During the 5th and 4th centuries BC, rhetoric, or the art of beautiful and correct speaking, was considered one of the important civic skills in Athens, and Isocrates was renowned as one of the greatest orators of classical Greece. His principles became the foundation of education in most European schools until the 18th century. Isocrates … Read more
It is not about how much we do, but with how much love we do it. It is not about how much we give, but with how much love we give. Mother Teresa Wangari Maathai (1940 – 2011) Kenyan activist and biologist founded the non-governmental environmental organization Green Belt Movement in 1977. In order to … Read more
“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I woke up and saw that life is service.” – Rabindranath Tagore Vandana Shiva (1953-present) Indian philosopher, environmental activist, and author of several books, including “Water Wars” and “Biopiracy,” which have been translated into Croatian. She obtained her PhD in physics in Canada, and her interest in … Read more
(July 20, 1919 – January 11, 2008) The summit of Everest. An almost otherworldly beautiful place, endless silence, eternal snow and ice, gaping abysses, terrifying stormy winds, and air so thin that the human brain and lungs cannot function normally in it… As far as we know, it was first discovered by Sir Edmund Hillary … Read more
On my last trip to England, I was lucky to visit the ancient Winchester Cathedral. A millennia-old center of pilgrimage and religiosity, the place where the present-day Gothic cathedral was built in the 11th century on Norman foundations, still visible at the intersection of the church’s aisles. It was the seat of shrines that disappeared … Read more
“Seneca’s words ‘Man is sacred to man’ were confirmed by Šavarš Karapetjan, the former Soviet world record holder in finswimming. Today, we read and listen to stories of the courageous and generous acts he performed with the same admiration we had as children listening to tales of heroes and their adventures. He dedicated himself to … Read more
Dr. Maria Montessori (1870 – 1952), famous for her pedagogical approach that changed the prevailing view of children and childhood, known as the Montessori method, is also recognized as the first woman in Italy to obtain a medical degree despite prejudices. Her method emerged from the need to help children living on the streets, with … Read more
Every being has its own destiny and the path it takes to reach that destiny. For humans, it is the conquest of humanity, meaning all the good and noble that is implied by that. Human history has been marked by racial, national, religious, and other intolerance, wars, terrorism, poverty, hunger and disease, but in those … Read more
Josipa Glembay (1861 – 1941) was a educator and writer, and today she is respected for leaving a deep mark on the cultural development of Osijek with her aspirations and persistent work. Her life appeared quiet and modest, but at the same time it was filled with tireless, dedicated work in the field of upbringing, … Read more
“The best way to find oneself is by getting lost in serving others.” Mahatma Gandhi Fridtjof Nansen (1861 – 1930) Scientist, explorer, diplomat, and peacemaker. He became famous for his polar expeditions but is also remembered for his humanitarian work. After World War I, Nansen tirelessly helped refugees scattered throughout Europe and Eurasia. During the … Read more
