Its first official event was held on 20 August in Paraná, the provincial capital, where it presented a photographic exhibition on Croatian immigration to Argentina.
Paraná, about 500 km from Buenos Aires, has a population of around 300,000. The region received large numbers of European immigrants from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, including Croats.
The new association aims to reconnect Croatian descendants across the province, whose immigration history has over the years remained scattered among families and individuals.
The association's first official event was held at the Casa Grande cultural centre in central Paraná, where it presented the exhibition "Croatian Immigration to Argentina". The event brought together descendants of Croatian immigrants, institutional representatives and members of the public interested in the community’s history.
Representatives of Croatian associations from other Argentine cities and provinces also attended to support the launch of the new organisation.
Cristian Šprljan, a specialist in Croatian migration and curator of the exhibition, gave a talk to visitors on the history of Croatian immigration to Argentina.
During the event, Šprljan also invited attendees to the ninth gathering of the Croatian diaspora in South America, to be held in Córdoba, central Argentina, from 5 to 8 November. He also presented the Register of Croats in Argentina, which remains open for registration.
Around 300,000 Croats and people of Croatian descent live in Argentina, making it the South American country with the largest Croatian diaspora, according to Croatia’s Central State Office for Croats Abroad.