Month: June 2022

In the Cultural Information Center Gospić, 27. June 2022. The, the third structured dialogue of the Veterans Thematic Network was held, on the topic "Communication of veterans with decision-makers in the Republic of Croatia – examples of good practice from the USA". Structured dialogues are conducted within the framework of the project Analysis of social factors affecting the quality of life of the veteran population – guidelines for the future, financed from the European Social Fund, and the holder is the Association of Associations of Veterans of the Croatian Guards. Veterans are included in the Thematic Network 13 civil society organization, mainly the association of veterans from the Homeland War, along with seven newly joined members and the University of Zadar and the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences. The purpose of the structured dialogue is to present guidelines for improving the quality of life of the veteran population, made on the basis of public opinion polls and scientific research. After the welcoming words of the president of the association of war veterans 9. gbr. Vukov Antonija Šebalj and president of the Association of Associations of Veterans of Croatian Guards Željko Dragašević, general information about the project and its implementation was presented by its project manager Ida Maček. The aim of the project is to raise the quality of life of Croatian veterans and victims of the Homeland War, and the results of six scientific studies, six public opinion polls and several scientific and professional articles will be guidelines for the development of public policies, which will be presented to the competent institutions as part of structured dialogues and analyzed in the context of social impact. Lara Buljan Gudelj presented the results of a public opinion survey and shared experiences from Great Britain, in which it is not only trying to help veterans, but to maximize and use their potential to help society. The British value their war veterans, understand the diversity of their experience and support their employment and continued careers in civil society. Their example is a guide for Croatia as well, pointed out Buljan Gudelj. Dr. sc. Igor Mikloušić from the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences presented the results of the scientific research "Cohesion among veterans and the effectiveness of communication with decision makers"..
– Cohesion among veterans can be so great that some of them feel closer to their comrades than to their family members.. War experiences and the specifics of life history make them a unique group in terms of mutual connection within the population itself, while on the other hand, there is a trend of stigmatization and marginalization by a part of the population that does not have the same or similar war experiences. Through the conversation with veterans, it was shown that there are problems with communication with individuals or certain public services, and if trust is established, then you can see how even after 30 years he did not lose his sense of responsibility towards the community, Mikloušić said.
Prof. dr. sc. Zlatko Begonja from the University of Zadar compared American and Croatian war veterans, among which the biggest difference is that the Croatian veterans mostly participated in the defensive war of liberation, while American veterans as soldiers participated in the "spread of democracy" around the world. In spite of, the patriotism of American veterans is not questioned by the citizens or the government, whether she is a Democrat or a Republican at the time. In Croatia, controversies are mostly of an ideological nature, because many structures did not regret Yugoslavia, so they have distanced themselves from the veterans who are most responsible for Croatian independence, Begonja pointed out. The prefect of Lika-Senj, Ernest Petry, thanked the organizers for coming to the area of ​​the former Lika battlefield, where Croatia was defended. The local government is doing everything to ensure that veterans have a dignified place to pay their respects to their fallen comrades, and care is also taken of their functioning in everyday life. Antun Berljak, member of the Roda Varaždin Police Special Unit Association, which has been actively promoting the veteran community and all its positive aspects for many years, he said that he can say from his example that veterans' associations have never encountered closed doors and that veterans should become active and create projects that will improve the quality of life. The structured dialogue in Gospić was the third in a series, after those spent in Vinkovci and Zadar, and until the end of the project, it will be held in Varaždin, Zagreb and Split. The topics covered are veterans' communication with decision-makers in the Republic of Croatia, working (it is)activity of veterans and involvement in social entrepreneurship, public opinion and health care of veterans in the Republic of Croatia.

"War tourism in the Republic of Croatia - the potential for improving the offer and the possibility of employing veterans" is the name of the structured dialogue that is part of the project "Analysis of social factors affecting the quality of life of the veteran population – guidelines for the future ” 18. May 2022. held at the University of Zadar.   Welcoming the participants, the rector of the University of Zadar, prof. dr. sc. Dijana Vican said that the defenders stood out in the Homeland War, and now is a new time in which their integrity is preserved by employment, entrepreneurship and creative contribution.
– The veteran population is burdened with numerous problems, primarily ideological prejudices about seemingly undeserved privileges. This project should lead to the defenders being an unquestionable part of Croatian society, pointed out the representative of the University of Zadar in the project Assoc. prof. dr . sc. Zlatko Begonja.
The president of the Association of Croatian Tourist Guides, Kristina Nuić Prka, pointed out that 100% asks foreign guests what happened in the Homeland War and presented the successful tourist offer of military tourism in the world as a confirmed potential for the development of this form of selective tourism. The owner of the travel agency "I Travel" and tourist guide Ivica Škriljevečki presented the "Zadar War Tour". The beginning of the route is in the city, in which the damage from the Homeland War is visible, but in some locations together the Roman and Venetian ramparts, and the late antique and medieval wall, which suggests that Zadar has always had to defend itself throughout its history. Continue towards the bunker on Vidikovac, from where there is a view of the whole city, and then towards Zemunik, the hill Križ from which Zadar was shelled, Dračevac with a tank stopped at that place… Depending on interest, the trip can be extended to Škabrnja, Maslenica bridge, Zrmanju, former base in Šepurine, which is a great untapped potential. Honorary President of the Association of Special Police from the Homeland War of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Maras analyzed war tourism in the Republic of Croatia with special reference to Velebit, and put forward the idea of ​​lodgings on the front line of the former battlefield, which could simultaneously be points for HGSS teams in rescue operations. By developing war tourism, pointed out the coordinator of the development of guidelines, Ivana Maslov, the tourist offer is growing, has a positive impact on the economy, the psychosocial well-being of veterans and members of their families by involving them in the planning and implementation of war tourism activities. Also, the positive image of the Homeland War is preserved, educates the public about important historical events, their causes and consequences.
– The content should be attractive to tourists, with attractive and interactive content, authentic experiences of the participants, storytellingom, using technological aids. Veterans need to be involved in planning and creating the offer of war tourism in order to bring authentic experience and knowledge about the Homeland War to the whole story., military operations and key war events. War stories and testimonies of veterans bring an educational and emotional component to the contents of war tourism, and this is exactly what today's tourist consumer is looking for, Maslov pointed out. At the end of the presentation, present,  among whom were representatives of the Ministry of Croatian Veterans, City of Zadar, Zadar County, Regional Office of the Croatian Employment Service Zadar and the Zadar Tourist Board, through discussion gave constructive suggestions for project development.
– I am convinced that the strategic documents that will emerge from this project, and then, I belive, be adopted by decision makers and implemented into existing legislation and strategic objectives ,  greatly contribute to improving the quality of life of the veteran population in Croatian society – which is also the strategic goal of this project, said project manager Ida Maček.