{"id":72406,"date":"2021-07-19T18:34:34","date_gmt":"2021-07-19T18:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eic.hr\/about-us\/"},"modified":"2025-06-07T22:38:05","modified_gmt":"2025-06-07T22:38:05","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/eic.hr\/en\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"72406\" class=\"elementor elementor-72406 elementor-75\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider  elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-be5eca4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"be5eca4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider  elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e11468e \" data-id=\"e11468e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4e4931 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f4e4931\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.14.0 - 18-06-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<h3><strong>Welcome to Croatian Ethnic Institute!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider  elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-8c278c9 elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default\" style=\"background-color:#f4f4f4;\" data-lazy=\"https:\/\/eic.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/HF_41.jpg\" data-id=\"8c278c9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider  elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-21782ef \" data-id=\"21782ef\" data-element_type=\"column\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider  elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f91f2fd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f91f2fd\" data-element_type=\"section\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider  elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8d9a7bf \" data-id=\"8d9a7bf\" data-element_type=\"column\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eb23720 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"eb23720\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Just as the eyes are the window into the human soul, the Croatian Ethnic Institute in Chicago is also the window into the soul of Croatian emigrants. Since 1975, the mission of this central institution of Croatians in North America has been the same: to preserve the memory of past times and to be a source of inspiration for the future. When you look into the soul of Croatian emigrants, you will find many simple stories. Each reflects uniquely the dreams and sufferings, pains and hopes, successes and disappointments of our people who &#8211; searching for a better, more peaceful, and more prosperous &#8211; traveled to another part of the world.   <\/p>\n<p>Some found their place on the sunny shores of California. Others gave their youth to Ontario&#8217;s mines or Pennsylvania&#8217;s steel mills. Many went to distant Australia and New Zealand and entrusted their dreams to South America. Each of these stories contains an authentic expression of what the emigrant was: torn from his homeland, like an oak tree without roots, carried by the waves from one side to another, yet firmly rooted by stony genes in the nation from which he sprung, a people that neither time, nor history, nor swords, nor suffering has ever destroyed.<\/p>\n<p>Such people created communities. From the very beginnings of the Croatian community, there were lively places where identity was nurtured, and the Croatian name was loved. The communities then created societies, societies created activities, activities created programs, and the programs brought everything back to the beginning &#8211; to establishing one&#8217;s own identity.  <\/p>\n<p>Church, culture, education, publishing, politics, and social involvement were determinants of the Croatian people in the diaspora. The emigrants did all this, always bravely flying the banners of faith and freedom. Such a history could only lead to the realization of dreams for the liberty of the oppressed people.<\/p>\n<p>The Croatian Ethnic Institute proudly preserves the memory of this history, a memory told through the stories of individuals, organizations, and societies in the Croatian diaspora. Located in Chicago, in the monastery of Croatian Franciscans who pastorally cared for Croatians in North America for more than a century, the Institute was and remains a place of encounter, thanksgiving, prayer, and memory In the middle of the American continent, there is a small Croatian oasis, a sanctuary of our nation in which the homeland is loved with all the depth of feeling. This feeling motivates us to collect, organize and preserve the material that means life to everyone who dreams of tomorrow under the lovely tricolor of the Croatian flag.<\/p>\n<p>Our journey has lasted almost five decades, our past is full of fulfilled hopes, and our only wish for the future is to remain a place where the Croatian homeland and its people are loved, respected, and protected from ignorance.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-addc004 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-hidden-mobile elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"addc004\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.14.0 - 18-06-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"93\" src=\"https:\/\/eic.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/potpis.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-9423\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-225adcc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"225adcc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Fr. Nikola Pa\u0161ali\u0107<br \/>director of Croatian Ethnic Institute<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider  elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8c3b0b5 elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8c3b0b5\" data-element_type=\"section\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider  elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-800e782 \" data-id=\"800e782\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc246da testimonial-image elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-hidden-mobile elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"dc246da\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"854\" src=\"https:\/\/eic.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/HF_51.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-72431\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/eic.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/HF_51.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/eic.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/HF_51-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/eic.hr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/HF_51-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ad9516c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ad9516c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>&#8220;Our journey has lasted almost five decades, our past is full of fulfilled hopes, and our only wish for the future is to remain a place where the Croatian homeland and its people are loved, respected, and protected from ignorance.&#8221;<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Fr. Antonio Musa<\/b><br \/>director of Croatian Ethnic Institute<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to Croatian Ethnic Institute! Just as the eyes are the window into the human soul, the Croatian Ethnic Institute in Chicago is also the window into the soul of Croatian emigrants. Since 1975, the mission of this central institution of Croatians in North America has been the same: to preserve the memory of past [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-72406","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>About us - Croatian Ethnic Institute<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/eic.hr\/en\/about-us\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About us - Croatian Ethnic Institute\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"About us - 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