Green Group Urges a Step Forward

In Climate Negotiations Prior to the beginning of the 17th Climate Change

Conference (also known as COP17), this year held in Durban,

the Republic of South Africa, between November 28 and

December 9, 2011, the ministers of foreign affairs of the Green

Group issued an article, in which they share their views on

what the international community needs to do to deal with the

challenges of climate change.

In their opinion, the greatest challenge facing us today is unbridled degradation of the environment. Global prosperity and social stability cannot be achieved by exhausting natural resources in an environmentally unsustainable manner. Therefore, the group calls for strengthening the multilateral system to deal with climate change issues. They invite other countries to put in place a clear vision and timeframe for a new global agreement as the Kyoto Protocol in itself is not suffi cient. The ministers advocate for the development of green economy that would lead us to become a low-carbon society

Embassy of Slovenia2410 California Street, NWWashington, D.C. 20008, USAT: +1 202 386 66 01E: vwa@gov.siwww.washington.embassy.si

EMBASSY

NEWSLETTER

December 2, 2011

• GREEN GROUP

URGES A STEP

FORWARD

• SLOVENSKE

KONJICE

• CLEVELAND

NEWSPAPER

PRESENTS

SLOVENIA

• NEW TOOL

AGAINST

CANCER?

• SLOVENIAN

MUSIC AWARDS

• GOLD MEDAL

FOR SLOVENIAN

INVENTOR

• INTERNSHIPS IN

NY

• ELECTION DAY

December 2, 20112

by actions like: harnessing renewable energy sources, developing innovative technologies, and encouraging sustainable consumption. Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution. They invite everyone, individuals and nations, to change the way they think and act, because we are all stakeholders in this and everyone can make a difference.

Green group was established in October 2010 on the initiative of Slovenian Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Žbogar, and is composed of six small countries: Costa Rica, Cape Verde, Iceland, Singapore, Slovenia and the United Arab Emirates. The group is informal and its foreign ministers are acting together in favor of ambitious foreign policy action in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development, renewable energy, and sustainable water management.

A Slovenian team, led by Dr. Olga Vasiljeva and Dr. Boris Turk from the Jožef Štefan Institute and including researchers from different research centers in Slovenia, has developed a new, highly effi cient drug-delivery system based on magnetic iron oxide nanoparticle clusters encapsulated inside a liposome. Using an animal model of human breast cancer, the researchers demonstrated considerably improved effects of the standard cancer chemotherapy drug doxorubicin. At the same time, they also demonstrated the effi cient delivery of a protease inhibitor, which inhibited tumor growth considerably.

The work of the Slovenian scientists has been published in the renowned science magazine Nature Nanotechnology. The achievement is especially important because it may pave the way for a new effi cient tool in the fi ght against cancer.

New Tool in the Fight Against Cancer?

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

December 2, 20113

Slovenske Konjice, an adorable medieval town with more than 860 years of rich historical existence, is laid amid mysterious Konjiška gora (Konjice Mountain) and the golden hills of Škalce vineyards. The town has been awarded nine prizes for the most beautiful excursion town and has won the golden medal in the European competition Entente Florale.

This town is inseparably connected with nature: with the town brook, vineyards on the nearby hills, with centuries of herbal tradition. There are many picturesque attractions confi rming this statement.

The Old Square is a town square of special magnifi cence. Taking a walk through this old town square one can feel a gentle breeze of the past.

The Manor Trebnik is an attractive herbal shop inside a manor located in the middle of the town park, underneath a majestic mountain.

The Old Castle was once the home of the Konjice lords on Konjiška gora (Mount Konjice), built in the 12th century, now in ruins but with a partly restored defense tower and a part of defensive walls.

Škalce is the overall name for hills full of vineyards, the wine road, a golf course, a mighty wine cellar, and a guesthouse with the view on the town. The word hill in this area means more than elsewhere: it means kindness, sun, wine, tradition, and life. The Charterhouse Žiče is only a rifl e-shot away from the town center. It is located at the end of the secluded Valley of Saint John the Baptist, which gave shelter to the famous Carthusian monastery around 1160. The oldest charterhouse in Central Europe, Žiče was closed by the Austrian Emperor Joseph II in 1782 and fell to ruin.Within the partly restored mighty walls built in the Middle Ages one can hear the silence and feel the peace. An exhibition of old monastic manuscripts, herbal gardens, and products of herbalist Viva Sana, Otokar’s sparkling-wine cellar and the offer of the oldest Slovenian guesthouse Gastuž, make this magic place attractive and inviting for locals, visitors and tourists.

Slovenske Konjice TOURISM

December 2, 20114

In its traditional Saturday supplement, The Plain Dealer newspaper published under the common title Surprising Slovenia two articles about Slovenia that take up almost the entire issue. The journalist Seth Sherwood in his article, Independence Seems to Suit Small Nation, summarizes his earlier article, published in The New York Times on August 7, 2011, and writes on the cultural and historic aspects of Slovenia. The second article, written by Frank Kuznik, is titled Old World Meets New in Surprising Slovenia and depicts the green features of our country, including

its eco tourism facilities. Both articles include travel itinerary suggestions that can serve you well in your trip-to-Slovenia-planning and cover both urban and countryside places. Kuznik’s article is available at:http://www.cleveland.com/travel/index.ssf/2011/11/old_world_meets_new_in_surpris.html, while the Sherwood’s article is not available on-line, but you can access the longer, The New York Times version at: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/travel/in-slovenia-visiting-ljubjana-piran-and-maribor.html?pagewanted=all.

To visit Slovenske Konjice means to feel the soul of a kind town, offering numerous opportunities for exceptional experiences. The Town Gallery Riemer, the church of Saint George, a private museum collection of Austro-Hungarian exhibits, the museum of fi refi ghting, arts and crafts in nearby villages, the loud silence of charterhouse Žiče, walking and cycling paths, a rich cultural beat and attractive traditional events such as the celebration of Saint George’s Day, Harvest Announcement and the feast of Saint Martin, are only a small part of the precious heritage, offered by Slovenske Konjice.

The Dragon of Konjiška Gora

Konjiška Gora is supposedly hollow,and at its bottom there is allegedly a lake, guarded by a terrible dragon. Each spring, the people of Konjice gave it a gift of a beautiful girl, so the town would not be fl ooded by water from the lake. But when they were about to give to the dragon Marjetica, the lovely daughter of the count, in rode the brave knight George. He fought and vanquished the dragon, and saved the Konjice residents from the dangers of the mysterious mountain.

Major Cleveland Newspaper Presents Slovenia

TOURISM

December 2, 20115

Slovenian Music Awards

CULTURE

Slovenian-American accordionist and bandleader Joey Tomsick enjoyed a twin win as Musician of the Year and for Band of the Year at the 24th annual awards ceremony presented by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum on Saturday, November 26, 2011. Radio personality Tony Petkovšek was honored for his 50 years of broadcasting a daily Slovenian polka show. The gala program was the high point of the annual Thanksgiving holiday polka music weekend, hosted by Petkovšek since 1963. He will be retiring at the end of the year. The Polka Hall of Fame, under the auspices of the American Slovenian Polka Foundation, will sponsor the festival in 2012.

Petkovšek was named Chairman Emeritus of the Polka Hall of Fame and its Foundation. An achievement award bearing his name was also announced, and Jurček Žmauc, Consul General of the Republic of Slovenia in Cleveland presented a proclamation, issued in his honor by Dr. Boštjan Žekš, the country’s Minister Responsible for Slovenians Abroad. Petkovšek has been one of the leading American boosters of tourism to Slovenia.

“People always tell me how listening to my Slovenian radio show has touched their lives,” said Petkovšek. “I won’t be completely retired. I’ll broadcast three hours each Saturday. There’s still a need for good music and reports on our active polka and Slovenian scenes.” The all-star presentation was held at the Euclid Auditorium in Euclid, Ohio, before an audience of more than 1,000. The show celebrates Slovenian-American polka music, also known as the Cleveland Style. Three accordionist-bandleaders were inducted into the Polka Hall of Fame. Fred Kuhar of Wickliffe, Ohio, Bob Timko of Dunedin, Florida, and Hank Thunander, from St. Paul, Minnesota, were honored for their lifetime achievements in polka music, as voted by Hall of Fame members and trustees. The Awards Show showcased several Polka Hall of Fame honorees, including Canada’s Polka King, Walter Ostanek; Las Vegas bandleader Roman Possedi; Joey Miskulin, accordionist for the cowboy combo, Riders in the Sky; and Fred Ziwich, who directed the stage orchestra. Featured performers included the Singing Slovenes of Minnesota; accordionist Alex Meixner of Florida, and accordionist Matt Frank and the Wojtila Orchestra, both of Cleveland. Master of ceremonies Ray Somich introduced guest presenters, such as TV personality Jan Paulich Jones and polka radio hosts from around the country. The show was directed by Ray Somich II. A polka mass, reception, and dance at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Cleveland followed the program.

December 2, 20116

Slovenian inventor David Kocjančič together with his colleague Aleš Boštjančič received a gold medal for innovations at this year’s international innovation fair that was held in Zagreb, Croatia. Their innovation is the only working system that allows users to remotely control their home appliances via wireless. So you can now turn on and off your lights or heating and not even be at home. Kocjančič explained how all this got started. He was fi rst asked by an enterprise from

Ljubljana to design a remote based control

for her air conditioning at the Slovenian sea

side. They were so impressed by his work that

they hired him to develop a similar system for

their offi ces in Ljubljana. Later, he went on to

invent an application for mobile phones that

can adjust all your appliances, and the user

does not even have to buy a special module or

change his or her device.

Kocjančič is presently working on an

innovation in catering, which is still a mystery,

but will be announced before summer next year.

Gold Medal for Slovenian Inventor

BUSINESS

The Consulate General of Slovenia

in New York is looking for candidates to

fi ll internship positions in 2012. Selected

candidates will have the opportunity to

get acquainted with and participate in the

following areas of the Consulate’s work:

economic affairs, cultural promotion, consular

affairs, and public diplomacy.

The internships are available for three

months, starting on January 1, 2012.

Interested candidates must be profi cient

in spoken and written English. Desired but

not required is knowledge of the Slovenian

language. The internship is unpaid, but interns

are entitled to up to 200 euros monthly for

travel expenses.

Please send expressions of interest, inquiries

and resumes to: kny@gov.si (with the subject

line “Internship 2012”).

Internships at the Consulate General in NY

ANNOUNCEMENTS

December 2, 20117

2. Exhibition “River”Slovenia, with its beautiful rivers, is a paradise for everyone: those looking to relax and the ones seeking more challenging outdoor adventures. Exhibtion features a set of photographs by Jaka Vinšek, a young but very successful Slovenian photographer. When: Ongoing - December 31, 2011Where: Embassy of Slovenia, 2410 California St., NW, Washington, DC 20008 More information: (202) 386-6601

3. The European Career Fair in BostonThe European Career Fair in Boston is an annual recruiting event, organized by the MIT European Club, that connects employers from Europe with the most talented candidates that live in the US. The Career Fair will offer an opportunity to: facilitate matching European employers to some of the brightest researchers who are interested in a career in Europe; and increase the awareness in the United States of the opportunities that European research offers. The European Commission will have a stand at the Career Fair on the exhibition day on January 21.When: January 21 - 23, 2012Where: (MIT campus, Cambridge, MA) More information: www.euro-career.com

List To Do

LIST OF EVENTS

The weekly Embassy Newsletter, produced by the Embassy of Slovenia in Washington, is available on: www.washington.embassy.si.

Send us your comments or request for a subscription on: vwa@gov.si, Editor: Nuška Zakrajšek

1.“Polka! The Movie”A fi lm documentary about Slovenian music in America written and narrated by Mr. Joe Valencic for RTV Slovenija. The fi lm is preceded by live Slovenian accordion music at 1:00 pm and a speech by Mr. Valencic. When: Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 1:30 pm Where: Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44130 More information: www.ClevelandArt.org or www.PolkaFame.com.

Early Parliamentary Elections

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Early parliamentary elections will be held on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Washington D.C., Consulate General of the Republic of Slovenia in Cleveland and Consulate General of the Republic of Slovenia in New York. Voting at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Washington D.C., located at 2410 California Street, NW, Washington D.C., 20008, will be possible between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm local time.

Slovenian citizens with registered residence (»stalno prebivališče«) in the United States can vote in person at the above listed representations or by mail. Slovenian citizens with registered residence in Slovenia and visiting or temporarily residing (»začasno prebivališče«) in the United States can vote in person at the listed representations or by mail if they have registered with the National Electoral Commission by November 4, 2011.