Here is the report of our activities since the last NEWSLETTER No 1. Issued on June 2002. Inside newsletter you will find we have also in plan some exciting events and many interesting news.
NEWSLETTER No
2.
From Nino SYDNEY, President
18 Sep 2002
First
welcome to our new members:
Marko, Ana ( and Natalie ) ZABEK
Dieter BECK (Erika’s husband)
Ante PEROS
Peter BRICHTA and Maya SYDNEY – BRICHTA
Dubravka SKELTON
NEW DEAL, NEW
INITIATIVE
In memo of April 2002 to members of our committee I have proposed NEW DEAL for AMAC Sydney.
In the Newsletter No 1 I mentioned new INITIATIVE and program. I am pleased to report that we have achieved everything we planned to do. Let me apologize if, to achieve results, I stepped on somebody’s toes.
Briefly: We reduced paperwork, changed our Internet address to amacsydney@hotmail.com (free of charge), most of our money now receives interest of about 3.6% instead of nothing. At every function our membership is increasing. If we remain active this trend should continue.
Our members have attended, in good numbers, activities
organised by others: Celebrations of the National Day of Croatia at the State
Parliament and at the “Jadran Hajduk” Croatian Club as well as Croatian Food Festival.
AMAC’s Dinners with Speakers.
As planned we held the first two.
On July 27 subject was “ Past and
future of Croatian Community in Sydney “,
constructive comments by our young and beautiful Natalie ZABEK. Natalie is a second generation Croatian
Australian. She raised several important items concerning young people.
On August 31 subject was “ Paintings “. The speaker was well known painter Mrs. Erika BECK. Erika was born in Zagreb. Very well presented subject. Erika made several trips to the outback, to the heart of Australia, for inspiration, sketching and painting. This experience is visible in her paintings. Erika has said: “ Although I like my paintings to be representative of the reality, I always look for expression of my particular feeling on that day”. From left to Right: Erika, Nino and Lovorka Sucic
For more photographs please visit our web page www.members.optusnet.com.au/amacsydney
We like to thank both speakers. We are very happy with those evenings in every respect. Interesting subjects, well presented, friendly discussion. Our numbers are increasing. It was pleasant to meet lot of friends while enjoying good food, for which “Dalmacija” club is well known.
We had good publicity. AMAC’s president was interviewed at length before each talk on SBS radio. Due to a good effort by our Zinka CIKO both Sydney Croatian newspapers had announcements about it.
Upcoming Events !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next
2 dinners will be as scheduled. On the last Saturdays in September and October.
However from the details below you
will see we have switched the speakers.
Talk No 3. Saturday 28 September 2002 at 8.30 pm!
Very
special speaker: Croatian Ambassador Dr. Mladen IBLER.
Subject
is “ Frankopans “. A few years ago
Dr. Ibler was the Croatian Ambassador in Sweden. In the old Swedish
archives he discovered facts from XV century about connection between Swedish King
and Croatian noble family Frankopans. Verrry interesting !
Talk No 4. Saturday, 26
October 2002 at 8 pm.
The
speaker is the well known personality our Super chef
Dennis VALCICH.
Subject
is “Croatian Food“. Dennis should soon
return from Dalmatia. He may have some new specialities to talk about. Dennis is an expert on this subject.
Our standard arrangements for Dinners with Speakers are:
Where : “ Dalmacija ” Croatian Club, 16
Myoora Road, Terrey Hills.
What time : Members and friends gather at about 7 pm. If you want to have a dinner it is advisable to order before 7pm.
Please note that on Sat 28 Sep the official program is scheduled to 30 minutes later than usual: 8.30pm. Introduction, then speech for about 30 minutes, followed by questions and discussion. Naturally people can stay and chat longer.
Talk and discussion will be in English. At the last dinner about 20% of people present could not speak Croatian. We welcome your family members (including children) and friends who do not understand Croatian. We welcome all people of good will. If there is a demand for a similar talk in Croatian, we will seriously consider any request.
Cost to attend talks for members of AMAC is free. For other people it is also free, but donations are welcomed.
Opportunity for non-members (membership fee this year is $5) to join our Association.
At this stage it looks like that we will not have AMAC’s big elegant party, which was suggested for November.
MEMBERSHIP and
Odd News
Marija JAKUSIC, member of our Committee, had a serious heart by-pass operation. I am pleased to report, that she has recovered well and she attended our last dinner.
Mila DOMINIS has had a serious health problem. We wish her all the best.
This time of the year many of our members travel overseas and include a visit to the “old country” Croatia.
Recently Voichy and Neira von SOMOGY, Sen and Porlinn PERIC and Ljiljana KOSUTIC returned. We hear that Anna KUMARICH was very well received in Croatia as a poet. Anna and Ante GLAVOR are well known for creating and reciting poems in Croatian and English.
Stjepko and Blazenka DOBROVIC have been on their annual holidays on Jelsa, Hvar.
Dr. Konstantin and Dr. Ljubica BOSNIC are also visiting the old country. We were happy to see them at our last function, when they rejoined our association. Braco JAKUSIC is going soon. That means his wife Marija is really well. Nandy and Lovorka SUCIC plan to go to see the northern part of Australia.
Nino and Vera SYDNEY visited St. Marks’ Church. But not in Zagreb !!??
The original is my favourite building in Zagreb. For historical reasons, it’s location and very special roof, but also for personal reasons as Nino’s parents and later brother got married there. Since early this year there is a replica (I think twelve times smaller) in Canberra in “Cockington Green”! Very well made and presented. Thanks to the Croatian Embassy for providing extensive details and pushing the issue. Worth visiting!
Recently in Hobart, Nino took part in Australian Masters Squash Championships and won the bronze.
Niksa and Zinka CIKO have a new grandchild. Their daughter Vjera and husband Krispin ARNALL are proud parents of Maja. Their first child James is about two. Perfect combination. All the best!
Niksa is busy producing his own babies: beautiful sculptures. Recently in the City of Sydney there
was an important exhibition featuring some 90 sculptors and more than 200 sculptures. Our Niksa was represented with 4 works. His work “ Thinking On The Throne “ (in homage to Rodin) was probably the largest and the most impressive exhibit of them all. To his popular lady Elmina, Niksa added a partner Elmin. All in a bronze. Niksa says he has always liked “forms”. His “Mother” and “Mother and Child” are lovely to look and touch. Great work Niksa!
Mrs. Tania RIVIER (Silvio’s mother) is still busy. On Saturday nights after 6.30 pm she plays piano and entertains guests at dinner at The Kirribilli Club, 11 Harbourview Cres, Lavender Bay (T 8925-0223). We have always enjoyed, when Tania entertained us and we are grateful to her for it. I hear, the food at the Club is good and the view is even better. Good opportunity for one of your next dinners!
On September 15 Strathfield Symphony Orchestra gave a concert. The soloist was the young and obviously very talented violinist Thomas TALMACS. For 30 minutes he played the Violin Concert No. 5 in A Major by Mozart and received great applause. His mother is Natasha of SBS fame. I hope we will hear Thomas playing at AMAC’s functions too. We wish him all the best in the future.
On Sep 21 Vanja LALIC plays with the Balmain Sinfonia at the Concert Party. I am afraid this notification may be too late. Info: 9810-5080.
Marija KOSOVIC, well known as a poet is an actress too. She has been playing the leading role of Kate in a new play “Devil’s Dreams” (“ Vraske sanjarije “). Luka BUDAK plays the role of Grga.
I heard, that they performed with a great success in several Croatian clubs here, on the Gold Coast and Brisbane. I hope they will repeat their performances here again so that I could inform our members at the right time.
Our new members Peter BRICHTA and Maya SYDNEY – BRICHTA recently spent a week at Perisher Ski Resort. The snow and weather were the best in years. They were part of a 12 member family group, which included 3 generations.
News from the University of
Zagreb.
I received letters with great news from the recently elected new Chancellor of University of Zagreb, Prof. Dr. Helena Jasna MENCER. Prof. MENCER has appointed a new committee to revitalize and co-ordinate AMAC activities. Prof. MENCER is likely to visit Sydney in April 2003 !
A question for our readers: How should people of Croatia be called : CROATS or CROATIANS ?
I wish all of you GOOD HEALTH ! See you at our dinners ! Your suggestions are welcome!
Yours Nino
Contact
Us!
WEB page. Our secretary Nikola KORECKI pleasantly surprised us by producing our own WEB page. From anywhere in the world you can reach it. Our Newsletters and coloured photos will be on the web. Visit www.members.optusnet.com.au/amacsydney
AMAC SYDNEY’s web
address: www.members.optusnet.com.au/amacsydney
AMAC SYDNEY’s email
address: amacsydney@hotmail.com
Postal address: 7 Noonbinna Cr. NORTHBRIDGE NSW 2063, Australia
President’s email address:
nino@optusnet.com.au
Telephone / fax: 61 2 9958 – 3838