On the occasion of receiving the "Faust Vrančić" State Award, Mayor Zoran Paunović held a formal reception for representatives of the DAUP Orion association in the city hall today, which was attended by President Gloryan Grabner, Secretary Damir Brzica and young members Doriana Grubišić and Luciana Grabner. On this occasion, the temporary head of the Department for Public Needs and Social Activities, Sandra Vranješ, pointed out that this is a recognition that is of great importance for both the association and the City of Makarska.

"I greet the president and all the members of the Orion Society for Astronomical and Ufological Studies, who need no special introduction. Because they have been with us for 20 years and are working hard to educate young people in the field of technical culture.", said Vranješ, congratulating everyone on the valuable recognition.

"We all know that Faust Vrančić is actually the biggest award for technical culture in Croatia, so I am extremely proud and happy that Orion received this award. What I would like to point out is that this is actually the second award related to the Orion association, because the first one was awarded 10 years ago to President Gloryan Grabner as an individual, and this is a new award for the association. So this reception today is in a way a correction of injustice because Gloryan was never received on the occasion of receiving the first award.", said the mayor Zoran Paunović in the introductory part, congratulating the president, secretary and all members whose efforts were woven into this award. He also recalled valuable initiatives that resulted in the realization of some capital projects.

"I would like to remind you of the Makarska observatory, which was built in 2009 on the initiative of Orion, which the City of Makarska wholeheartedly accepted, and the children's Astro-park on Glavica, which forms a whole with the Revolution Monument. In my opinion, it is one of the nicest places for children to play and to relax in the city center. Finally, I can confirm that the City of Makarska will also support your new project of opening a planetarium until 2023, but we will see to what extent and in what way.", Mayor Paunović announced the new cooperation between the City and Orion.

"There are two Fausts, and it is really rare to have one, let alone two, in one place. I would like to thank all the good people who followed and supported us for 20 years, especially Lidia Vukadin Vranješ, Robert Zovko and don Alojzij Bavčević, who were always there. In the mentioned period, our association brought more than half a million tender funds to Makarska, and we hope that with the planetarium we will close that story in such a way that Makarska will have a small astronomical center that will be able to work in all weather conditions. It's hardware, but software is important, and that's why I'm extremely glad that we also have young forces, future PhDs, and one of them is our member Ante Ravlić, who studies atomic physics and who surely has a great scientific career ahead of him. Our task is to attract young people to technology and science, and they are the ones who will create new values in the future that will benefit not only the city but also the whole society.", Grabner emphasized, thanking all the media representatives in particular.

The secretary of the association, Damir Brzica, thanked the mayor at the reception, saying that he was pleased with the announced support of the city for the realization of the planetarium project until 2023, while young members Doriana Grubišić and Luciana Grabner shared with journalists the experience of leading the first astro-school.

On this occasion, Mayor Zoran Paunović presented the representatives of the association with a painting with the motif of Makarska, the work of the academic painter Almir Šehić from Travnik.