Domovina Birthright Program

The Domovina Birthright Program is an unforgettable experience for young adults of Croatian descent between the ages of 18 – 30 who want to learn about their Croatian heritage, explore the beauty and excitement of Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults.

Join us for a once in a lifetime experience in Croatia.

APPLY NOW

Why Join

Domovina’s founders created this program to send young Croatian adults from all over the world to Croatia as a gift in order to develop the importance of a birthright trip among Croatian youth.
Travel throughout the country, explore sites of historic, cultural, and religious significance, hike and take in Croatia’s immense beauty.
Meet Croatian peers who will immerse you in popular culture, teach you local traditions, and possibly become lifelong friends.

Itinerary

While the details of the itinerary are being finalized (and will be shared as soon as it is available), the program will begin in Dubrovnik and end in Zagreb. Other sites of interest will include cities (such as Split, Varazdin, Vukovar, Knin, Skabrnja, Virovitica, to name just a few), national parks, islands, castles, museums, and myriad other places of historic and cultural significance.

Scholarships

Limited financial support is available. The application packet includes the scholarship information. 

If, however, you would like to support our scholarship initiatives, you can do so by giving to ACAP Foundation. Dontations to ACAP Foundation (501c3) are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

"Domovina was the first time in my life I had the means to travel to Croatia - I had some money saved up and could take time off work. Prior to the trip, my whole life was spent in Pittsburgh surrounded by our strong and rich Croatian community, so I had a good idea of what to expect from the pictures and stories of others. I knew it was going to be good, but the reality far outdid my daydreams. I did not know how Croatian I really was until being there. Distance didn’t matter. Everything was clear to me now. We are the same; the ways we express that we care about each other, our sense of humor, our work ethic, our food. On Day 1 we felt like best friends; Day 2 to the end it felt like family. Every day I’d wake up and think, this is one of the best days of my life. And then I got to wake up and do it again 15 more times.”
K.G.
K.G.Domovina Participant
More than just a tour of Croatia's natural and cultural splendor, the Domovina Birthright Program allowed me to make personal connections with Croatians - at home and abroad - that will last a lifetime. Simultaneously, I felt a torch was passed, from the past, firmly into the present. I feel immensely grateful for the Domovina Birthright Program, as in this experience, a Croatian was born.”
V.J.
V.J.Domovina participant
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FAQ

The trip includes hotel accommodations, transportation, at least three meals per day, and other associated land costs (such as admission to sites) for the 14-day trip to Croatia. The Croatian government will partially fund the program. Each participant will be asked to pay a share of the cost. This year’s cost is $1000.

Airfare to Croatia, gratuities, personal purchases, and travel/medical insurance are not included.

It’s easy! Complete the online application by clicking on the APPLY NOW button at the top of this page. Eligible candidates will be contacted for a telephon interview.

The Domovina project is open to all Croatian young adults, ages 18 to 30 who have not lived in Croatia past the age of 12. Eligible individuals are those who identify as Croatian and have at least one Croatian birth grandparent.
All participants must be between 18 and 30 and have finished high school by the time their trip departs.
Details on the meeting location will be provided to participants accepted into the program.

You will be part of a group of at least 25 participants and five Croatian staff members. In addition, two bus drivers are a part of the team, too!

Though this is an educational program, you won’t be sitting in a chair in a lecture hall. Your trip will include touring, hiking, discussions, social events, and much more. The trip will include the following components:

Narratives of the Croatian People
We visit key landmarks of historical, national, archaeological, and natural significance that reflect Croatian history and the roots of the Croatian people.

Contemporary Croatia
We explore Croatia’s arts, culture, science and technology, environmental initiatives, and social discourse for an unmediated and responsible experience of the country through its achievements as well as challenges.

Ideas and Values of the Croatian People
We examine core values that have been part of Croatian life throughout the ages.

Participants will be expected to participate in extensive touring of the country, which may include walking long distances, climbing, hiking, swimming, and other strenuous activities. The program is very demanding, requiring participation in an average of 15 hours of programming daily, often including physically strenuous activities. All participants should be able to fully participate in the demanding itinerary including early wake-ups and late nights.

Meeting and connecting with your peers is a big part of the Domovina experience. As such, you will be living in a communal environment. You will sleep in a dormitory or share living quarters with many other people and eat in communal dining facilities. You will share transportation (a tour bus) with up to 35 other people.

A doctor is always available and on call, as are local hospitals. In extreme situations, participants will be transferred to another city for specialized medical treatment when necessary and, where indicated, will later be returned to the country of origin for further treatment. You are responsible for having personal medical insurance coverage, which should be valid in Croatia throughout the period covered by the trip. (If you do not have medical insurance and are purchasing travel/medical insurance for the sole purpose of this trip, you may want to consider supplementary coverage for continuation of treatment/care in your home country if required when you return home.)

Yes you can. What you do before and after the program is up to you. And your parents!

Drinking alcohol is permitted only under certain conditions. In order to ensure the safety of all participants and staff, we strictly enforce our alcohol policy.

Absolutely! When it comes to security, we all know that Croatia is often in the news as one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world. And very safe. However, we will take additional precautions to ensure participant safety. We do not hesitate to make any and all changes to our itineraries as needed.

No. Domovina is a supervised program where you travel together as a group. All trips are accompanied by a tour educator and four staff members.

Yes. While trips are running, Domovina operates an information line that is available weekdays, 9 am to 5 pm CET. After office hours, we have an emergency answering service to ensure that you can be reached if needed. We are always available via email at domovina@hrvatiizvanrh.hr and we will also provide you and your family with additional contact information. Additionally, you may choose, as many participants do, to bring your own phone with an international calling and data plan.

If you still have questions that we haven’t answered, or any of the above isn’t clear, all you need to do is ask. Learn more here or just email us at domovina@croampro.com or domovina@hrvatiizvanrh.hr and we will be glad to help.

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