Eighty-three years. For a man, deep old age, for a newspaper, the whole history.
In those 83 years, almost everything that characterized Dalmatia and its people stopped. Wars and peace, great victories and heavy defeats, political changes, sporting successes, cultural booms, economic ups and downs. Countries, systems, technologies and generations changed, but one thing remained the same – Slobodna Dalmacija recorded the time in which we live from day to day.
From the first issue printed in 1943 in wartime conditions under Mosor, to today’s multimedia edition that is followed daily by hundreds of thousands of readers on digital platforms, Slobodna Dalmacija has gone through a journey that few newspapers can tell.
That’s exactly why tonight’s 83rd birthday celebration wasn’t just another anniversary. It was a celebration of a newspaper that grew together with its readers, witnessed the most important moments of Dalmatian history and remained one of the most recognizable media brands in Croatia.
In the unique ambience of Villa Dalmacija, one of the most beautiful and representative residences in Split, numerous guests from political, cultural, scientific, economic and public life, long-time friends of the house, business partners, associates and this year’s laureates gathered.
The festive program was opened by the host of the evening, Edita Lučić Jelić, greeting the gathered guests and invitees and reminding them that Slobodna Dalmacija has more than eight decades of dedicated journalistic work, as well as responsibility towards readers and the community.
After her, the editor-in-chief of Slobodna Dalmacija, Sandra Lapenda Lemo, addressed the crowd, who spoke about the challenges of the journalistic profession in the age of social networks, virtual reality and false information.
– We live in a fake world where those who say how things are are not welcome. Good journalists know this very well, said Lapenda Lemo.
She reminded that it is precisely the task of journalists to expose lies, reveal the truth and call for responsibility, and emphasized the importance of professional journalism in a rapidly changing society.
– It is up to us journalists to expose the lies, to reveal the truth, to call things by their right names and to call them to account, she pointed out.
She especially emphasized that the laureates are the people who leave a lasting mark on the community with their work.
– These are true influencers, role models who may not have many followers, but they left a mark that lasts much longer than reels or stories, said the editor-in-chief.
The central part of the evening was the traditional awarding of Slobodna Dalmacija awards for annual achievements and life’s work in the fields of art, science and journalism.
The “Jure Kaštelan” award for annual achievement in art went to Vesna Bulić Baketić, the director of the Split City Museum, for her contribution to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, while the “Emanuel Vidović” lifetime achievement award went to distinguished flautist, professor and music pedagogue Ana Domančić Krstulović.
In the field of science, the annual “Krono Prijatelj” award was given to prof. Ph.D. Dragan Poljak, one of the most respected scientists of the University of Split and an internationally recognized expert in telecommunications. The “Frana Bulić” Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded posthumously to architect, scientist and professor Prof. Ph.D. Katji Marasović and prof. Ph.D. Vladimir Skračić for his exceptional contribution to the research and preservation of the cultural and island heritage of Dalmatia.
The annual journalism award “Miljenko Smoje” went to Slobodna Dalmacija journalist Sandi Vidulić for his continuous monitoring of urban planning and development in Split, while the “Joško Kulušić” lifetime achievement award went to legendary photojournalist Stanko Karaman for his decades-long contribution to Croatian photojournalism.
The award for radio journalism was awarded to the cult HRT show “Pomorska večer”, and editor Dorina Tikvicki accepted the award on behalf of the show. The award for television journalism went to one of the most famous Croatian reporters, Andrija Jarak, and the award for Influencer of the Year was given to Marin Grković, author of the “Seventh Heaven” project, while the “Heart of Dalmatia” award went to Velimir Cvitanović, commander of the tactical team of the special police, for his courage and sacrifice in saving human life.
After the official part of the program, the gathering continued in a more relaxed tone. The guests lingered in conversation and socializing, recalling the many moments they shared with Slobodna Dalmacija over the years, while the musical part of the evening was marked by Zorica Kondža, whose hits further warmed the atmosphere and rounded off the celebration of another great jubilee.
It was an evening filled with emotions, memories, pride and gratitude. An evening in which the past, but also the future of journalism was celebrated. Because 83 years is not just a number. These are thousands of newspaper pages, millions of stories told and countless moments that Slobodna Dalmacija shared with its readers.
And that’s why, despite all the changes that time brings, one thing remains the same – Slobodna Dalmacija is still the voice of Dalmatia and its people.
