NEWSLETTERMARCH 30, 2012, VOLUME 8, NUMBER 13

The Symphony ofFrancophoniepage 2 & 3 >

Law StudentsFrom Ljubljana Visitingpage 4 >

World Artists’Experiencespage 5 >

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

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Concert to Commemorate20 Years of Recognition by the U.S. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the recognition of Slovenia’s independence by the United States, the Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia Roman Kirn and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Croatia Vice Skračić, on Friday, March 23, 2012, hosted a concert of the Zagreb Saxophone Quartet. Introductory remarks were given by both Ambassador Kirn and Chargé d’Affaires Skračić, emphasizing important achievements both countries have attained in the past 20 years. They both highlighted the

excellent rapport with the U.S. as a partner in political, economic and cultural cooperation. They welcomed over 100 guests, among them representatives of the U.S. administration, the diplomatic community, Slovenian and Croatian community members living in the D.C. area, and others.

The Zagreb Saxophone Quartet was founded in 1989 and has been performing with the present members since then. Dragan Sremec, Goran Merčep and Saša Nestorović, are all professors at the University of Zagreb Music Academy, while the Slovenian Matjaž Drevenšek is a saxophone professor at University of Ljubljana Music Academy.

From right: Ambassador Kirn, members of Zagreb Saxophone Quartet and Croatian Chargé d’Affaires Skračić.

MARCH 30, 2012, PAGE 2

The quartet has performed all over the world, released 13 CDs and won several discography awards. Numerous composers dedicated more than 50 pieces to them. On Friday evening, they performed music composed by Croatian composer Boris Papandopulo, Slovenian composer Milko Lazar, and several pieces by American composers, among them Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Matty Malneck, and Edward Heyman, all arranged by Saša Nestorović.

The concert in Washington was the last one on their tour through the U.S., during which they performed in Atlanta, Georgia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Laramie, Wyoming; and Tempe, Arizona. After the performance, the guests were offered a taste of Slovenian and Croatian food and wine.

Ambassador Kirn and Chargé d’Affaires Skračić giving introducory remarks.

The Symphony of Francophonie EVENTS

On a sunny Friday afternoon the doors of the French Embassy in Washington DC opened to a crowd of over 1,000 for the annual La Grande Fête de la Francophonie. An event proamoting diversity and culture, it was the ultimate viewing window into over 35 participating nations and their various culinary treats, ethnic photographic and art sculpture exhibits, as well as general information packets for those that wished to learn more about a certain country.

Tomaž Javornik and Lucija Millonig were representing Slovenian Embassy.

MARCH 30, 2012, PAGE 3

booth to learn more about this tiny Slavic nation in the heart of Europe, and sometimes someone would just crinkle their nose and frown before asking, “Is French even spoken in Slovenia?” While the offi cial language of Slovenia is Slovenian, there are some French-speaking people, but not very many, and that was the simple, more polite answer than just saying no. The evening continued on with laughter and cheer. The warm weather invited strolls in front of embassy grounds where pockets of people sitting on the grass, chatting away about what they have learned that evening, could be found. The various national representatives did their job well in keeping everyone’s curiosity satisfi ed with explanations of country history, culture, and arts, while all the sweet and savory tidbits satisfi ed everyone’s appetite. General entertainment came from the main hall, where a French reggae band played Caribbean tunes, making the already overindulged and satisfi ed visitors sway to each

beat and bass-note booming from the sound system. Many times, guests would abandon their plates or conversations to appreciate the good vibes the musicality brought to the evening. Everyone defi nitely stopped what they were doing when the drawing to win a week-long trip to Paris for two was underway, not because they might have thought of it as the highlight of the event – it defi nitely wasn’t! - but merely out of curiosity to see if Lady Luck would come to someone. And surely it did! The rest of the visitors, undismayed, continued enjoying their evening by hitting the dance fl oor to several modern and old-school hits coming from the resident DJ who replaced the live band. Slowly, with shoes in hand, and having thrown their last glasses, emptied of the chilled Canadian dessert wine, in the trash, the ladies and gentlemen of Washington went home, the general consensus being that it was indeed a night of culture and success.

If was a feast of knowledge for the excited visitors, presented by the equally enthusiastic organizers and various participating (mostly French-speaking) nations. Embassy representatives from countries such as Haiti and Côte d’Ivoire, and even the likes of Slovenia and Romania set up booths that lined the inside of the embassy walls. Patrons all the while mingled on the fl oor, sipping wine, munching on tasty tidbits and holding goodie bags fi lled with brochures, T-shirts, pens, maps, and any other memorabilia handed out to them. The atmosphere was electric and friendly, with everyone wanting to know something about someone or something; a perfect space to exchange culture. I spent most of my evening near the Slovenian booth, where the aroma of kranjska klobasa (Carniolian sausage) and moist, delicate potica (sweet walnut roll) permeated the southeast corner of the embassy. Participants and patrons alike stopped at this

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Each year in late March, a group of law students from Slovenia makes an excursion to the United States of America. Within their trip to the U.S., they visit New York City and Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, March 27, 2012, a group of 30 students, accompanied by professor of political economy and international economics Dr. Franjo Štiblar, visited the Slovenian Embassy. At the embassy, the group was warmly greeted by Ambassador Roman Kirn while Deputy Chief of Mission, Ondina Blokar Drobič presented the students some facts about the mission and the embassy’s range of activities. She outlined basic features of a diplomat’s work. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period, during which the students were given the unique opportunity to get information

about day-to-day topics in both Slovenian and U.S. foreign policy. In the interesting questions they raised, the students displayed their vast knowledge of the subject. Prior to their visit to the Slovenian House, the group

Law Students from Ljubljana at the Embassy

VISIT

visited the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. During their stay in Washington, they also visited the U.S. Department of State as well U.S. Congress, where they met with Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and of Slovenian ancestry.

Easter Blessing of Food

TRADITIONS

The traditional Slovenian Easter Blessing of ,Food will take place on Holy Saturday, April 7, 2012, at 3:00 pm in the Slovenian Chapel of Our Lady of Brezje, located on the lower level of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 4th Street and Michigan Avenue, Northeast, in Washington, DC. The event is jointly sponsored by the Bishop Baraga Society, Lodge No. 257 of the KSKJ (Kranjsko Slovenska

Katoliška Jednota - American Slovenian Catholic Union), and the local Slovenian Union of America (formerly the Slovenian Women’s Union of America). The blessing is open to members, friends and the public. Fathers Raymond Wadas and Peter Rožič, S.J., will bless the food. Also on the fi rst Sunday of every month, at 11:00 am, in the Slovenian Chapel of Our Lady of Brezje Mass is said in Slovenian and English.

Students of Pravna fakulteta Ljubljana with Ambassador Kirn and Prof. Dr. Franjo Štiblar in front of the Embassy.

MARCH 30, 2012, PAGE 5

World Artists’ Experiences

VISIT

On Thursday, March 29, 2012, a group of keen and enthusiastic travelers visited the Slovenian Embassy, where they attended a presentation about Slovenia from the cultural and historical aspect. The visit was organized within the Cultural Immersion Experiences, which is one of the four programs of the World Artists’ Experiences. The WAE bridge international understanding using the universal language of the arts through Ambassador Teams producing Ambassador Series events in communities; Cultural Immersion Experiences; International Education; and Cultural Appreciation and Sustainable Development. The WAE encourage international interacting by providing channels for communications and exchange as well as opportunities for cross-cultural learning.

The visit was European Union-oriented and Slovenia, as one of the members of the E.U., was also a stop on their embassies voyage. Prior to the Slovenian Embassy, the group visited the Embassy of

Austria and the Headquarters of the E.U. Delegation to the U.S., which works in close coordination with the diplomatic and consular missions of the 27 E.U. Member States. At the Slovenian Embassy, the guests were acquainted with Slovenia’s fi ne cuisine, its culture, natural heritage, and many other elements that make the country rich in diversity and internationally known. They were also presented a video about Slovenia’s regions and their distinctive landmarks as well as had a chance to taste some of the Slovenian traditional food. The guests were invited to view the current exhibition of a young Slovenian photographer, Manca Juvan, titled “Afghanistan: (Un)Ordinary lives,” which is a great display of Slovenia’s talent combined with the awareness of the world’s challenges.

Slovenia invogorates.

Taste Slovenia.

MARCH 30, 2012, PAGE 6

Kostanjevica na Krki is Slovenia’s smallest town, consisting of two parallel streets – Ulica Talcev or Veliki Plac (Great Market) and Oražnova Ulica or Mali Plac (Little Market). It is also one of the oldest towns in Slovenia, fi rst appearing in historical records in 1220 and granted town rights in 1252. The “na Krki” (“on the Krka”) part of its name is fi tting, since the old part of the town is actually situated on an island in a bend of the river Krka, at the foot of the Gorjanci Hills. As a result of frequent fl oods in the past, when the only way to get around was by boat, the town became known as the “Venice of Lower Carniola”. At the extreme northern tip of the island, separate from the row of terraced houses, is the parish church of St. James, built in the 13th century. The church was originally built before 1220, and has been rebuilt several times with Romanesque and Gothic infl uences and a Rococo roof. On the southern outer wall is a 1350 fresco of St.

Christopher, and on the inside there are Gothic paintings from the late 15th century. Another gem of Kostanjevica is the Božidar Jakac gallery, located in a former Cistercian monastery founded in 1234. The monastery was active until 1786, when Emperor Joseph II dissolved it. The monastery has been repeatedly rebuilt and, in 1974, the renovated rooms were transformed into showcases of permanent collections representing Slovenian artists such as Božidar Jakac, Jože Gorjup, France Gorše, Zoran Didek, Janez Boljka and Bogdan Borčić. Aside from artists, this town has also been home to notable Slovenian writers, such as Jože Likar, Ilka Vašte, and Mirko Kuhelj. Another notable attraction not far away from the town is the Kostanjevica Cave, which lies at the foot of Gorjanci, marked by a

rugged karst limestone terrain. Underground water fl ows and tectonic shifts over the course of millennia have created fairy-like formations inside the cave. The whole cave is a little more than two kilometers (1.2 miles) long and the path through the cave is easily accessible, even for children and older visitors. Near Kostanjevica lies one of the most important Slovenia’s wetlands and the largest lowland forest area in Slovenia—the Krakov Forest. The Forest is fi lled with oak, hornbeam and black alder, and is home to many endangered plant and animal species. The central part of the forest, about 40.5 hectares (10 acres), has been designated since 1952 a primeval forest reserve. Krakovski oaks—centuries-old, and the mightiest oaks in Slovenia—stand at the outskirts of the forest.

Kostanjevica na Krki and Surrounding Countryside

TOURISM

MARCH 30, 2012, PAGE 7

The 4th Festival of Roma Culture, held as part of Maribor’s stint as the European Capital of Culture, will open in Slovenia’s second biggest city on April 2, bringing together various experts on the Roma and featuring a series of lectures and other events. The Romano Čhon festival, which will also take place in other Slovenian cities, will start with lectures by social anthropologist Martin Olivera and romologist Patrick Williams of France, entitled “When will Roma write about us?”. This year’s festival, organized by the Ethnographic Museum and the Roma Academic Club, will be joined by students and teachers of the Maribor Faculty of Arts, who will speak about the status of the Roma in Slovenia. Lectures will discuss the historical context of the arrival of the Roma in Europe, their social disadvantages, their treatment in the media, hate speech against the Roma, their dignity and language. According to the

organizers, also to be discussed is Roma culture in Slovenian literature, inclusion of the Roma in the Slovenian education system and their results. The festival will also feature a puppet show for Roma children, various workshops

Maribor Hosting Festival of Roma Culture

CULTURE

EU Open House - Volunteers Needed ANNOUNCEMENTS

On May 12, 2012, diplomatic representations of Member States of the E.U. and the E.U. Delegation in the United States in Washington, DC, will celebrate Europe Day by organizing the sixth annual E.U. Open House day. Embassies of all 27 member-countries and the E.U. Delegation will open their doors, from 10 am to 4 pm, showcasing

their art, culture, and food, and introducing the European Union to the public. Experience the best of Europe without a jet lag. Join us for a day of family fun, music, dancing, kids‘entertainment, exhibitions, vacation planning, and more. Last year, over 2500 people visited the Slovenian Embassy, and

this year even more people are expected. The event has gained extreme popularity and success, and we would like to offer anybody the opportunity to do his part. If you would like to volunteer at the Slovenian Embassy, please send an e-mail to: nuska.zakrajsek@gov.si. Please sign up by April 20, 2012.

and concerts, including one by the legendary Roma singer and songwriter Esma Redžepova on April 21.The festival will close on April 25 at the Maribor University Library with a lecture on the Roma women in literature. (STA)

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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

TO DO LIST

Photo Exhibition Afhganistan (Un)Ordinary LivesThe photo exhibition is a collection of Manca Juvan’s work on Afghanistan and presents a more nuanced image of the country, one which tells more than just the news coming from reporters. The photos were taken on several trips to Afghanistan between 2003 and 2009.When: Ongoing - April 2012Where: Embassy of The Republic of Slovenia, 2410 California Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

Wine Tour of leading Slovenian wineriesA tour is scheduled just after Vievinum, an international wine festival in Vienna. The program is being offered by Unique Slovenia in partnership with former Honorary Consul General of Slovenia Mark Ryavec.When: June 5-9, 2012More information: http://www.unique-slovenia.si/si/novice/101/22/vec/slovenia-wine-tour/

EUYO – European Youth Orchestra: 27 countries - 1 languageConductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy. Slovenian members of the orchestra: Irena Rovtar (fl ute), Klemen Glas (French horn), Jože Rošer (French horn).Where: Chapel Hill, NC: Memorial Hall, University of North CarolinaWhen: Friday, April 13, 2012 at 8:00 pmWhere: Washington, DC: Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWhen: Sunday, April 15, 2012 at 4:00 pm When: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 8:00pmWhere: New York, NY: Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall When: Friday, April 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm Where: Boston, MA: Symphony Hall When: Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 7:00pmWhere: Bloomington, IN: Indiana University AuditoriumWhen: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 7:30pm Where: Evanston, IL: Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern UniversityMore information: www.euyo.org.uk

Small and Smart: Contemporary Slovenian Architecture in FilmSix recent Slovenian architectural projects, each (re)presented by a fi ve-minute fi lm.When: April 18, 2012 at 7:30 pm - 10:00 pmWhere: District Architecture Center, 421 7th Street NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20004Registration required at: http://www.cvent.com/d/ccqpv5