HNK Hajduk in -cooperation with the Rendez-vous Festivalom of French Culture in Croatia, marked the 70th anniversary of the award given to Hajduk as an honorary sport team of the Free France. This special recognition was given to Hajduk by French general Humbolt on behalf of general, and later president Charles de Gaullea.
"Many would give up all their titles in exchange for history like the one of Hajduk," said Hajduk's chairman Marin Brbić.
Vincent Dalmais, special representative of the French Ambassador said:
"It's a great honour to be here. Hajduk is a legendary club, which was and still is a strong symbol of not only Split, but far beyond."
Representatives of Ministry of Culture Boris Postnikov, Ministry of Science, Education and Sport Darko Vučić, and City of Split Hrvoje Akrap also attended.
Hajduk's historian Jurica Gizdić gave a lecture about all Hajduk players in French clubs: Ferante Colnago, Ante Bonačić, Ivica Šurjak, Zlatko and Zoran Vujović, Aljoša Asanović, Blaž Slišković, Zoran Vulić, Alen Bokšić, Ivica Mornar, Nikica Cukrov, Ivica Hlevnjak, Ivan Pavlica, Šime Luketin, Željko Mijač, Ante Žaja, etc. There were also coaches Tomislav Ivić, Ante Mladinić, Luka Peruzović, Josip Skoblar, Ivica Matković, etc.
Professor Robert Kučić gave a lecture about wartime history of Hajduk, with original photos from those days.
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".
Professor Kučić concluded his lecture with reminding on the last member of that team Hrvoje Čulić who passed away recently.
"With the death of Hrvoje Čulić Hajduk finished its wartime epic journey, but Hajduk lives forever," said Kučić.
Journalist and writer Jurica Pavičić gave a contemporary context to this story:
"We know that Hajduk is not the best team in the world, and that it maybe never will win the Champions League even once, and not ten times like Real Madrid. We know it might never be 23-times national champion like Juventus. However, we have something else. We have our history, and a gesture of opressed's resistance as part of that history. Neither Real, nor Juventus and Barcelona have that. I'm sure all of them would be willing to exchange some of their trophies to receive a recognition like this one, but Hajduk is probably the only club in the world which has something like that. There are some who express some sort of shame with this part of club's history, but I assure you - you can't say you love the club, if you don't love its enitre history."
