Because we have had many inquiries from the visitors of our Wix page why is the Roman Road project a crime scene, this text somewhat explains the reasons why POWERPROGRESSIVEART put the ribbon on it. This is all, at the moment, that we are at liberty to say. 

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We have applied the Ministry of Tourism annual competition for the project financing proposals in the year 2012 - our proposal was denied. 

Since we had an arranged collaboration with the mentioned institutions, we have proceeded with the project for it was made for the benefit of the people living in these areas and the people were engaged through the mentioned phases.

... So occurred the collaboration with Prokultura - Observatory on Cultural Policies and the Office of State Administration in Split - Dalmatian County by courtesy of Ms Nansi Ivanisevic who recognized our endeavour and enthusiasm…

 

The initial name of this other project was also the Roman Road. Why? POWERPROGRESSIVEART's intention was to encircle the Roman Road project with the presentation of previous achievements. Our intention was also quite modest since our funds were extremely limited. The City of Solin, who was supposed to be one of our main partners in the Roman Road project still didn't confirm nor denied the collaboration with us, although we've still conducted the Art Platform Salona in Solin. The funds that we've received from that city were really small - 550 € a year. The mayor, at the time, explained that the city does not dispose of big amounts of money as they have to help people who are cut off of the electricity for example, whose family members do not work and such. Yes, we did believe that - 2012th (the beginning of the project) is some years from the peaceful integration of the United Nations Transitional Authority zone in the Croatian War of Independence, many families and many people were still affected by it, so the logical solution for this project was for everyone to pull their best.

But, the thing that happened right after our announcement of the project in collaboration with Prokultura - Observatory on Cultural Policies and the Office of State Administration in Split - Dalmatia County was the City of Solin's announcement in the local newspapers. They were just starting a new project - the Roman Road project - financed by the EU funds. They have already received 450 000,00 €. Curiously, the text of the announced project matched our project proposal text we wrote to them. Verbatim (grammar mistakes included). Of course, we were deeply disappointed. So many people were involved in this, so many people already engaged in the process. What to do, what to do...

First of all, we've notified everybody involved in this new development of the events. We phoned, sent texts, email to the artists, lecturers, professors, the Universities, all the institutions engaged, entrepreneurs, motor-clubs… - everybody involved.

The next thing we did was removing all the sculptures placed at the municipalities and city centers from Salona to Narona, again in cooperation with the local administrative, the truck drivers and few of the motor-clubs. Everybody did their work voluntarily and free of charge. We managed to do it in - a day. Of course, we needed to protect our work, the work of many and notify the European Union Funds and all the administrations and the individuals in the process.

The last was changing the initial name of the happening in collaboration with Prokultura - Observatory on Cultural Policies and the Office of State Administration in Split - Dalmatia County into The International Project inspired by the antique period - Heritage and local development within the Rendez-vous Festival of France in Croatia. 

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We have made it to the festival announced in the project. But it is loong way from what we've intended for this beautiful, culturally and historically rich country in which we are lucky to live in. We do believe that our country is going towards ennobling the state and the world community owing to the individual and courageous deeds of young inventors/entrepreneurs, brave journalists, honest politicians, new generation of pro-bono lawyers, the syndicate, aware entertainers, women, minorities and gay communities, new-age educators who patiently form new, more educated and sensitized generations. We - trust - life.

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