HKD Napredak ( hr, Hrvatsko kulturno društvo Napredak, meaning "Croat Cultural Society Napredak") is a cultural society of
Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina (), often referred to as Bosnian Croats () or Herzegovinian Croats () are the third most populous ethnic group in the country after Bosniaks and Serbs, and are one of the constitutive nations of Bosnia and ...
.
History
Napredak was formed as the "Croatian aid society for the needs of students in middle and higher schools from Bosnia and Herzegovina" in
Mostar
, settlement_type = City
, image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg
, image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...
and the "Croatian society for the placement of children in trades and business" in
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
, both in 1902. In 1907 the two groups united, taking on the current name. In 1922 all founding members received the certificates of the Society showing relevant symbols and images of the main buildings in different towns and cities.
Napredak's headquarters are in Sarajevo where the organization built the impressive Napredak Palace in 1913. The Napredak Palace Construction Board was formed in 1911. Its primary role was to facilitate construction, and to ensure further funding. The board members were as follows: Ante Tandarić, Anto Alaupović, Mijo Vučak, Ivan Renđec, Ljudevit Dvorniković, Nikola Krešić, Albert Draganić, Jozo Udovčić, Matej Kakarigi, Ivan Budimir, Dane Cvitković, Petar Maričić i Nikola Palandžić.
The society continued its work until 1949 when it was disbanded by
Yugoslav authorities. It was reformed in 1990 with about 20,000 members under the leadership of its president Franjo Topić. Between 1990 and 2019, Napredak organized more than 9,000 events, and awarded 2,890 stipends.
The society's original purpose was to help educate youths by offering scholarships. The society broadened its aim to include preserving the Croat culture of all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Napredak has dozens of branches all over the country as well as in Croatia.
Famous people given scholarships by Napredak
*
Ivo Andrić
Ivo Andrić ( sr-Cyrl, Иво Андрић, ; born Ivan Andrić; 9 October 1892 – 13 March 1975) was a Yugoslav novelist, poet and short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961. His writings dealt mainly with life in ...
,
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
winner in literature
*
Vladimir Prelog, Nobel Prize winner in chemistry
Presidents
*Anto Palandžić (1907)
*Tugomir Alaupović (1907–1909)
*Antun Tandarić (1909–1921)
*Aleksa Đebić (1921–1923)
*Anto Alaupović (1923–1945)
*Vlado Čaldarević (1945–1949)
*Franjo Topić (1990–2019)
*Nikola Čiča (2019–)
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Organizations established in 1907
1907 establishments in Austria-Hungary
Bosnia and Herzegovina culture
Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Culture in Sarajevo