Cornerstones of Croatian history and identity will once again be united on May 6 in the heroic town of Vukovar. The twin towns, symbols of resistance, together revive history by looking to the future.

The 300-year-old torchbearer of Croatian endurance leaves its home, the Alka racecourse in Sinj, for the 4^th time; on this occasion not as a result of a forced centralized political decision, but respecting the will of those which it belongs to – the Croatian people. Alka is a symbol of their victory and unity and one cannot think of a better place for this outstanding celebration than Vukovar, the heroic town which bravely defied the enemy at the hardest moments and stubbornly defended the homeland. Relentless faith and strength of spirit has kept this gem of Danube strong even until today, when the South and East of Croatia, 1715 and 1991, will symbolically unite.

The residents of both Sinj and Vukovar are eagerly awaiting this glorious Alka. The preparations in Vukovar have been going on for some time now and the Alka itself will be held at Županijska Street, spanning from the Vukovar Municipal Museum to the courthouse building. A stand with 4047 seats will be put up for the occasion. Between 11 and 17 riders who participated in last year’s Alka in Sinj will be participating in this one. The final decision regarding the number of participants will be made by duke Ante Vučić who pointed out that the Alka in Vukovar is dedicated to all those who defended the town from the Greater-Serbian aggression, died for the cause, and for those Croatian veterans and civilians who are still missing from the Croatian war of Independence.

The winner of the Alka of Sinj will receive acknowledgements and a gift from the sponsor, the President of the Republic of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović. The mayor of Vukovar will present him with a ducat specially made for the occasion; a recognizable symbol of Slavonian tradition and the keeper of cultural heritage. An identical ducat, only smaller in size, will be given to the Alka winner’s squire.

The town authorities are preparing a rich cultural program, while the fact that there are no more available accommodations in Vukovar speaks to the level of interest for this manifestation.

The town of Sinj is also preparing gifts for their hosts: a concert by the Klapa Sinj and Sinj Town Brass Band, as well as performances by the Sinj majorettes. The Vukovar residents will be presented with a rich gastronomical an oenological offer of the Cetinska krajina region. They will also experience Sinj’s uštipci (donuts) and the tastiest specialty of Sinj cuisine: arambaši, carefully prepared with love by the students and teachers of Ban Josip Jelačić Trade School alongside famous Sinj establishments: the Alkar hotel, restaurants Dubrovnik, Ispod ure and Vila Rustika. A good meal should be accompanied by quality wine; the original Sinj’s hrvaština and maraština will be provided by Mladen Mažurin from the Mažurin family farm.

We are happy and proud to be able to witness this historical moment and we look forward to the glorious Alka of Sinj in the Town which “eternally stands proud like its people…”