The Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that it recently entered into a contribution agreement with the Central State Office of Croats Abroad pursuant to which the Government of the Republic of Croatia granted financial support towards the construction in downtown Ottawa of the Memorial to Victims of Communism – Canada, a Land of Refuge. The contribution, in the amount of HRK 125,000 (C$25,000), was approved by the Government of the Republic of Croatia during its 108th Session held on July 26, 2018.
Established in 2008, Tribute to Liberty (Memorial To The Victims of Communism : : Tribute To Liberty) is a Canadian charity that was formed with the support of Canadian officials, members of local affected ethnic communities, and foreign diplomats to Canada with the purpose of building a memorial to commemorate victims of communist regimes and raising national and international awareness. The Croatian community in Canada is a strong supporter of the Memorial, having thus far donated over C$100,000, thereby ensuring that the “Croatian Parishes and Community of Canada” name, among others, would be recognized on the Memorial, which is scheduled to be unveiled in early 2019.
Apart from commemorating all victims of communism, and in particular Croatian victims and their families, the support from the Government of the Republic of Croatia is an expression of gratitude to Canada, which opened its doors to Croatian victims, providing not only shelter but the opportunity for such victims to foster their Croatian identity, language, culture and ties with their Homeland, and to the Croatian community in Canada, which selflessly contributed to the struggle for independence, and in the defense, of the Republic of Croatia.
The Memorial was conceived with the intention of causing its visitors to contemplate the sensitive and complex issues faced through the historical struggle of the victims and preserving such history so that future generations could learn from it and safeguard a life founded on fundamental rights, freedoms, and democracy.
