S
I G M a
Museum
of Croatian Diaspora and Centre for Investigation of Global
Migrations
PROJECT
SIGMa
is
the provisional name for the Museum
of Croatian Diaspora and Centre for Investigation of Global
Migrations
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CONCEPT
-
AIMS
- SPHERES OF INTEREST
- ACTIVITIES
-
SPACE
-
BUILDING
-
EMPLOYEES
-
FINANCING
-
COLLABORATION
CONCEPT:
to preserve, investigate, evaluate and present to these and future
generations
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the experience of Croatian immigrants
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the material and spiritual richness of Croatian migrants, national minorities and world migrations
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To
develop the understanding of particular needs and issues
in multicultural societies
The above concept includes
three crucial aspects of social relations of the contemporary world:
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zastita ljudskih prava, dostojanstva, stvaralastva I povijesnog iskustva migranata
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razvijanje razumijevanja za multikulturne oblike drustva
-
skrb o razvoju lokalnih zajednica te zastiti povijesnih jezgri gradova
DESCRIPTION:
SIGMa
is not envisioned as an exclusively scientific institution, nor as a
typical old-fashioned museum with several annual exhibitions. The
vision of SIGMa is as a lively meeting point of world-class
scientists, experts, immigrants, returning immigrants, artists,
tourists, students, people interested in architecture and people
looking for their roots. SIGMa should be located in Rijeka (the
town on the northern end of the
Croatian Adriatic
Coast) since
Rijeka was the most important transitional port from which our people
and our neighbours have been emigrating to the world for centuries.
SIGMa should be an architectural attraction at the level of Gugenheim
or Millenium Dome in London, or an even more inspirational creation
of talented young architects. With SIGMa we would get a strong new
cultural centre, the kind of which does not exist in this part of the
world. Croatia needs an authentic and recognisable attraction that
would be able to attract world travellers with its energy. The only
successful world attractions these days are the breathtaking ones.
What
does SIGMa mean?
SIGMa
is the acronym obtained from the working title of the project “Centre
for the Investigation of World Migrations. The working title does not
specify that it is also a museum of Croatian Immigration
(MCM!),
which is required to describe the content of this institution which
encompasses the programmes of a cultural centre, museum,
investigation centre, workgroup, educational centre, scientific
forum, entertainment and recreational centre and a tourist
attraction.
Why
call it a Centre?
SIGMa
is a single centre that is based on two main principles:
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permanent exhibitions, library, database, archive, conventions, lectures, cultural events and meetings on the topic of Croatian immigrants, national minorities and world migrations
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university post and laboratory for investigation of the phenomenon of immigration, multiculturalism, minorities, ghettos
Why
does it involve investigation?
SIGMa
should be a forum for migrations. In order for SIGMa to become such a
forum it needs to have a scientific research laboratory for
investigation of causes, problems, effects and issues of world
migrations in a world context (immigrants, emigrants, refugees, world
travellers, stateless people, ethnic cleansing, ghettos,
multicultural societies). Without a systematic and continuous study
of this subject it is not possible
to evaluate and present the material and spiritual inheritance of
immigration.
Why
is it global?
Currently
in the world there is no centre that offers such a multi-faceted
cultural and scientific content on the issue of immigration. There
are several museums, organisations and institutes which investigate
the same issues, but currently there is no centre that encompasses a
museum, cultural centre and a scientific-research laboratory.
Creating a permanent symbol of Croatian
emigration,
and at the same time focusing attention on one of the most dominant
problems of the modern world is the best step in putting the Croatian
cultural
identity onto the world map. It will be the best testimony that
we understand the current world issues and trends. Croatia needs to
be recognised as a country that promotes
the most
important global issues,
experiences and viewpoints.
Why
migrations?
Today,
as humanity is confronted with the phenomenon of immigrants, refugees
at global scale, for the first time the causes and results of these
events are being seriously thought about. This can be seen in the
political programmes of affected countries and in the scientific
studies of social and cultural issues and events. Recently, many
institutes
investigating migration
have been created by universities. There are also two museums of
immigration, several museums of emigration. The first virtual museum
on this subject has been created. In the recent decades migrations
have become a major focus of interest of international organisations
such as UN and UNESCO.
The
reasons for establishing the Croatian Immigration museum.
The
rich and extensive cultural and
artistic inheritance of our emigrants
today lays undiscovered, forgotten and unappreciated all over the
world. Such wealth deserves the attention, respect and care of those
who recognise the spiritual inheritance of their own people. This
implies the need for a museum of Croatian Immigration. This museum
would not be exclusive only to Croatian emigrants,
but it would be a link with other similar establishments around the
world. Following the modern principles of such establishments
(self-financing) it would cover a whole spectrum of additional
content. In its space
it would host exhibitions of emigrants
from other nationalities, as well as results of cultural co-existence
of different social groups (multicultural societies, sub-cultures,
marginal ethnic groups, large migrations etc.).
Why
should it be located in Rijeka?
The
geographical location of Rijeka (inside the Mediterranean basin)
guarantees good connections with many European and international
destinations. It stands out as the best location for the type of
centre described above.
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Such a cultural and scientific institution would re-energise the relatively marginalised Rijeka area by attracting the attention of emigrants, their descendants and friends, as well as many people from other ethnic groups who left their homes.
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Rijeka has recently joined the European programme EUROPAN, which confirms that there is a positive energy in Rijeka, with the aim of opening and maximising the development of the city and the region. The bid to host the Mediterranean Games in Rijeka would benefit from a project such as SIGMa. In the event of a successful bid the museum itself would benefit as well, with the realisation of the project coming at the time of the highest inflow of money into the city.
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Such an architecturally, culturally and spiritually significant centre would attract many new tourists to Rijeka and the region (as in the case of Bilbao, Salamanca and Valencia). Thus, Rijeka would break out of the provincial restraints forced upon it by the current situation.
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Such a project would instigate and encourage a whole host of new businesses, shops and services, which would provide employment to many people.
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With such a project, from an important regional centre Rijeka would become a partner in a wider European and international context. This would improve the balance of cultural centres in Croatia (de-centralisation of cultural centres).
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Such a project would help out to disperse the cultural activities out of the capital of Croatia contributing to create the philosophy of polycentric cultural environment rather than concentrating all the cultural contents in one single point.
Why
is the port of Rijeka the best place for the building?
SIGMa
should be located in a port because for centuries ports were the
major points for going to the world. Ports have their histories and
symbolism. A port with SIGMa can add a new functional and aesthetic
dimension to the city.
AIMS:
With
such a project Rijeka would, in the name of itself and in the name of
Croatia as a whole, repay the debt to Croatian emigrants,
Croatian minorities in foreign countries, and national minorities in
Croatia. The project would gather, examine and care for the objects
of material and spiritual culture and the art,
which
our immigrants left to the world. At the same time, this would be one
of the best forms of advertising Croatia through the analysis and
presentation of the interaction of our immigrants with the people of
the countries they emigrated to. It would be a great opportunity for
education in the interest of co-existance and to develop
understanding towards national minorities in Croatia, and to
encourage the return of our immigrants. As one of the countries with
the highest rate of emigrations
we have the moral right and duty to think about such a project.
SIGMa
has to be a cultural centre gdje ce se odvijati tijekom citave godine
razlicite kulturne aktivnosti za sve interesne skupine posjetitelja
(profesionalci, studenti, turisti, lokalno stanovnistvo, mladi I
djeca) vezane uz teme migracija, manjina, multikulture, upoznavanja I
istrazivanja razlicitih
jezika I obicaja etnickih manjina I u/iseljenika u globalnim
razmjerima. Aktivnosti trebaju biti bazirane na edukaciji, na
razvijanju istrazivackog duha, na suradnji I timskom radu, na
umjetnickim programina inspiriranim temom migracija. Kulturne I
zabavne priredbe, izlozbe, koncerti, festivali I druzenja trebaju
biti otvoreni vrijednim programima sa svih strana svijeta.
SIGMa
mast provide investigation, training and studying projects combining
development of academic knowledge and contribution to capacity
building at the polici level. SIGMa must provide social capaciti
building as well. SIGMa
bi trebala usko suradjivati sa riječkim i drugim sveučilištima i
obrazovnim i znanstvenim institucijama, kako u Hrvatskoj tako i izvan
nje stvaranjem znanstvenog kadra za izučavanje pitanja migracija,
multikulturnih zajednica i ostalih fenomena suvremenih društava
vezanih uz problematiku izbjeglištva, iseljavanja i dislociranja
društvenih grupa i pojedinaca. U tu svrhu trebala bi se pri Rječkom
sveučilištu pokrenuti UNESCO katedra, ili samostalno, ili još
bolje u suradnji sa jednim od stranih sveučilišta u okviru MOSTA
ili UNITWIN programa UNESCO-a.
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From the first day of its existence SIGMa must be a school (a fountain of ideas, meeting point for students, experts and professors, a place for seminars, conferences, thesis presentations) for everyone who stops by. Let us not forget the invaluable wealth of material and spiritual riches created by world immigrants over many centuries. We need to create central databases, genealogical trees, archive studies, and we need to create a strategy for continuous monitoring of the phenomenon of migrations, its causes and effects.
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SIGMa will need a well-organised IT system which will enable it to be connected with other genealogical centres, web portals, archives, museums, institutes and universities all over the world.
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The content of education, research, and presentation, as well as the cultural and art programme and museum exhibitions need to encompass the following in a historical context: immigrants, emigrants, refugees, exiles, ethnic groups, minorities, ghettos and multicultural societies.
SIGMa
should mobilise Croatian citizens and immigrants:
This project would, without doubt, mobilise Croatian immigrants and
their associations throughout the world, especially if each
significant association gets adequate space for its own development.
This means that SIGMa would be able to count on financial help of
these associations, their co-operation in gathering material, their
lobbying and PR. At this time of cooler relations between homeland
and Diaspora,
such a project would significantly contribute towards building of
trust. SIGMa should also mobilise Croatian minorities outside
Croatia, as well as ethnic minorities within Croatia, Usuls,
Sefards
and associations of returning immigrants.
SIGMa
treba mobilizirati I suradjivati sa svim relevantnim svjetskim
sredistima izucavanja migracija I u/iseljenistva, sa muzejima
istog tipa kao I sa svjetskim
arhivima, bibliotekama I sveucilisnim centrima.
SIGMa
needs to re-vitalise the urban region of Rijeka:
An institution of this type would re-vitalise the relatively
marginalised Rijeka region because it would draw the attention of
immigrants, their descendants and foreign friends, as well as many
immigrants from other ethnic groups who were leaving their homes. It
would also be a very interesting tourist attraction – something
that should be seen and experienced. Jedna
institucija te vrste oživjela bi relativno marginalizirani prostor
Rijeke jer bi na sebe svratila znatnu pozornost iseljenika, njihovih
potomaka i prijatelja stranaca u zemljama useljenja kao i onih
mnogobrojnih namjernika iz drugih etničkih zajednica koji su
napuštali svoja ognjišta, a da i ne govorimo o tome da bi to bila
još jedna zanimljiva turistička atrakcija - nešto što treba
vidjeti I doživjeti.
Organizirane
posjete Rijeci I okolnim turistickim
I kulturnim sredistima,
kulturne I zabavne rute kao nusprodukt aktivnosti SIGMe
dodatno bi pobudili gospodasku I sucijalnu zivost citave rijecke
regije.
From
the start SIGMa should be a tourist attraction: Rijeka
is the ideal place for investigation of global migrations! The
decision on where to locate this institution in the city should be
made by Rijeka. The people of Rijeka know the most about
architecture, space, and the rhythm of their city and they are
certainly aware that their city needs to welcome the sea, and that
the sea must enter the city (as in Lisabon, Barcelona, Sydney). In
any case, we assume that the most attractive location will be chosen.
The sea must be part of the vision of SIGMa. SIGMa should be resting
on water (as for example the Sydney Opera House), it should be
anchored in the port like Titanic, washed up on the shore like a
shell, built on an artificial island like the Tower of Babel. The
building (or buildings) should be an architectural masterpiece.
Something that the world will come to see: a first-class tourist
attraction, creative composition of the old and the new. The
architectural design should be chosen though an international
competition.
SPHERES
OF INTEREST:
The
SIGMa project is based on the openness
towards the world. It does not have local character! It is not just
one of many museums/research centres, but it a unique and the only
place under the sun which from the first day:
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emits its energies and interests towards the whole phenomenon of migrations
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collaborates with the best known experts from the area of research into migrations and other relevant areas
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opens the doors to all experiences of exodus, without regard to race, religious, national or gender differences.
In
order for this to be possible, it is important to internationalise
(internationaly
relevant?) the
project from the beginning, and to offer it on the market of
international and local institutions whose motto is the care of
global valuables cultural and artistic inheritance. If Rijeka sees
itself as an example of a city of the 21st
century, and if Croatia wants to participate in destiny of the modern
and developed world, Rijeka should immediately start on this project
as a project of major national interest, with the full help of
government institutions.
Activities:
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museum
-
library
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archive, genealogical archive
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multifaceted exhibitions
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conferences, lectures, meetings
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research centre
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IT systems and support
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publishing, awards
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educational courses, scholarships
leisure
and entertainment:
SIGMa
needs to be a centre for entertainment and cultural events
(exhibitions, concerts, street theatre, sports,
tours),
as well as a place where old
friends can meet, home for emigrants
returning to the country, an attraction for the curious and children.
In SIGMa, all world travellers should feel at home.
BUILDING:
The
building should satisfy the following requirements:
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SIGMa management
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Permanent exhibition space with “halls of continents” (more or less permanent exhibits). “Halls of continents” would be committed to the collections of material and spiritual objects of Croatian emigrants on different continents.
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Multi-use exhibition space committed to exhibiting the collections of national minorities, other world migrations, multicultural societies, ghettos and other topics relevant to the annual working programme.
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Multi-use hall for various cultural events, meetings, conferences and lectures.
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Lecture theatres
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Library: Within the programme of gathering books, research material, media material on the topic of migration, SIGMa should also have its own magazine (E-magazine and WebPages). The same programme should establish an annual award (for literature and for research).
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Projection theatre with database
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Archive
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Restaurant and café-bar
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Work areas
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Marketing office
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Shop
EMPLOYEES:
Conditions:
Because of the multi-faceted character of the institution, the
employees of SIGMa should be experts from various fields (less of
museum custodians and more of well-educated researchers and cultural
workers): museum custodians, cultural events organisers, researchers,
librarians, IT personnel, media experts and managers. All employees
should be computer trained and should be fluent in two world
languages.
FINANCING:
Who will finance SIGMa?
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SIGMa should secure financial support from multiple sources at the local, national and international level.
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The city of Rijeka possesses the space to realise the project.
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The Croatian tourist sector should recognise SIGMa as an interesting and promising partner. Symbolic payment contributed by each tourist who came to see this “world wonder” would also be useful.
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Croatian Government should secure financial support for SIGMa from their funds.
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The project should seek help from UNESCO and other relevant international organisations.
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From the very beginning, SIGMa should seek partners and financial support from other countries that include the issue of migration in the cultural programmes.
COLLABORATION:
The
project must unite all relevant Croatian cultural and research
institutions, all Croatian immigrant associations, important
individuals who contributed to the world’s cultural heritage,
representatives of minorities, returning immigrants, friendship
clubs, and all influential world organisations, individuals and
institutions that deal with the same issues. The project must never
, in any way, be used for political purposes of political parties or
individuals.
How
can we implement collaboration between SIGMa and the Croatian
institutions that deal with immigration? Institute
of Immigration and Nationality, Institute Ivo
Pilar,
Croatian Archive, National and University Library,
museums, emigrant
associations, friendship associations, national minority associations
in Croatia, associations of Croatian minorities in other countries.
Depending on the programmes and aims of each of these organisations,
they should be in constant collaboration with SIGMa.
What
should be done with local and homeland collections and museums that
have collected certain body of material about emigration?
In
my opinion, local collections, private archives and homeland museums,
wherever the conditions allow it and there is an interest, should
keep their material about immigration. SIGMa should not consume
everything that was spontaneously and with a lot of care created in
the field, which belongs to individual or local communities. SIGMa
should register and process all of these, support them and with
necessary agreements publicly present them. At the same time, in case
of donations from private and homeland collections, SIGMa should
invest the necessary effort to process them thoroughy and protect
them for future generations.
What
would the future relationship between
SIGMa and the Croatian emigration
Association be? It
should be emphasised that the museum/research centre in Rijeka would
not threaten the
existence of the Croatian emigration
Association in any way. Each one of these institutions will be
developing its own profile
and programme. The Croatian emigration
Association has never been a museum, nor a centre for research of
immigration - it doesn’t need to be. SIGMa will not cover the area
of work covered
by the Croatian emigration
Association. Wherever there is a possibility of overlap, an
analytical and constructive approach should be used by both sides to
create a program of co-operation and collaboration.
Da
li osnovati društvo podupitratelja SIGMe u osnivanju? Trebalo
bi osnovati jedan NGO “društva prijatelja I podupiratelja SIGMe”
- jedno oficijalno tijelo koje bi bdjelo nad razvojem programa I
podupiralo akcije koje će se poduzimati na razini institucija države
u smislu ostvarenja I izgradnje projekta. Treba
uključiti u akciju društva prijateljstva, kulturna društva
manjina, hrvatska iseljenička društva I klubove kao I društva
povratnika registrirana u Hrvatskoj. Tu
se ne smije zanemariti uloga vaznih
nacionalnih institucija (Matica hrvatska, Hrvatska matica
iseljenika, Institut
za migracije I
narodnosti, sveučilišta, Institut
Ivo
Pilar, HAZU,
Hrvatski državni arhiv, Nacionalna I sveučilišna biblioteka,
zavičajni muzeji, DHK I
niz
drugih institucija od fundamentalnog značaja).
SIGMa
treba uskoro formirati mrežu
suradnika u mnogim središtima migracija u svijetu koji će raditi na
prikupljanju građe i tijesno medjusobno
surađivati.
U njoj će biti mjesta za sve dobrovoljce koji hoće raditi
- od strucnjaka madjunarodnog znacaja do kolekcionara, od umjetnika
do obicnih gradjana.
The
state Croatia
should welcome SIGMa from the beginning as an organisation of
national interest. With its numerous and diverse activities SIGMa
doesn’t undermine the work and the effort of other Croatian
institutions, within which there are immigration collections,
archives and other material related to immigration. With today’s
highly-developed technology of communication and information sharing,
virtual exhibitions and transfer of material enable all organisations
to protect their own interests and to collaborate with other cultural
centres in common efforts. Outside these activities, SIGMa has an
undiscovered world of Croatian immigration and its interaction with
the host communities, as well as the world of world migrations and
problems that the world has encountered for centuries. In this
context there is plenty of work for everyone.
FAZE
REALIZACIJE PROJEKTA SIGMa:
A/ upoznavanje najšireg kruga
potencijalno zainteresiranih sa idejom SIGMe
- prikupljanje mišljenja,
prijedloga, kritika
-
stvaranje adresara ljudi koji su potencijalni suradnici I
podupiratelji
-
pokretanje društva prijatelja SIGMe u osnivanju
B/ formiranje dobrovoljnog
odbora za rad na virtualnom (web) i fizičkom (Rijeka) muzeju.
C/ izrada virtualnog centra
(MHD - muzeja hrvatske dijaspore) uz pomoć pojedinaca dobrovoljaca
sa drugih svjetskih destinacija koji već rade na prikupljanju
genealoških I drugih podataka o našoj dijaspori. Pojedinci misle da
bi virtualni muzej iseljeništva trebao proizaći kao posljedica
muzeja in situ. Virtualni muzej I SIGMa ni na koji način se ne
isključuju, niti je nužno da slijed stvaranja jednoga prethodi
drugom. Dapače, posve je svejedno koji će se ostvariti prvi. I
jedan I drugi projekt trebaju biti živi organizam koji će se
neprestano napajati novim sadržajima te se nadopunjavati.
D/ kontaktiranje Vladinih
institucija, Hrvatskog sabora, iseljeničkih udruga i organizacija
radi predočavanja prijedloga i stvaranja jednog zajedničkog tijela
za izradu elaborata projekta muzeja I studiju o financiranju muzeja.
E/ natječaj za arhitektonski
projekt SIGMe jer virtualna stvarnost u ovom slučaju MORA biti
pretočena u fizički objekt (naravno da nije neophodno da to bude
Rijeka, ali razloge za moj prijedlog već sam gore obrazložila).
SIGMa
ne ce biti samo spomenik hrvatskom iseljeniku Ili svjetskim
lutalicama gonjenim zudnjom za avanturom I srecom, vec zivi svjedok
povijesnog putovanja covjecanstva u potrazi za boljitkom I za
vlastitim korijenima. Bude li to postogla, SIGMa ce dohvatiti svoj
puni smisao.
Tuga
Tarle Madrid, 13. Siječnja, 2003.
Savjetnica
za kulturu hrvatskog veleposlanstva u Madridu
