Delegate of the President of the Republic Participates in Ceremony Marking the 190th Anniversary of the Croatian National Anthem “Our Beautiful Homeland“ and the  90th Anniversary of the Unveiling of the Monument to the Croatian National Anthem

The Head of the Office of the President of the Republic, Orsat Miljenić, as the delegate of the President of the Republic, participated today in a ceremony marking the 190^th anniversary of the Croatian national anthem “Our Beautiful Homeland“ and the 90^th anniversary of the unveiling of the Monument to the Croatian National Anthem.

The ceremony began by laying a wreath at the Monument to the Croatian National Anthem “Our Beautiful Homeland” in the “Significant Landscape of “Zelenjak”, at the entrance to the Municipality of Kumrovec. The members of the “Society of Brethren of the Croatian Dragon” unveiled the monument on 24 November 1935 on the occasion of the centennial of the publication of the lyrics of “Horvatska domovina” (Croatian Homeland), the original version of today’s national anthem.

The current official national anthem of the Republic of Croatia was first published in the 10^th issue of the “Danica” newspaper in 1835, and in 1846 Josip Runjanin wrote the music for the national anthem. By the end of the century, the song became quite popular among the Croats and a new title was given to it according to the opening lyrics “Our Beautiful Homeland”. At the legendary location that inspired Antun Mihanović for the song, the “Brethren of the Croatian Dragon” erected an obelisk according to a sketch of sculptor Rudolf Ivanković.

After laying a wreath at the Monument to the Croatian National Anthem, the ceremony marking the 190^th anniversary of the Croatian National Anthem “Our Beautiful Homeland“ and the 90^th anniversary of the unveiling of the Monument to the Croatian National Anthem, continued in the Social and Cultural Centre in Kumrovec with a festive programme. Also participating in the ceremony apart from the delegate of the President of the Republic, Orsat Miljanić, were the delegate of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament and MP Andro Krstulović Opara; delegate of the Minister of Culture, MP and Mayor of Krapina Zoran Gregurović; Krapina-Zagorje County-Prefect Željko Kolar; Grand Master of the “Society of Brethren of the Croatian Dragon” Mislav Grgić, and the Head of the Municipality of Kumrovec, Robert Šplajt.

Alongside the delegate of the President of the Republic Orsat Miljenić was the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of the Republic Goran Grobotek.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas