{"id":18010,"date":"2026-01-27T13:28:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T12:28:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitslavoniabaranja.com\/vidi-i-dozivi\/tko-su-i-kakvi-su-vasi-domacini-osjecani-kao-i-njihov-grad-znaju-kako-balansirati\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T13:57:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T12:57:01","slug":"tko-su-i-kakvi-su-vasi-domacini-osjecani-kao-i-njihov-grad-znaju-kako-balansirati","status":"publish","type":"vidi-i-dozivi","link":"https:\/\/visitslavoniabaranja.com\/en\/vidi-i-dozivi\/tko-su-i-kakvi-su-vasi-domacini-osjecani-kao-i-njihov-grad-znaju-kako-balansirati\/","title":{"rendered":"WHO ARE YOUR HOSTS REALLY? The people of Osijek, much like their city, have mastered the art of balance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ana Kurtovi\u0107, Helena Sabli\u0107-Tomi\u0107 and Kre\u0161imir Lackovi\u0107 share what makes Osijek \u2013 and Osijek\u2019s people \u2013 who they are<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a psychologist, I always carry a bit of d\u00e9formation professionnelle in my back pocket. But when it comes to Osijek (and Osijek\u2019s people), that becomes a bit tricky. It\u2019s hard to stay objective about a city that\u2019s not just a point on the map, but an emotional space I\u2019m immersed in\u201d, reflects Professor Ana Kurtovi\u0107 of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek, when asked to help us describe the kind of hosts Osijek\u2019s visitors can expect to find here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Professor Kurtovi\u0107, the people of Osijek largely draw their character from the city they live in. So what is Osijek really like, and what are its people like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At a serious advantage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d say Osijek has the rare combination of calm and vibrancy, like the person who\u2019s found perfect balance through therapy. With its 22 parks and the river Drava whispering that we should go with the flow, this city seems to have invented mindfulness long before it became a trend. Psychological research has long shown that spending time in nature, near water and greenery, can help reduce stress, increase connection, and stimulate creativity. If that\u2019s true (and it is), then Osijek has a serious advantage. And so do the people of Osijek!\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a university city, Osijek beats the constant pulse of youth. \u201cStudents are like spontaneous daily wake-up calls \u2013 they remind us that energy, curiosity, and ambition aren\u2019t privileges of the young, but choices of anyone willing to keep learning. I work with them daily, and I can confirm: they are the city in motion and its rhythm, its psychological vitality, and, for me personally, a great inspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her words, Osijek isn\u2019t a metropolis that grinds you down, but a space that lets you breathe. \u201cA city with enough quiet to hear your own thoughts, but enough life that you never get bored. And if you ever need a bit more stimulation, you don\u2019t have to look far. Summer concerts along the Drava, urban festivals, art, and culinary events will wake even the sleepiest among us. In short, Osijek\u2019s people (just like their city) know how to find balance \u2013 between calm and rhythm, reflection and good fun. And that\u2019s no small feat, not for a human nor a city,\u201d she concludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Culture in motion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Academic Helena Sabli\u0107-Tomi\u0107, Dean of the Academy of Arts and Culture in Osijek, notes that the people of Osijek have always gravitated toward cultural content that steps beyond the mainstream. \u201cIn the last decade, I\u2019ve noticed a strong rise of independent organisations and alternative art emerging from our urban landscape. Osijek\u2019s neighbourhoods are turning into stages for events, and young artists are breathing new life into forgotten spaces. The independent scene keeps growing, stepping out of traditional venues and into the community, into clubs, onto the streets, creating new culture enthusiasts. It\u2019s wonderful to see the city come alive during any cultural event that brings people out to the promenade, the Old Fortress (Tvr\u0111a), the Park of Culture, the Urania Cinema, the Cultural Centre, or the park near the \u0160koljka<\/em> installation,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her view, Osijek\u2019s people are \u201cculture in motion\u201d \u2013 they walk proudly through the city\u2019s open-air stage, enjoying street art, performances, and concerts. \u201cOsijek also nurtures a culture of living, so every event here becomes a fusion of art and the art of life, making Osijek truly a human-scale city<\/em>,\u201d she concludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Passion in the stands<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That \u201cin-motion\u201d energy, of course, applies to sport, says Dr. Kre\u0161imir Lackovi\u0107, sports journalist at Glas Slavonije<\/em> and Assistant Professor at the Sjever University. \u201cPeople love to swim and row on the Drava, run, walk, and cycle along the ever-stretching promenade. They keep building their muscles in the city gyms. In recent years, we\u2019ve been sending a new image to the media and social networks, and instead of be\u0107ari<\/em> and sna\u0161e<\/em>, we are now represented by the sculpted legice<\/em> and lege<\/em> of the Kopika<\/em> beach,\u201d he says with a laugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He reminds us that Osijek has produced Nobel laureates, an Oscar winner, and a World Cup Golden Boot winner, \u201ca combination unique in the world. Science, culture, and sport are part of our identity. The University, the Theatre and\u2026? Opus Arena!<\/em> The most modern and beautiful stadium in Croatia has become a tourist attraction in its own right. The Gradski vrt sports hall has hosted numerous world and Olympic champions, especially during the annual Gymnastics World Cup,\u201d he notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Lackovi\u0107, you can best feel the soul and pulse of Osijek \u2013 and its people \u2013 at sporting events. \u201cIn the stands, even the calmest locals are moved with an immense passion. There\u2019s a special emotion when the Croatian national team plays here, especially the Vatreni<\/em>. It\u2019s love and pride, infused with defiance,\u201d he drives the point straight into the net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Linguistic treasures<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This magazine\u2019s Croatian language editor, Prof. Ana Miki\u0107 \u010coli\u0107, co-authored (with Mirjam Milas and Lorna Rajle) the book Osje\u010dki gradski govor \u2012 Jezi\u010dne dumine Osje\u010dana (Osijek Urban Dialect – Language Curiosities of Osijek\u2019s Citizens). The text combines academic research with a popular-science approach, making it a kind of Osijek-themed keepsake. Since locals use this city dialect in everyday informal situations, pick up a few words from the book and you\u2019ll understand them better and fall for Osijek even faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Written by: Ivana Rab Gulja\u0161<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ana Kurtovi\u0107, Helena Sabli\u0107-Tomi\u0107 and Kre\u0161imir Lackovi\u0107 share what makes Osijek \u2013 and Osijek\u2019s people \u2013 who they are \u201cAs a psychologist, I always carry a bit of d\u00e9formation professionnelle in my back pocket. But when it comes to Osijek (and Osijek\u2019s people), that becomes a bit tricky. It\u2019s hard to stay objective about a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":18007,"template":"","categories":[242,240],"tags":[293,765,296],"class_list":["post-18010","vidi-i-dozivi","type-vidi-i-dozivi","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-see-and-feel","tag-osijek-en","tag-people","tag-slavonija-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWHO ARE YOUR HOSTS REALLY? 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