Fourth International Summer School “Practicing Resilience – Preparing for Recovery” Opens in Dubrovnik

On Friday, July 10, 2025, the fourth edition of the international Summer School Practicing Resilience – Preparing for Recovery was officially opened at the Paola di Rosa Student Residence, located within the convent of the Sisters Servants of Mercy in Dubrovnik.

At the opening ceremony, the participants were welcomed on behalf of the organizers by Prof. Željko Tanjić, PhD, Rector of the Catholic University of Croatia. In his address, Rector Tanjić expressed gratitude to the partners who made the Summer School possible—the Nanovic Institute at the University of Notre Dame (USA), the Ukrainian Catholic University, and the Catholic Universities Partnership. He also thanked the Bishop of Dubrovnik, Mons. Roko Glasnović, and the director of the Paola di Rosa Residence, Sister Marijana Puljić, for their hospitality and openness in supporting the school. Addressing the students, he wished them a fruitful program filled with meaningful work, friendship, and partnerships that would last well beyond the summer.

David Buckley spoke on behalf of the Nanovic Institute, while Dr. Myroslava Chekh addressed the audience on behalf of the Ukrainian Catholic University, offering words of welcome and thanks.

Blaž Pezo, Prefect of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, also welcomed the participants, lecturers, and guests, wishing them a pleasant stay in Dubrovnik and highlighting the importance of solidarity, understanding, and compassion with the Ukrainian people, especially from the perspective of the citizens of Dubrovnik—a city that endured the consequences of war during the Croatian Homeland War.

Among the other dignitaries who addressed the audience were the Bishop of Dubrovnik Mons. Roko Glasnović, Bishop of Spiš (Slovakia) Mons. František Trstenský, Sister Marijana Puljić, and the Croatian Ambassador to Ukraine, Anica Djamić.

Written greetings were also sent by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Croatia, H.E. Mons. Giorgio Lingua, and by Mons. Dražen Kutleša, Archbishop of Zagreb and Grand Chancellor of the Catholic University of Croatia.

In his written address, Archbishop Kutleša remarked: “You have gathered in this historic city—one that has witnessed challenges, restorations, and new beginnings for centuries—to reflect, learn, and strengthen your resilience: personal, social, and academic. Resilience is a virtue deeply rooted in the history of Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Ukraine. The city of Dubrovnik, once a proud Republic, has survived many hardships—from natural disasters to the destruction of war—and has always found the strength to rebuild. Croatia, like Ukraine, knows the price of freedom and understands how important it is to persevere, to build bridges, and to look toward the future despite adversity. On a personal level, resilience is not just the ability to endure hardship, but to learn from it, to inspire others, and to actively participate in the process of recovery. It is a path of constant growth and adaptation, one that requires courage, trust, and community. This Summer School is not merely another academic program—it is an opportunity to become a lasting part of a chain of positive change. What you learn here, you will carry back to your communities, families, friends, and future colleagues.”

Mons. Lingua added in his message: “We live in a world increasingly shaken by suffering and division. The war in Ukraine continues to inflict immense devastation—a special greeting, therefore, to the large group of students from the Ukrainian Catholic University. Sadly, violence and conflict are on the rise in many other places too, spreading in both number and intensity. You come from different countries, cultures, and universities. In doing so, you embody what Pope Francis calls a ‘culture of encounter’—a space where diversity is not feared but welcomed as a gift, through mutual respect and openness. The choice of Dubrovnik as the setting for this meeting is no coincidence. A city once scarred by war in the Balkans, it now stands as a living testament to the power of reconciliation and rebirth after devastation. May its stones, which have witnessed both destruction and renewal, remind us that resilience is not passive endurance, but the active choice to rebuild, together. Christian resilience is not mere endurance; it is the capacity to let crisis be transformed by love and truth. It means standing firm without hardening our hearts, and rising again not alone, but together, with others, through community, compassion and grace. This, too, is your responsibility.”

After successful editions of the Summer School in Dubrovnik (2022), and Šibenik (2023 and 2024), this fourth edition returns to Dubrovnik and brings together seven professors and distinguished lecturers from several Catholic universities, following the model established in previous years. The program is once again organized by the Catholic University of Croatia in cooperation with the Nanovic Institute at the University of Notre Dame (USA), the Ukrainian Catholic University, and the Catholic Universities Partnership.

Focusing on the themes of resilience and hope, the program will run from July 10 to 20, 2025, and will include 42 students from Catholic universities around the world, with at least 20 participants from Ukraine.

The Summer School is moderated by Luka Poslon, coordinator of the program and assistant at the Catholic University of Croatia.