The May gathering of the best international tourism journalists in Dubrovnik

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From May 28th to May 31st, tourism journalists from around the world who have authored prominent reports about Croatia and its tourist offer will gather in Dubrovnik. The international journalists are selected by a special panel of the Croatian National Tourist Board on account of their work. For the fifth consecutive year, awards are given to the journalists in two categories: the best print media feature and best TV or radio feature. All nominees will be invited to participate in a tour of Dubrovnik and its surroundings at the end of May. After a tour of this extremely interesting and attractive region, the two winners will be announced at a special ceremony. The winners will receive the grand “Golden pen” statue, and all others will receive smaller statues and acknowledgement plaquettes. This recognition has an added value for all journalism enthusiasts since Croatia is the homeland of the pen, the symbol of the profession. It was in the Croatian capital city of Zagreb that the inventor Slavoljub Penkala invented the mechanical pencil in 1906 and the pen in 1907. Penkala’s pens were exported to more than 70 countries worldwide as early as at the beginning of the 20th century. It can be said, therefore, that, together with the tie, the fountain-pen and the ballpoint-pen (which, in Croatia, we colloquially term “penkala” after its inventor), two items which represent the heritage of world civilisation, originate from Croatia.