Free Croatian course reconnects South Americans with roots

Branka Bezić Filipović and Nena Milardović (Photo: Supplied)

For the ninth consecutive year, the online Croatian language course for South American Croatians has commenced at the Aspira University of Applied Sciences in Split.

This initiative dates back to 2016 when it was launched following a suggestion by Branka Bezić Filipović, who had just returned from a South American-Croatian gathering in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.

There, Croatian immigrants and their descendants expressed various needs and ideas for strengthening ties with their homeland.

While many of these ideas were taken up by the government, two specific proposals were implemented through local efforts.

Bezić Filipović reached out to Aspira for support, and Dean Alen Jerkunica quickly offered logistical assistance. The first proposal led to the establishment of a Virtual Museum of Croatian Emigration, now available on Aspira’s website, while the second proposal involved an online Croatian language course, offered free of charge to participants.

The County of Split-Dalmatia covered the costs of the teaching staff, Aspira provided technical support, and Bezić Filipović recruited participants.

This initiative was pioneering—Croatia’s first such language course of its kind—launched at a time when many doubted it was even technically feasible.

(Photo: Supplied)

The project’s success is evidenced by the 614 enrollees this year alone. Additional support has come from the podcast Bar Croata in Rosario, Argentina, and the American-Croatian Congress in Los Angeles.

The enrolled participants come from twelve South American countries, including Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, and Costa Rica.

Due to high demand, enrollment lasted just one week. At the opening ceremony, Branka Bezić Filipović welcomed the students, thanking them for their dedication to discovering their roots through language. “Language is not just a collection of words and phrases; it is culture and history,” she emphasized, adding that each new phrase brings participants closer to Croatia.

The course, which will last five weeks, will be led by Professor Nena Milardović, well-known for her work with Croatian communities in Argentina. In 2006, through the “Hola” program, Professor Milardović taught Croatian in Rosario, leaving a lasting impact, and she is still fondly remembered by the community there.

Sandra Kovačević, Nena Milardović and Branka Bezić Filipović (Photo: Supplied)

The course’s organizers hope to continue offering similar programs in the future, helping descendants of Croatian immigrants connect with the ancestral homeland of their forebears and enriching them with the heritage of language and culture.