Croatia in 30 Stories

This book will offer you a unique insight into Croatia, the character traits of its people and their way of life. You will learn many anecdotes about Croatia's islands, its exuberant nature of sporting exploits, traditions and innovations. You will discover the history and present of this booming country on the Mediterranean shores of Central Europe. You may be surprised to learn why Croatian cafes are so busy; why the Swedes kept their children in line with scary stories about the Croats; why the Croats are the world record holders in organ donation; how they were the first in Europe to benefit from public electric lighting; why Croatia was one of the first countries of Catholic heritage to recognize Islam as a traditional religion.About the authors Božo Skoko  is a full professor of strategic communication at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Zagreb and a guest lecturer of public diplomacy at Edward Bernays University of Applied Sciences, as well as a publicist and communication expert. He is the co-founder of Millenium promocija (MPR), one of the leading and oldest communication management agencies in Croatia. He is a former journalist and editor with Croatian Radio and Television. He is the author of eight books, including the bestsellers Understanding Croatia (2018) and Croatian Greats (2014). He was born in Ljubuški in 1976. Zvonimir Frka-Petešić  is a career diplomat who has served, since 2017, as Chief of Staff to Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. He served in Paris, then in Brussels during the negotiations for Croatia's accession to the European Union and was ambassador to Morocco. He was Head of the Directorate for Support to the Accession Process of Croatia to the EU, at the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. He was also Head of the Department of Public Diplomacy and the editor of several publications on Croatia and its European journey, including Croatia, the land and its people (Institute of Lexicography, 2013, 2020). He has organized numerous international exhibitions and events dedicated to Croatian cultural and natural heritage. He was born in Paris in 1969. Vedran Klemens  is a freelance artist, graphic designer, and illustrator. He graduated in Visual Communications at the School of Design at the Faculty of Architecture and Painting of the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb. He worked as a graphic designer and then as an art director in the advertising agency Gray Worldwide Zagreb, and since 2014 has been devoting himself to an independent career. He designed illustrations and campaigns for Croatian and international corporations such as Google, Coca-Cola and Stella Artois, as well as illustrated book covers. He won numerous awards for his agency and independent work, including the Red Dot Design Award. He was born in Sarajevo in 1978.