10 October 2026
AVIATION BALL 2026.
Croatia’s First Aviation Ball
An evening that celebrated the past, brought the present together, and opened doors to the future!
On 10 October, Zagreb Airport became a meeting place for generations, experiences and ambitions united by aviation. Organised by Women in Aviation Croatia (WIAC), the country's first Aviation Ball brought together the elegance of the golden age of flying, music and a spirit of giving. Yet the most important story of the evening was not about the celebration itself. It was about the young women just beginning their journeys in aviation — and a community determined to help them succeed.
Some evenings stay with us because of the atmosphere, the music and the people we meet. Others, we hope, will be remembered one day for everything that grew out of them.
For us, Croatia's first Aviation Ball was just such an evening.
On Saturday, 10 October 2026, the passenger terminal of Franjo Tuđman Airport — a place where thousands of travellers and their stories cross paths every day — became the setting for an Aviation Ball for the very first time.
Under the motto The Sky Was Never the Limit, we brought together representatives from the aviation industry, education, business, public institutions and wider society. People from different professions, backgrounds and generations, all connected by an industry built on knowledge, trust, responsibility and cooperation.
We wanted to create an evening worthy of aviation's rich history, while keeping our sights firmly set on the future.
Behind the festive atmosphere was a very tangible goal: to raise funds to provide one-off financial assistance to female students attending aviation-focused secondary schools in Croatia. Young women who are studying today, choosing their career paths and preparing to become part of an industry we care so deeply about.
Because we believe that talent, ambition and dedication deserve support. And that knowledge and experience are most valuable when shared.
One terminal, one extraordinary journey through aviation history.
For one evening, we travelled back to the 1960s, to an era when flying was an experience in itself and elegance was an essential part of the journey.
The Croatian Armed Forces Jazz Orchestra, accompanied by vocal soloist Adalbert Turner Juci, set the musical tone for the evening. A performance by Martin Kosovec, winner of the fourth season of *The Voice Croatia*, carried a special significance.
(Croatian Armed Forces Jazz Orchestra)
(Martin Kosovec)
Martin is a former student of the Aviation Technical School in Velika Gorica. In his own way, his performance brought together education, talent and the opportunities that open up when young people follow their interests.
Chef Melkior Bašić created the evening's culinary experience with his *Flying Buffet* concept, adding another distinctive touch to an event inspired by the golden age of air travel.
The date of the Ball was no coincidence, either.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the moment when Croatia's first female pilot earned her pilot's licence in 1936. Nearly a century ago, one woman entered a world in which women were still a rarity.
It was also on 10 October that the first informal gathering of women in aviation took place, eventually leading to the establishment of our association.
For us, this date is therefore much more than a day on the calendar. It connects the women who first opened doors in aviation with the generations for whom we want to open those doors even wider today.
Behind aviation are people. Bringing them together is our mission.
Aviation is often seen through the lens of aircraft, pilots, airports and travel. But everyone involved in this industry knows just how vast, complex and interconnected the world behind every flight truly is.
This was also the message shared by our association's President, Eva Pavić.
"Aviation is so much more than flying. Flying is the ultimate feeling of freedom, but it is only a ticket into a much bigger world. Behind every flight stands an enormous, often invisible industry built on knowledge, responsibility, cooperation and safety."
That idea lies at the heart of everything we are building.
Croatia is home to exceptional aviation professionals, women and men whose knowledge, experience and expertise are demonstrated every day, both at home and around the world. We believe their potential becomes even greater when they connect, work together and make their experience accessible to others.
(Eva Pavić, President of Women in Aviation Croatia)
"Through international cooperation, we have become even more aware of how proud we can be of Croatian people, their abilities, straightforwardness and professionalism. We have exceptional people and enormous potential. What we need to do is bring them together and turn that potential into tangible results," Eva Pavić emphasised.
Our association is called Women in Aviation Croatia, but its vision embraces the entire aviation community.
"Women in Aviation Croatia is not just an association for women, nor is our work intended exclusively for women. However, our primary focus is on building upon the strong yet insufficiently connected network of women already working in aviation. We want to connect people, knowledge and opportunities, regardless of background, and to be an organisation defined by tangible results, not just declarations."
For us, our President's words are more than a message delivered from a stage. They represent a responsibility we have taken on.
Support that connected Croatia with the world
One of the particularly meaningful moments of the evening was the support we received from the international aviation community.
Distinguished female leaders holding senior positions at airports and aviation organisations around the world joined us through video messages, sharing their thoughts on the importance of education, professional opportunities and supporting women in aviation.
Their participation meant a great deal to us. It demonstrated that an initiative born from connecting women in Croatian aviation can build relationships and exchange experiences with professionals operating on an international level.
We owe special thanks to Zagreb International Airport, which recognised our vision and supported the organisation of the first Aviation Ball at Zagreb's passenger terminal.
"At Zagreb International Airport, we believe that a company's success goes hand in hand with its responsibility towards the community. We are proud that, through projects like this, we can promote social responsibility, support young people and highlight the important role of women in aviation, whose knowledge, expertise and dedication contribute every day to the development of our industry and the success of Zagreb International Airport," said Nicolas Duthilleul, Member of the Management Board of Zagreb International Airport.
(Nicolas Duthilleul, Member of the Management Board of Zagreb International Airport)
Croatia's first Aviation Ball also received the support of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović. We were especially pleased that representatives of numerous airlines, educational institutions, public bodies and businesses responded to our initiative.
(Danica Baričević, Member of the Croatian Parliament and Envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament)
We were particularly honoured by the attendance of Croatian Member of Parliament Danica Baričević, who joined the Aviation Ball as the envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, conveying both his message of support and her own personal encouragement for our initiative.
In thanking us for the invitation, she reflected on the historical significance of Katarina Matanović Kulenović, Croatia's first female pilot, who obtained her pilot's licence on 10 October 1936. She recalled that, in recognition of her courage and achievements, Katarina was decorated by President Franjo Tuđman with the Order of the Croatian "Red Danica hrvatske" with the Image of Franjo Bučar.
Ms Baričević highlighted the importance of preserving the memory of the women who paved the way for future generations. She also emphasised the value of networking among women, encouraging greater female participation in aviation, and expressed her hope that the Aviation Ball would become a cherished annual tradition for Croatia's aviation community.
Their presence reaffirmed something we have believed from the very beginning: the future of aviation is not built by a single organisation, profession or generation. It is built through cooperation.
Velika Gorica: A partnership rooted in aviation
Velika Gorica holds a special place in our story. It is a city whose development, identity and everyday life are deeply connected to aviation.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the *Velika Gorica – City of Aviation* initiative. We further strengthened our partnership by signing a Charter of Friendship on 30 September 2026.
The Charter was signed by the Mayor of Velika Gorica, Krešimir Ačkar, and our association's President, Eva Pavić, laying the foundations for future joint projects.
Juraj Odrčić, Head of the *Velika Gorica – City of Aviation* initiative and envoy of the Mayor of Velika Gorica, also spoke about the importance of building connections and working together.
(Juraj Odrčić, Head of the Velika Gorica – City of Aviation initiative)
"Ten years ago, we brought together aviation stakeholders operating in the Velika Gorica area through the City of Aviation initiative, with the aim of establishing our city as Croatia's aviation hub. Over the years, numerous partnerships have developed, with the organisation of the AIRVG air show undoubtedly being our largest joint project.
This year, Women in Aviation Croatia joined the initiative, something we are particularly proud of. To mark its introduction to the wider community, the association organised a charity ball to support young women pursuing aviation-related education, including students at the aviation school in Velika Gorica.
It is an excellent way to promote aviation through cooperation among different stakeholders, and I believe that, driven by the enthusiasm we have already seen, we will achieve many more shared goals."
We believe that partnerships like these, founded on shared interests, trust and tangible projects, can make a lasting contribution to the development of the aviation community.
The most important outcome of this evening is still ahead of us
The first Aviation Ball had a charitable purpose, but our ambition goes far beyond providing one-off financial assistance.
The funds raised are intended for female students attending aviation-focused secondary schools in Croatia. We want to give them meaningful support during their education and show them that there is a community that recognises their chosen path and wants to help them succeed.
More importantly, we want to continue supporting them long after that.
Our long-term goal is to develop a structured mentoring network connecting school pupils, university students, aviation professionals, educational institutions and the aviation industry.
We want young women who are just discovering the world of aviation to have the opportunity to speak with people who have already travelled that path. To seek advice, explore different professions, understand the opportunities available to them and find support at important moments in their professional development.
We do not want to create yet another initiative that exists in isolation. We want to connect what is already there, identify shared interests and turn them into real opportunities.
Eva Pavić expressed this in words that perhaps best capture the purpose of our work:
"If a door has opened for us, it is our responsibility to keep it open and let another hundred people through."
This is precisely how we see our generation's responsibility towards those who follow.
Because the success of Croatia's first Aviation Ball will not be measured solely by the amount of money raised, the number of guests who attended or the memories of the evening.
Its true success will become visible in the years ahead. In the young women who complete their education, find their place in aviation, build successful careers and, perhaps one day, extend a helping hand to the next generation.
Thank you to everyone who believed in this idea
Organising Croatia's first Aviation Ball was an ambitious undertaking. Bringing it to life was possible thanks to the people who recognised that behind a formal celebration was an idea worth supporting.
Our special thanks go to all the donors whose contributions supported the Ball's charitable purpose. Their generosity is helping us turn our commitment to supporting aviation students into concrete action. We are grateful for their trust and their willingness to invest in education, knowledge and the future of young people.
We extend our sincere gratitude to all our partners, sponsors and patrons, particularly Zagreb International Airport, as well as the institutions, companies, educational establishments and organisations whose resources, expertise and commitment helped make the first Aviation Ball a reality.
We are also deeply grateful to the many media outlets that supported the event and recognised the importance of its message. Through their interest, advance coverage and reporting, they helped the story of young women choosing careers in aviation, and of our initiative, reach far beyond those who attended the Ball. That visibility matters because it creates opportunities for new conversations, partnerships and possibilities.
Thank you to all the performers and collaborators whose talent and professionalism helped shape this special evening.
Thank you to our guests — representatives of the Croatian and international aviation communities, public institutions, education and business — whose attendance, participation and support demonstrated just how much can be achieved when people come together around a shared goal.
And finally, a very special thank you to all our members, the organising team and our volunteers. Behind an event like this are countless hours of work, meetings, preparations, responsibility and dedication that may never appear in photographs, but without which no idea could become a reality.
Every donation, every partnership, every media story, every helping hand and every hour of work contributed to what we achieved together.
We organised Croatia's first Aviation Ball, but together, we made it happen.
And perhaps that is its greatest value.
We have shown that there is a community of people willing to put their knowledge, experience, influence and resources towards something greater than individual interests.
Now it is up to us to honour that trust.
To turn one event into lasting cooperation. To transform support into opportunities. To help the young women who dream of finding their place in aviation today truly find it tomorrow.
Because Croatia's first Aviation Ball was never intended to be the end of a beautiful story.
It was the beginning.
And as our association's President, Eva Pavić, said at the end of her address:
"Keep watching us, because you're about to witness a real shake-up in Croatian aviation."
The Sky Was Never the Limit.
Žene u zrakoplovstvu Hrvatske | Women in Aviation Croatia
