President Milanović Decorates Distinguished Individuals and Organizations from the Fields of Culture, Science, Sport and the Economy
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović presented decorations on Thursday to distinguished individuals and organizations whose long-standing work and activities have made significant contributions to Croatian culture, science, sport, and the economy.
“Here today are people who have devoted decades of dedication, effort, love, and interest to their work. I offer my heartfelt congratulations to everyone and thank you for what you have given. I express my deep respect for you, and these decorations are a small token of appreciation that the Croatian state can offer you,” said President Milanović.
The Order of the Croatian Star with the Effigy of Marko Marulić was awarded to Jelva Kviz and Prof. Boris Kviz, Ph. D., for their exceptional contribution to Croatian culture through the donation of a valuable collection of works by some of Croatia’s most prominent visual artists to the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zagreb; to Yoko Nishii for her special contribution to the promotion and preservation of Croatian musical heritage and to strengthening friendship and cultural ties between the Republic of Croatia and Japan; and to Krešimir Stražanac for his outstanding musical achievements and special contribution to promoting Croatian musical art in Croatia and around the world.
The Order of the Croatian Star with the Effigy of Ruđer Bošković was awarded to Prof. Neven Budak, Ph. D., for his special merits in advancing Croatian historical science and for outstanding achievements in the field of historiography; and to Assoc. Prof. Dario Rahelić, Ph. D., for his exceptional contribution to the development of medical science in the field of diabetology, his continuous work to improve healthcare, and his special merits in promoting the Croatian scientific community internationally.
The Order of the Croatian Star with the Effigy of Franjo Bučar was awarded to Đurđica Gabrilo for her special contribution to the development of Croatian swimming and for achieving historic sporting results at national and international competitions; and to Hrvoje Horvat for his special contribution to the development and promotion of handball and for achieving top-level results at national and international sports competitions, thereby contributing to the reputation and promotion of Croatian sport.
The Order of the Croatian Star with the Effigy of Antun Radić was awarded to Zoran Hercigonja for his significant contribution to the promotion of information sciences and for his special merits in improving the quality of the education system of the Republic of Croatia.
The Order of the Croatian Interlace was awarded to Sonja Borovčak for her special merits in protecting the rights and well-being of children and in caring for them, on the occasion of 50 years of institutional work; Tatjana Holjevac for her special merits and contribution to establishing Croatia’s telecommunications links with the world during the Homeland War; Maestro Aleksandar Marković for his special merits in promoting the music of Croatian composers through outstanding performances during his long-standing collaboration with the Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra; Vesna Milković for her exceptional, long-standing contribution to the preservation and promotion of Croatia’s traditional cultural heritage at home and abroad; Carmen and Ivan Perković for their special merits in founding the humanitarian association Fraternite Catalogne Croatie and their exceptional contribution through years of continuous work collecting and sending humanitarian aid to the citizens of the Republic of Croatia; Stanislav Štambuk for his exceptional merits in the development of Mediterranean agricultural crops and his special contribution to promoting Croatian olive growing; and Daniela Taslidžić Herman for her special merits in the cultural development of Slavonia and Baranja through long-standing educational and humanitarian work.
Charters of the Republic of Croatia were presented to the Croatian Swimming Federation for its special merits in promoting, encouraging, and developing swimming in the Republic of Croatia and for achieving top-level sporting results at national and international competitions, as well as to Liječnički vjesnik, the publication of the Croatian Medical Association, for its exceptional contribution to the continuous documentation and promotion of the most significant professional and scientific medical achievements and its special merits in the exchange of knowledge, innovations, and experience among physicians and scientists, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Liječnički Vjesnik.
“Dear Mr. President of the Republic of Croatia, allow me, on behalf of all those decorated and all those who have received awards, to thank you for this great honour. I would also like to thank all those who nominated us, who, recognizing our work, decided to put us forward for these distinctions. As you yourself said, we come from very different professions and fields, but I believe there is something that certainly unites us: regardless of what we do, we have worked in the interest and for the benefit of the Republic of Croatia and all its citizens. I am therefore certain that the recognitions we have received today will encourage us to continue, within our abilities and given our age, working to improve both the Croatian state and Croatian society. I am particularly pleased that we are doing so on this very day,” said Prof. Neven Budak, Ph. D., who addressed the gathering and expressed his thanks on behalf of those decorated.
In addition to the families and friends of those decorated, the ceremony at the Office of the President of the Republic was attended by those who had nominated the recipients: Dr. Petra Vugrinec, Deputy Director of the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery; Mirko Šajkunić, President of the Koškani Koška Cultural and Artistic Society; Dr. Tajana Pleše, Director of the Mimara Museum; Dr. Zrinka Mach, President of the Croatian Society for Chronic Diseases; Željko Maletić, President of the Bjelovar Sports Association; Mirjana Grabar Kruljac, Principal of the Varaždin Medical School; Rajko Solar, Head of the Municipality of Jalžabet; Snježana Krpes, Secretary General of the Union of “Our Children” Societies of Croatia; Vladimir Jelenčić, Director of the Slatina Society of the Red Cross; Stevo Hulak, President of the Orahovica Society of the Red Cross; Ivana Kocelj, Acting Head of the HRT Music Department; and Prof. Diana Delić Brkljačić, Ph. D, Vice-Dean for Science at the School of Medicine.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić, Filip Glas