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Croats in the World CAA ACTIVE SINCE 1953 Croatian intellectuals gathered at the academy tried to cooperate with scientists in Croatia during the 1960's, in spite of the Communist regime It is a well-known fact that Croatian emigrants in the United States are one of the best-organized and most active ethnic communities. Besides a number of sports, cultural and political societies on the list of their organization, the Croatian community can take pride in the Croatian Academy of America the CAA. The CAA is an American scientific and educational institution active on the territory of Northern America, founded in 1953 at the initiative of Clement Mihanovic. The 45th regular CAA assembly was held in late May, when Vedran Nazor was elected its new president. The assembly gathered the leading Croatian intellectuals of the Croatian community in the U. S. The program for the next year was endorsed, especially the plans to print a new issue of the Journal of Croatian Studies. This is a CAA publication, published by its members regularly since 1960, which is the only scientific journal published in English outside of Croatia, with exclusively Croatian topics. The first issue of the journal, edited by former CAA president Karlo Mirth and the famous historian Jere Jareb, was exceptionally well-received in American scientific circles. Therefore, all better universities and libraries became regular subscribers to the journal. Croatian intellectuals gathered at the CAA tried to cooperate with scientists in Croatia during the 1960's, in spite of the Communist regime. The main incentive for the connection of emigrant and homeland intellectuals was given by Dr. Franjo Tudman, who visited the U. S. in 1966 in his capacity as director of the Institute of Labor Movement History. He then met with the leaders of the CAA: Karlo Mirth, Jere Jareb and Mato Meštrovic, among others. On that occasion, they agreed to establish close cooperation, but it was soon hindered when Dr. Tudman was arrested and imprisoned. The CAA, founded by 17 people, today gathers 274 members. The new board added a number of new initiatives that would connect the emigrant community with the Croatian homeland to its list of most important objectives. (Jadranka Jureško-Kero, Slobodna Dalmacija) Back to News, Events & Press Releases
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