Cortec®/EcoCortec® Help Strengthen Sister-City Ties
July 24, 2024
It was an honor for Cortec® to help tie one more knot in the sister-city connection between Beli Manastir, Croatia, and Cambridge, Minnesota, this summer! The sister-city relationship started in 2016, fulfilling the vision of Cortec® founder Boris Miksic to build relationships between the cities where two of his plants are located. No further exchanges-except for a Beli Manastir delegation to Cambridge in 2017-had taken place until this year, when plans suddenly fell into place for Cambridge students to visit Croatia under the sponsorship of Cortec® Advanced Films (Cambridge), EcoCortec® (Beli Manastir), and the city councils of the sister cities.
Time was short to gather a group of students from Cambridge to visit Croatia June 9th-17th. Fortunately, with Tim Bliss (Cortec® Advanced Films Production Manager) working as a chaperone alongside Mike McDonald (Isanti High School history teacher and basketball coach) and Mike’s wife Dayla, the program was able to quickly enlist six basketball players who had previous permissions to travel and were ready to embark on the trip of a lifetime!
From beginning to end, the Cambridge student delegation was impressed by the hospitality of the Croatians and their rich culture. In addition to visiting the mayor and touring EcoCortec®, the team went to local schools and heard more about daily life and values, “Through the Eyes of the Children,” as one presentation described it. By the time the midweek basketball game came around, the Cambridge and Beli Manastir kids had already forged strong connections and enjoyed a three-hour paintball game together in a giant vineyard.
Other highlights of the week included tours of the city of Osijek and renowned nature areas such as Kopacki Rit (one of Europe’s largest natural marshes), the breathtaking Plitvice Lakes National Park, the Adriatic Sea, Krk Island, Biserujka Cave, and the beach. It was also fun to don some red and white checked jerseys and join in the fervor of watching the Croatian football (soccer) team’s first match of the season!
The Cambridge basketball team members came away with a richer perspective of the world and a desire to connect with their new friends in the future, a goal Cortec® hopes to make possible next year when Beli Manastir students make a reciprocating trip to Minnesota! Cortec®/EcoCortec® are grateful for the hospitality of Beli Manastir and are proud to be a part of making these sister-city relationships possible!
Keywords: Cortec, EcoCortec, Cambridge MN, Beli Manastir, Croatia, sister cities, Isanti High basketball team, Cortec Advanced Films, Boris Miksic
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