The question of religious communities in Croatia is regulated through the Law on the Legal Position of Religious Communities (NN 83/02, 73/13), and the Ministry of Administration holds the Registry of the Religious Communities. According to the online Registry in 2022 there are 53 registered religious communities in Croatia.
The government of the Republic of Croatia takes steps to support all activities that promote dialogue between different faith groups. Eight agreements have been signed that regulate issues of joint interest with 19 religious communities. The international agreement with the Holy See regulates issues with the Catholic Church in Croatia, while other agreements were signed with: the Serbian Orthodox Church in Croatia; the Islamic religious community in Croatia; the Evangelic Church in Croatia; the Reformed Christian (Calvinist) Church in Croatia; the Evangelical Pentecostal Church in Croatia, which additionally represents the Christ Pentecostal Church in Croatia and The Union of Christ Pentecostal Churches in Croatia; the Adventist Church in Croatia, which represents the Reformed movement of the Seventh-day Adventists; the Union of Baptist Churches in Croatia, which represent the Church of Christ; the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Croatia; the Croatian Old Catholic Church; the Macedonian Orthodox Church in Croatia; Coordination of Jewish Communities in Croatia; Bet Israel Jewish Faith Community; the Union of Churches ‘Word of Life’; the Church of the Full Gospel (CCE); and Protestant Reformed Christian Church.
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 the “Croatian Heritage Foundation” (Matica iseljenika) established by the government in 1990 by a special Law on the Croatian Heritage Foundation (HMI), and funded through the Ministry of Culture and Media, supports and coordinates cultural programmes for Croatians abroad. The Ministry of Culture and Media also supports special radio programmes aimed at the Croatian Diaspora, as well as satellite programmes on Croatian Radio Television. The importance of the Croatian diaspora in policy orientation can be seen from the data that from 2016 till 2022 the budget of the Central State Office for Croats Abroad has been quadrupled in the said period.
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