International Conferences

Extract from the welcome brochure:

We are delighted to host you in the LEADER area of LAG Bura, in the hinterland of Zadar County on Croatia’s northern Dalmatian coast. Our LAG takes its name from the bura — the famous cold north-easterly wind that rushes down from the Velebit mountain to the Adriatic. At the Maslenica bridge in the municipality of Jasenice, some of the strongest bura gusts in the world have been recorded, at over 200 km/h. Locals will tell you the bura clears the air, dries the finest prosciutto and shapes the people: strong, direct and warm-hearted.

Our area stretches between mountain and sea, gathered around the emerald Novigrad Sea — an enclosed bay that feels more like a fjord than the open Adriatic. On its shores lies medieval Novigrad, a fishing town beneath the Fortica fortress where a Hungarian-Croatian queen was once imprisoned, and today famous for its shellfish. In neighbouring Posedarje, the bura wind cures the celebrated Posedarje pršut (prosciutto) — a taste you will not forget. Along the open coast, Ražanac guards its 16th-century tower built against Ottoman raids, while Vrsi offers sandy beaches, olive groves and the island sanctuary of Zečevo, a centuries-old pilgrimage site. Inland, Poličnik represents the agricultural heart of the Zadar hinterland, with olive oil and vineyards at the centre of village life.

To the north and east, the landscape turns dramatic. Starigrad-Paklenica sits at the entrance to Paklenica National Park, part of the UNESCO-listed Velebit biosphere reserve and one of Europe’s great climbing and hiking destinations, dotted with mirila — mysterious stone memorials unique to this region. And in Obrovac, the river Zrmanja has carved a spectacular canyon so cinematic that the classic Winnetou westerns were filmed here.

This is a region where communities are small and volunteering is a way of life — from volunteer fire brigades (a true institution in every Croatian village) and heritage associations to youth initiatives and local festivals. During the conference, excursions will take you to inspiring examples of volunteer work across our municipalities, and local food, wine, olive oil and Mediterranean hospitality will do the rest. We look forward to welcoming you in September!