FESTIVAL OF CROATIAN CULTURE IN SLOVAKIA

( Editorial: --> 2864 ) BRATISLAVA, June 22 (Hina) - The 10th traditional Festival of Croatian Culture was held in Devinska Nova Ves near Bratislava on Sunday. Participants included Croatian cultural and artistic associations from four Slovak areas where Croats live - Devinska Nova Ves, Jarovac, Cunova and Hrvatski Grob, as well as guests, including cultural and artistic associations from Croatia, Hungary and Burgenland in Austria. As part of the festival there was also a retrospective exhibition, which through pictures and words showed a cross-section of the 10- year tradition of the Croatian festival of culture. The jubilee publication of Viliam Pokorny was also released under the title of "Festival chorvatskej kultury" (Festival of Croatian Culture), sponsored by the Croatian Cultural Alliance in Slovakia (CHKZ) and the Slovak Culture Ministry. According to a statement by CHKZ president Juraj Cvecak, this year's festival was the pinnacle of activities of the Croatian minority in Slovakia, which has been fostering its language and culture for the past 500 years. (hina) jn bag/ha 221505 MET jun 98