One World, Many Stories: Zagreb Celebrates Diversity, Encounters, and Togetherness in JuneFriday, 19 June 2026

Croatia Connect: Music, Flavours and Stories of the World at the Susedgrad Cultural Centre

For the fifth consecutive year, June in Zagreb is dedicated to marking World Refugee Day through the project One World, Many Stories, which uses culture, art, education, and mutual exchange to create space for dialogue, understanding, and connections among people with diverse life experiences.

What began several years ago as an initiative of the Ribnjak Cultural Centre has grown into a major city-wide collaboration bringing together cultural centres, libraries, civil society organisations, and numerous individuals. The programme takes place at ten locations across Zagreb, offering citizens concerts, workshops, performances, film screenings, literary events, culinary gatherings, and conversations that remind us that culture is one of the most powerful languages for connecting people.

The project’s recognisable symbol—a little bird carrying a house on its back—once again flies across the city this year, carrying a simple yet important message: home is not merely a place on a map, but a space where we feel accepted, safe, and welcome.

Throughout June, Zagreb becomes a meeting place for different cultures and traditions. The programme includes workshops and performances by artists from around the world, intercultural workshops, coffee and tea ceremonies, film screenings, music programmes, and professional gatherings dedicated to intercultural competencies and social inclusion. The programme is implemented with the financial support of the City of Zagreb.

This year, the Susedgrad Cultural Centre joins the celebration of World Refugee Day with a programme that, through music, flavours, and stories, brings audiences closer to the cultures of people who have found a new home in Croatia. The central event is scheduled for Friday, 19 June, on the plaza in front of the Centre.

18:00 – IRAQI TEA CEREMONY

Plaza in front of the Susedgrad Cultural Centre

The programme begins with a special Iraqi tea ceremony led by Nawar Ghanim Murad. Visitors will have the opportunity to discover the rich tradition of tea drinking in Iraq and sample several varieties of authentic Iraqi tea accompanied by traditional sweets and savoury bites.

Amid the aromas and flavours of the Middle East, the audience will learn more about customs and everyday life in Iraq and gain insight into the important role that sharing tea plays in a culture of hospitality, social connection, and community.

20:00 – Concert: FLO, MAKU and MARO MARKET

Plaza in front of the Susedgrad Cultural Centre

Following the tea ceremony, visitors can enjoy a concert by an international musical ensemble featuring Cameroonian singer Octavie Florette Pouabe Ndeugoue – Flo, Malawian singer Chisomo Makuje – Maku, and Croatian musician Maro Market.

Flo and Maku first performed together as part of the Around the Corner – Ear of the World concert series. Their powerful vocals, accompanied by the subtle piano arrangements of Maro Market, create a unique musical encounter between different traditions, experiences, and identities.

On the eve of the central commemoration of World Refugee Day, audiences can look forward to an evening filled with music, stories, and encounters that affirm diversity as a source of strength and richness within the communities in which we live.

Admission to all programmes is free of charge.

One World, Many Stories https://fb.me/e/7wAcJdzWK