one heart, one soul, one CROATIA

The project “One heart, one soul, one CROATIA” establishes and develops a thematic network consisting of stakeholders gathered around the thematic area of Immigration as a driver of development in the Republic of Croatia. The general goal of the project is to strengthen the capacities of civil society organizations for an equal dialogue with public administration, the economic sector and scientific and educational institutions and intersectoral cooperation in the design and implementation of reforms in the field of public policies that stimulate the contribution of the Croatian emigration to socio-economic development in the Republic of Croatia. As the National Strategy for Creating a Stimulating Environment for the Development of Civil Society (2012-2016) emphasizes, civil society organizations have great opportunities to create effective social interventions to improve the socio-economic situation, given that they create and advocate programs that are the expression of the collective will of citizens. On the other hand, the creators and implementers of public policies are often at a distance in time and space from citizens, as well as the academic community whose research and scientific work rarely finds application in reality. Therefore, through this project, the development of dialogue and synergistic action of various stakeholders and sectors of society is encouraged. The project brings together the applicant and 10 partner organizations, among which are 7 civil society organizations that closely cooperate with emigration or operate in narrow areas from which many thousands of Croats have emigrated, 1 higher education institution and 2 scientific research institutes, and 13 prominent organizations of Croatian emigrants from Australia, USA, Canada, Chile, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, which joined the thematic network during the application phase of the project and submitted documentation for the partnership, which at this stage has not been realized o due to the technical impossibility of completing the documentation prescribed for partners as part of this public call, which will not prevent the participation of these organizations in the thematic network covering the thematic area of emigration. The participation of more than 50 CSOs from all over the world is expected, and given the geographical dispersion, for more efficient coordination, CSOs will be grouped on a geographical basis. According to the data of the Central State Office for Croats outside the Republic of Croatia, it is estimated that today more than 3 million Croats live in emigration around the world, and this number is rapidly approaching the number of Croats who are residents of the Republic of Croatia. The unsatisfactory level of development of the Republic of Croatia, compared to other member countries, is accompanied by unfavorable demographic trends due to mortality, which is increasingly exceeding the birth rate, as well as due to the emigration of working-age individuals and their families from Croatia. From this arises the need for quality examination and scientific research of the historical and current causes of emigration, as well as the potential of Croatian emigration for the initiation of the economic and demographic renewal of the Republic of Croatia through the promotion of Croatia in the world, participation in socio-political life in the Republic of Croatia while transferring good practices from developed emigration areas, entrepreneurial activities, investments in traditional activities and innovations, and return and immigration. Reforms and development of public policy towards Croats in the diaspora are key to reversing bad trends, fulfilling the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy and starting prosperity in the Republic of Croatia. The project contributes to the realization of the future goals of the Strategy on relations between the Republic of Croatia and Croats outside the Republic of Croatia: establishing a new legislative and institutional framework, protecting the rights and interests of Croats outside the Republic of Croatia and strengthening their communities, developing cooperation with Croats outside the Republic of Croatia, encouraging return Croatian emigrants and the immigration of their descendants. As part of the project, activities are carried out to strengthen mutual partnership and coordinated action of CSOs in the country and abroad, and to strengthen the capacity of CSOs for dialogue and intersectoral cooperation. In addition, public opinion polls and three scientific studies are conducted with the following topics: The social and lobbying potential of Croatian emigrant communities and associations with regard to their historical and cultural heritage and status in the countries of emigration, Contemporary motivational cycles of migrating young people in Croatia in the context of general migration processes in Croatia – empirical analysis, Promotion of the economic interests and cultural identity of the Republic of Croatia in the world through the networking of Croatian emigrant communities and associations. CSOs will actively participate in research through conducting surveys and focus groups around the world. Based on scientific findings the participants of the thematic network will take part in the development of guidelines for the development of public policies whose socio-economic effect in the Republic of Croatia will be analyzed and presented to the general public in the Republic of Croatia and in the diaspora. During the implementation, activities to strengthen and harmonize cooperation will be carried out through coordination meetings, round tables, conferences, trainings and the use of information and communication platforms that will be adapted to the communication of participants of the thematic network from all over the world.