42ND "SPLIT SUMMER" MANIFESTATION OPENES

SPLIT, July 15 (Hina) - The Splitsko Ljeto festival (Split Summer) was opened Sunday night. Fourty theatre plays, operas and concerts, some of them premiers, are to take place in the Split squares in the next month. Splitsko Ljeto was opened by the personal envoy of the manifestation's patron, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, Science Minister Branko Jeren. This cultural review is for the 42nd time taking place in Split, the ancient town in the Adriatic, famous for the palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The opening ceremony was closed by the hosting of six "flags of tolerance", which were sent to Split by UNESCO. "These six flags were created by artists from six countries from different parts of the world - Austria, Algeria, Chile, United States, Senegal and Vietnam. They represent tolerance and understanding among all countries and people of the world," Croatian Ambassador to the UNESCO, Vesna Girardi-Jurkic said. "I forward greetings from UNESCO as well as UNESCO's director Federic Mayor who has taken over patronage over marking the 1700th anniversary of the town of Split," Jurkic said. (hina) lm jn 151037 MET jul 96