This Thursday, on October 1 at 11 am Hajduk will mark the 70th anniversary since Hajduk was declared an honorary sport team of Free France. This event at the Poljud auditorium was brought by HNK Hajduk and Rendez-vous, festivala of French culture in Croatia.

Rendez-vous festival started this May, and will last till the end of September. It's goal is to present all the diversity and richness of French culture. During the festival more than 150 different events had been organized, on different fields; art, design, architecture, film, tourism, gastronomy, science, sport, etc.

In May 1945 Hajduk had been awarded as the Honorary team of Free France, and this year we celebrate one of the most glorious days in the history of Hajduk.

Even in those war days Hajduk was much more than just a club. After being re-established on May 7, 1944, right on Split patron Saint Domnio's day Hajduk started its tour from the island of Vis.

The most famous and memorable game was the one played on September 23, 1944 in front of 40,000 viewers at San Nicola Stadium in Bari, Italy against the British Army team, with English and Scottish professionals lead by pre-war England's captain Stan Cullis.

Matches around Africa and Asia followed, and a 100-day tour ended with the game against Lebanon national team on May 27, 1945 in Beirut. Just before leaving Lebanon, Hajduk's leadership had been invited to visit chief commander of French armed forces in that region, army general Humboldt. On that occasion this high-ranked French offices presented Hajduk a chart which cites that Split team became a "honorary sport team of Free France".

Representatives of Hajduk, French embassy, city, county and government officials, and Hajduk's veterans who played in some of the French clubs will attend marking of this great anniversary. As part of the reminding on this event, all the invitees will have an opportunity to see an original 1945 chart which is exhibited in the Trophy Hall at Poljud.