"This is a proud moment not only for the citizens of Antofagasta and Chile, but also for the citizens of Croatia," Mesic said.
The city of Antofagasta has two elementary and one high school, named after Croatia and attended by a number of Croatian students.
Mesic also visited Croatia's Consulate General where he held talks with representatives of the Croat community. Later in the evening the Croatian president bestowed state decorations on prominent Croats in Chile - archeologist Vjera Zlatar and the president of the Croatian club in the city, Hrvoje Ostojic Peric.