Melbourne community farewells Croatian Consul
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) has held a farewell reception for Antun Babic, Consul General for Croatia at the Jewish Holocaust Centre.
Nina Bassat AM, President JCCV; Anton Babic, Croation Consul General; David Southwick MP, Member for Caulfield; John Searle, Past-President JCCV; Janja Ninic Babic, wife of the Consul General; Pauline Rockman OAM, President Jewish Holocaust Centre; Warren Fineberg, Executive Director Jewish Holocaust Centre
Thirty leaders from the Croatian community toured the Jewish Holocaust Centre then attended a farewell reception for the Consul General.
Nina Bassat, President of the JCCV said that, “Antun Babic was responsible for helping to create a strong and close relationship between the Croation and Jewish communities in Victoria during his tenure as Consul General. We aim for this special friendship to continue into the future.”
“Learning to understand each other is a vital aspect of our multicultural community. What brings light to the darkness both communities have lived through is the simple things; it is getting to know each other and one-on-one acts of kindness.”
Other speakers to thank Mr Babic included John Searle, Past-President of the JCCV and David Southwick, Member for Caulfield who represented the Minister for Multicultural
Nina Bassat and Antun Babic
Affairs on the evening.
Mr Babic said that he was deeply moved by the tour of the Jewish Holocaust Centre and said, “Jews and Croats in Australia now better understand each other, know their community values and the histories of their nations.”
He also said, “Israel is a beacon of freedom and democracy in a volatile region, a strong state with the most start up companies in the world and a people known for their talent and commitment to faith.”
A large delegation of Croatian and Jewish community leaders attended JCCV’s May Plenum.
