Published May 10, 2009 E-mail: [email protected]Est. MMVII Phil Hrvatin Senior Editor Tim Percic Creative Design On the Air with U.S. Senator George Voinovich On Friday May 8, 2009 U.S. Senator George Voinovich was a special guest on Tony Petkovsek’s radio show. The senator took the opportunity to reach out to many of the Slovenians living in the greater Cleveland area. During the 45 minute interview the senator spoke about his Slovenian heritage and his strong ties to Cleveland neighborhoods. Audio excerpts from the show will be posted on www.cleslo.com in the near future. US Senator George Voinovich & Tony Petkovsek / Senator Voinovich taking a call from a constituent after the show. Tony Petkovsek has been on daily polka radio since 1961. His popular music and community service show, which he produces and announces, is interspersed with interviews of civic, travel and entertainment personalities and is heard for two hours, Monday thru Friday from 2 until 4 P.M and Saturday from Noon until 2 P.M on WELW-1330AM. Tony’s studio is located in the Kollander World Travel headquarters at 971 East 185 Street in Cleveland Ohio. Tony Petkovsek - Senator Voinovich - Phil Hrvatin Senator Voinovich in the WELW studios on E. 185 th St.
Phil Hrvatin Senior Editor Tim Percic Creative Design
On the Air with U.S. Senator George Voinovich On Friday May 8, 2009 U.S. Senator George Voinovich was a special guest on Tony Petkovsek’s radio show. The senator took the opportunity to reach out to many of the Slovenians living in the greater Cleveland area. During the 45 minute interview the senator spoke about his Slovenian heritage and his strong ties to Cleveland neighborhoods. Audio excerpts from the show will be posted on www.cleslo.com in the near future.
US Senator George Voinovich & Tony Petkovsek / Senator Voinovich taking a call from a constituent after the show.
Tony Petkovsek has been on daily polka radio since 1961. His popular music and community service show, which he produces and announces, is interspersed with interviews of civic, travel and entertainment personalities and is heard for two hours, Monday thru Friday from 2 until 4 P.M and Saturday from Noon until 2 P.M on WELW-1330AM. Tony’s studio is located in the Kollander World Travel headquarters at 971 East 185 Street in Cleveland Ohio.
Tony Petkovsek - Senator Voinovich - Phil Hrvatin Senator Voinovich in the WELW studios on E. 185th St.
American Performer Delivers Splendid Performance On April 23, the Gala Ballet Evening celebrated the International Day of Dance with the presentation of several awards from DBUS for artistic achievement. Chargé d’Affaires Brad Freden and other Embassy staff attended the evening, along with President Danilo Türk and his wife, Barbara Miklič Türk. The evening combined traditional and modern dance selections by young and professional dancers, including American dancer, Joseph Bunn whose contemporary dance amazed the audience. Source: http://slovenia.usembassy.gov
*** Around the top of the Adriatic By Procycling
Route: A very straightforward opening road stage that concludes with three laps of an 11km circuit in Trieste. There's a climb halfway around it that offers the first points for the mountains jersey on the second pass. The infamous local Bora wind could prove a bigger menace.
Local Hero: The last half of the stage runs along the corridor of Italian territory that looks back over Venice. Bordering Slovenia is a growing cycling power, and support for Slovenes Janez Brajkovic and Tadej Valjavec will be very apparent.
Procycling's Top Tip: It'll be extremely rapid on the downhill run into the finish, which will make for a frantic, nerve-jangling finale. 2009 form suggests a straight fight between Mark Cavendish and Garmin-Slipstream's Tyler Farrar, who should be battling for bonus seconds toward the maglia rosa. While Farrar pipped Cav in a similar sprint in Tirreno-Adriatico, our money's on the Manxman.
Savio speaks: Trieste is certainly a stage for sprinters, a 99-percent chance that it arrives in a sprint. The sprinters will control the race for Alessandro Petacchi and Mark Cavendish. Trieste is a historic zone and one of the big cities this year's Giro will visit.
CALLING ALL SLOVENIAN CHEERLEADERS! Get out your white, blue and red pom-poms and noisemakers! Join me in supporting (and surprising) Consul General Dr. Zvone Žigon as he competes in his first Marathon (that's 26.2 miles!) this Sunday, May 17, 2009. As Cleveland is home to the largest population of Slovenians outside of Slovenia, let us show our support for the Consul General by rallying at various locations along the race course and cheering on our
Slovenian runner. In 2007, during Foreign Minister (then Ambassador) Samuel Žbogar's Cleveland Marathon, Slovenian cheerleaders gathered on Martin Luther King Blvd. were recognized as best cheering section. Let's do it again! Of course you can cheer on the Consul General at any location along the marathon course, however, in an effort to create an organized presence, please gather at the following locations at the designated times:
9:30 a.m. Slovenian Cultural Gardens on East Blvd. (once Dr. Žigon passes this mark, cheerleaders can walk down the hill to MLK Blvd. where he will pass again in 20-30 minutes).
10:45 a.m. near The Finish Line, Lakeside. & East 6th Street (South side)
Times are approximations. Banners, signs, noisemakers, musical instruments, flags, Slovenian-themed clothing and narodne noše are strongly encouraged! Please feel free to call me should you have any questions or comments: (216) 849-3515.
Johanna Bajc Consulate General of the Republic of Slovenia Cleveland 55 Public Square, Suite 945 Cleveland, OH 44113 Phone: 216-589 9220 |F: 216-589 9210
Rite Aid Marathon Website: http://www.clevelandmarathon.com/
Slovenija na Norfolk mednarodnem NATO Azalea festivalu 2009 Norfolk mednarodni NATO Azalea festival ima bogato tradicijo, ki sega v leto 1953, leto dni po ustanovitvi Natovega poveljstva za Atlantik v Norfolku, VA. Tistega leta so se meščani mesta Norfolk odločili za organizacijo festivala v pozdrav državam, ki so bile takrat zastopane v poveljstvu. Festival je bil namenjen sklepanju novih prijateljstev, spoznavanju in izmenjavam na kulturnem, umetniškem in drugih področjih življenja in dela. Dogodek je bil namenjen tudi poudarjanju pomembnosti vojaške vloge držav pri vzdrževanju miru v svetu in graditvi novih povezav mesta Norfolk s svetom.
Od prvega festivala do današnjih dni , se je mednarodni NATO Azalea festival razvil v dogodek, katerega si ogleda več tisoč ljudi. Preoblikovanje Natovega poveljstva za Atlantik v Natovo poveljstvo za transformacijo (ACT - Allied Command Transformation) je imelo za posledico povečanja števila držav, ki imajo svoja predstavništva pri poveljstva v Norfolku. V letu 2009 se je to število povečalo na osemindvajset držav članic zavezništva. Norfolk mednarodni NATO Azalea
festival ima v regiji najdaljšo in neprekinjeno tradicijo in je edini v Združenih državah Ameriki, ki na takšen način pozdravlja države članice Nata. Poslanstvo festivala je v priznanju vloge in vpliva mednarodne skupnosti, ki ga ima na mesto Norfolk. Njegova organizacija je prav tako praznovanje sožitja različnih kultur in krepitev človeških vezi med civilnim prebivalstvom in vojaškimi družinami. Poseben poudarek je vsako leto namenjen eni od držav. V letu 2009 je to bila Češka, ki se je predstavila s kulturnimi in umetniškimi dogodki in prispevala kraljico Azalea festivala. Pozdrav Natovim državam poteka v obliki enotedenskega festivala, katerega namen je krepitev razumevanja med Hampton Roads prebivalstvom in zavezniškimi državami. Za večje razumevanje pomena in vloge zavezništva se organizirajo različni izobraževalni, znanstveni in kulturni dogodki. Srečanja v času festivala so priložnost za nove gospodarske povezave mesta Norfolk z drugimi državami. Med najpomembnejše dogodke festivala sodijo: kronanje kraljice, kronanje princes, modna revija, mednarodni >Tatoo<, parada narodov s predstavitvijo na vozilih in Nato festival s turistično in kulinarično ponudbo. Na letošnjem festivalu, ki je trajal od 27. aprila do 3. maja, je že četrtič sodelovala tudi Slovenija. Tako kot leta 2008, so tudi letos združili moči pripadniki Slovenske vojske iz Nacionalnega predstavništva
za povezave pri ACT[1] in štirinajst pripadnikov slovenske skupnosti iz Clevelanda (OH). V povorki narodov se je Slovenija predstavila s kozolcem in gorenjskimi narodnimi nošami. Osrednje mesto slovenske predstavitve je že drugič pripadlo slovenski princesi, študentki Mariji Sedmak. Pred paradnim vozilom in na njem so se množici gledalcev v narodnih nošah in s pesmijo predstavili še: Pavle in Marija Sedmak, Jan Kocbek, Sonja Kocbek, Matjaž Sedmak, Milan in Breda Ribič, Tine in Helena Ribič, Rok in Beth Ribič in Jovo Mejak. Predstavitev so v narodnih nošah popestrili še otroci Justina in Maja Lampič in Nicholas and Adam Ribič. Vsi sodelujoči smo bili zelo veseli, da so ocenjevalci izmed vseh osemindvajsetih predstavitev na vozilih za najboljšo razglasili slovenski >float< in mu podelili naziv >Nato's Cup<. Zapisal: Andrej Kocbek [1] Nacionalno predstavništvo za povezave, ali National Liaison Representative (NLR) vodi polkovnik Slovenske vojske, Andrej Kocbek. V njem sta še pomočnik, major Tomaž Pavlič in podčastnik Marko Jelen. Predstavništvo pri ACT v Norfolku deluje od decembra 2004 naprej. Andrej á
Slovenian Representatives at the 2009 Norfolk International NATO Azalea Festival The Norfolk International NATO Azalea Festival is a tradition that dates back to 1953; a year after the establishment of NATO Atlantic headquarters in Norfolk, VA. In that year, the citizens of the city decided to organize the Norfolk festival to greet the countries, which were represented at the headquarters. The festival aimed to help create new friendships, and the sharing and exchanging of culture, arts and other practices. The event was also aimed at highlighting the importance of the military's role in maintaining peace around the world, and to introduce the city of Norfolk to the world. Since its first celebration to the present, the International NATO Azalea Festival has developed into an event that is visited by several thousand people. With NATO's expansion, there came an expansion of the countries now represented with offices in Norfolk. In 2009 the number of the alliance increased to twenty-eight member states. With this is
mind, the Norfolk International NATO Azalea Festival is the region's longest continuous tradition of welcoming member states of NATO. It is also the only one of its kind in the United States. The mission of the Festival is to recognize the role and impact of the international community. This organization is also a celebration of the coexistence of various cultures, while strengthening ties between the civilian population and military families. A special emphasis is devoted each year to one particular member state. In 2009 it was the Czech Republic, which presented its culture and art, and was represented by an Azalea Festival queen. Festival events go throughout an entire week. They aim to strengthen understanding between the population of Hampton Roads and the allied countries. In order to understand the importance of the Alliance's role, the festival organizes different educational, scientific and cultural events. Meetings during the festival are an opportunity to help forge new economic links between the city of Norfolk and other countries. Included among the most important events of the festival are: the coronation of the queen and princesses, a fashion show, an international Tatoo, the presentation of National floats and the NATO festival. The NATO festival introduces their nations cuisine and tourism. Slovenia was a part of the festival for the fourth time, which this year went from 27 April to 3 May. Like in 2008 the Slovenian Armed Forces joined together with the fourteen members of the Slovenian community from Cleveland (OH). In the parade of Nations, Slovenia presented a kozolec and Gorenjska ethnic costumes. The Slovenian Princess, was a student from Ohio State University named Maria Sedmak. She is from Cleveland, Ohio and this is her second year as a princess. Walking in front of the float and perched on top were: Pavle and Marija Sedmak, Jan Kocbek, Sonja Kocbek, Matjaž Sedmak, Milan and Breda Ribič, Tine and Helena Ribič, Rok and Beth Ribič and Jovo Mejak; some singing and playing folk songs of Slovenia. The children, Justina and Maja Lampic and Nicholas and Adam Ribic, made the presentation more heart-felt. All Slovenians present were very pleased that the judges evaluating the floats from all twenty-eight nations proclaimed Slovenian's float as the best float; awarding us with the prized title "NATO Cup" winner. Written by: Andrej Kocbek
C.S.U.F., Croatian and Slovenian United Foundation, at the Church of the Nativity Dear Philip, Please access our website http://www.xiongmaofamily.com/martin/NoviGlas/index.html for the April issue of Novi glas issued by CSUF, San Francisco. With regards, Mia Rode, CSUF secretary [email protected]
CROATIAN AND SLOVENIAN UNITED FOUNDATION To retain and maintain The Church of The Nativity of Our Lord, San Francisco, please support Croatian Slovenian United Foundation and become a member in 2009 CSUF Membership Application Form Calendar year Dues - $10 per person Make checks payable to CSUF to: Mira Palihnich, Treasurer 2350 – 31st Avenue San Francisco, CA 94116 Telephone 415-731-0872
The Race Across America 2009 (RAAM) The World's Toughest Bicycle Race, Welcomes an International Field of Elite and Amazing Cyclists RAAM starts June 17, 2009 with a strong field of racers including 4 time winner Jure Robic, past winner Daniel Weiss and the upstart Austrian Christoph Stausser. This year world renowned surfer Laird Hamilton hopes to break a cross continent record with his 3 teammates as does a 4 man team consisting of racers 75 years or older. Boulder, CO (PRWEB) May 7, 2009 -- The Race Across America (RAAM) and the Race Across the West (RAW) are pleased to make the following announcements regarding their ultra-endurance bicycle races beginning June 17, 2009 in Oceanside, California. 24 hours a day – RAAM RAAM is pleased to welcome back the only person to ever win 4 Solo Male RAAM Championships, Jure Robic of Slovenia. Robic's dominance will be challenged this year by several international racers; one time RAAM Champion, Daniel Wyss of Switzerland; Gerhard Gulewicz of Austria who survived a spectacular crash in RAAM 08; Marko Baloh, one of the world's greatest ultra-endurance cyclists who also is a Slovenian national; Navy Seal David Goggins; Julian Sanz Garcia who rode a strong race in 2008; and an Austrian rookie who shows all the promise of becoming a future RAAM Champion - 26 year old Christoph Strasser. In a world of orchestrated events that attempt to manipulate the impression of something spectacular, RAAM delivers the real deal. For 28 years, RAAM has been producing champions from everyday people and the trials and tribulations they endure never fails to intrigue, motivate and inspire all those that cross their path. Regardless of whether they witness firsthand a RAAM team and its entourage of support vehicles racing through their town or by following the progress on the race's official website, raceacrossamerica.org, RAAM creates an energy of its own. While maintaining an extremely competitive perspective, many racers find the desire and ability to utilize RAAM as a forum to raise awareness and funds for the charities and causes that they support. In each of the last three years, RAAM contestants have used the race to raise over $1 million for various charitable causes in the United States, Canada and Europe. In Team RAAM, which starts June 20, 2009 in Oceanside, CA, many interesting teams have signed on to give it their best. In the 4 person division Big wave surfer, Laird Hamilton has again teamed up with Bally Total Fitness founder, Don Wildman, Rage Against The Machine bassist, Tim Commerford and Ironman participant, Jason Winn. This extreme team has more than a world record in their sight, as they are riding to raise awareness and funds for various causes. Wildman, an 8 time Ironman participant, is no stranger to RAAM, having raced in 1994. The 76-year-old picture of health completed a 500-mile journey of standup paddle boarding and cycling in 2006 with Hamilton in an effort to raise awareness for Autism
(nationalautismassociation.org) and Lou Gehrig's disease (alsa.org). Hamilton, referred to by Men's Journal as the "World's Greatest Surfer", is also a co-inventor of tow-in surfing. A long time supporter of Autism, Hamilton will be pedaling for The Beautiful Son Foundation (beautifulsonfoundation.org). California native, Jason Winn is a seasoned athlete who completed his first Ironman Triathlon at age 23. Musician Tim Commerford, who is riding for Hans Rey's "Wheels4life" (wheels4life.org), is known as an obsessive mountain biker who thanks his bikes in the liner notes of his albums. The athletic prowess and inspiration goals of "Team Surf" make them a force to be reckoned with. Not to be outdone by the maturity of Don Wildman is Team Grand Pac Masters, this 4 person entry consisting of Lee Mitchell, Robert Kash, Lew Meyer and Chris Stauffer, are vying to establish a record as the first team aged 75+ to complete RAAM. Also expected to make an impact are two-time 8-Person Team RAAM Champions Team Type 1 and Team ViaSat a perennial frontrunner in the 8-Person division. Many new faces have signed on in the 4 person division and race organizers and fans anxiously wait to see who will emerge as front runners. In 2008 the Race Across the West was introduced, primarily, as an introduction for people not ready for the challenges of a 3,000 mile race. RAW will be contested by racers from Europe, Canada, Australia, South America and the United States. Joining the ranks of Race Across the West racers this year is Gary E Johnson, the Governor of New Mexico from January 1, 1995 to January 1, 2003. Once referred to as the Most Dangerous Politician in America, Mr. Johnson hopes to bring his edge to the sport of ultra-cycling. Mr. Johnson who has competed in approximately 500 sporting events around the world is no stranger to serious athletic endeavors. Asked how he assesses the difficulty involved in competing in the Race Across the West, he said, "It ought to be brutal and yet only 1/3 (the distance) of RAAM, which has always been a dream of mine. I really look forward to competing in RAW which has a finish line at my home in Taos." All races and racers will receive a big send off in Oceanside, California. "Publisher and Funky Dude", Bob Babbitt is expected to deliver his flair as he hosts the start of the men's Solo Race (June 17, 2009) which will also feature a demonstration of the U.S. Navy Parachute Team, "The Leap Frogs." Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/RAAM/2009/prweb2350214.htm
European Drinks Festival The Czech EU Presidency - Czech Consulate General in Chicago, together with the non-profit organization Euro-Chicago and 15 European Consulates participated in the European Drinks Festival which was held on Wednesday April 29, 2009 at the Hotel Sofitel, 22 East Chestnut Street, Chicago
Wines, Beers and Spirits from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, The United Kingdom and more were featured.
The Slovenian booth was co-sponsored by Slovenian distributor Dana Blaze and Slovenian Consulate General. Additional assistance was provided by distributor Joe Ramsak.
Photos provided by Consul General dr Zvone Žigon
Rail Europe Special Promotion Celebrates Eurail's 50th Anniversary Eurail Select Pass available for $125 on raileurope.com
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Rail Europe, the largest distributor of European rail products in North America, launches a rail promotion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Eurail. Starting May 12th at 12:00pm EST, www.RailEurope.com will offer the Eurail Select Pass, at the 1959 price of $125. The Eurail Select Pass offers 5 days of rail travel in 3 bordering countries, within a 2 month period. This unique anniversary price will be offered, while supplies last, at over 70% off the current price of $442.
The promotion celebrates the generations of Americans who have discovered and continue to discover the pleasures of Europe by train. Many baby-boomers are still dusting off their backpacks and boarding European trains in city centers instead of renting cars or taking yet another plane in yet another far-off airport. Youths continue to make their solo travel "rites of passage" by buying Eurail passes and hopping on and off trains to explore Europe.
Eurail Select Passes allow unlimited travel on the national rail networks of 24 bordering countries. Eurail Global Passes offer unlimited travel in any combination of 21 countries. Whichever Eurail pass product, European trains offer independence and indulgence - comfortable and roomy seats, no traffic hassles, luxuries including restaurant cars with great food, chances to socialize in bar cars with locals, and opportunities to drink in incredible scenery on panoramic trains. You can even stay connected through Wi-Fi on many high-speed routes.
Traveling with a Eurail pass from Rail Europe has been one of the most popular options to navigate around Europe for fifty years. Wherever you go, a Eurail pass from Rail Europe will help you make the most of your trip effortlessly, efficiently and economically. There are 23 countries to explore by Eurail Global and/or Eurail Select passes offered by Rail Europe: Austria, Benelux (includes Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland),Bulgaria/Serbia/Montenegro/Croatia/Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
For over 75 years, Rail Europe has been a leader in European travel and believes that the spirit of train travel is about enjoying the simple pleasures, respecting the environment and connecting with people, places and cultures. Rail Europe encourages you to make train travel a part of your European travel experience.
For more information or to book any of Rail Europe's wide range of economical railpasses and point-to-point tickets on trains throughout Europe, consult a travel agent or log on to Rail Europe's web site, www.raileurope.com or call Rail Europe at 1-888-382-7245 (U.S.) or 1-800-361-7245 (Canada).
To book rail for groups of 6 or more, please contact our Group Department at www.raileurope.com/group-travel/group-travel.html Website: http://www.raileurope.com
Festival of Nations River Centre St. Paul MN NORM & MARY ANN SETNICKER [email protected] The Twin Cities Slovenians (SWUA 109) won the “Award of Excellence” at the Festival of Nations held at the River Centre in St. Paul (April 30-May3). This is the largest ethnic Festival held in the United States and historically the longest running. It traditionally draws crowds in excess of 80,000 for the four day event. This award of excellence is given to the top 5 exhibits and is based on the following criteria: theme related, use of technology, interactive activities, exhibit personnel (costumes, demeanor, knowledge) and artistic quality. This year’s theme was entitled “Invention and Transportation” with the idea to draw out how people get around and/or how things work from the cultures One of the centerpoints of the exhibit was Frank Medved’s six-foot plywood replica of “Urban” the Ribnican who peddled his wooden goods throughout central Europe. What made our “Ribnican special was that the face was hinged so that the school children could pose with their face and the body of the Ribnican. This made the display more interactive for students. Our last minute insert for the exhibit proved to be very popular for the adults- a detailed picture and replica of the oldest wooden wheel ever found in the world (between 5100-5350 years old).It was discovered in the Ljubljana marshes of Slovenia. Yul Yost, our “ Slovenian Renaissance man”, made contact with Dr. Anton Veluscek of the Archeology Institute of Slovenia and produced a wooden replica of this amazing discovery. This was probably the first time that this picture and replica were displayed together in such a public setting. The third piece of our exhibit used our traditional background panels of the Slovenian landscape with pictures of prominent Slovenian inventors, scholars and scientists in the foreground noting their primary accomplishments. Also in the foreground was a 32 inch TV monitor with a continuous playing DVD illustrating innovative Slovenians along with prominent Slovenian Americans who had made significant contributions to Invention and Transportation. Another unique feature of our exhibit was an attempt to have students become more interactive with the theme of the Festival. Two thousand “baseball size” cards picturing Slovenian scientists, scholars and inventors were handed out to students. Enscribed on the cards was our website: www.twincitiesslovenians.org with the idea that students could visit the website and learn more about these prominent Slovenians and their contributions to the world. As with last year’s Festival theme of “Art and Architecture”, this year’s theme created more involvement for our “young” Branch 109 and the “Award of Excellence is a credit to the many people who worked in the exhibit stamping “passports”, greeting people in Slovenian, writing first names in Slovenian, passing out literature and responding to the many questions from students and adults. Special thanks to the following : Mary Medved, chairperson, Frank Medved( DVD and Ribnican replica), Jeff Martinka ( research), Ann Slavec (prominent Slovenians “baseball” cards; Sue Rademacher and Tom Moren( artists/setup), Yul Yost (oldest wooden wheel replica/ research); Andy Percic(transportation/ storage) Yvonne and Al McComber ( TV monitor), and Mary Schwanke (website design). For more details on our Festival of Nations exhibit please check our website: www.twincitiesslovenians.org .
Taborjenje 2009 Dear Slovenian School and Pristava Member Families, Camp Pristava is scheduled for Monday July 20, 2009 through Saturday, July, 25, 2009 at Slovenska Pristava. Registration will begin Monday, July 20th at 10:00 am and pick up will be on Saturday July 25th at 12 noon. Please note that Camp Pristava was shortened by one day this year due to the fact that a Slovenian musician will be having a concert at Slovenska Pristava starting at 4 p.m. that day. In addition, some of the counselors will be leaving on Sunday morning for a Kres performance. Andrej Mejak will be the Head Counselor and Paul Sedmak will be Assistant Head Counselor. Any questions should be directed to [email protected] Since this is a volunteer based camp, each family is required to volunteer a couple of hours of their time. Volunteer sign ups are attached. The Fees for Taborjenje 2009 are as follows: 1st child $150.00
There will be no Junior Camp this year. Our current Junior Camp director will be suspended this year. We were unable to find a replacement, and due to the shortened week we decided to forego having a Junior Camp. We would still encourage our junior campers to come on Friday and camp out with their parents, however, there will be no organized activities and you will be on your own for food. If there is a parent interested in reviving Junior Camp for this year, then please contact [email protected]. We apologize for the inconvenience. Donations, whether in cash or otherwise, are always welcome and greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. Registration forms, General Release, and Medical Authorization Forms must be completed and sent to the secretary, Claudia Znidarsic, by June 20, 2009. We are limiting our camp to 60 campers. Forms are to be mailed to:
Claudia Znidarsic c/o Andrej Mejak
18117 Schenely Ave Cleveland, Ohio 44119
Sincerely, Taborjenje 2009 Committee Camp Core is for teens that have completed 9th or 10th grade. Please contact Andrej Mejak if interested at [email protected]. The fee for Camp Core is $50 per person for the week. Camp core and Counselors must fill out forms as well.
Europe Week, a week long celebration of Europe, and its transatlantic partnership, across the United States with concerts, exhibitions, performances, and other activities presented by a wide range of embassies, consulates, universities, organizations and institutions. From May 9 - May 16, 2009. Programs available at www.eurunion.org/EUinUS.
Europe Week at the Embassy of Slovenia: Washington DC May 12, 7PM Američanke / 100% Slovenian Documentary film on the personal, intimate experiences of European immigrants to the U.S, offering the story about American women of Slovenian origin. Screenplay by Miriam Milharčič Hladnik. May 14, 7PM Rooster’s Breakfast,(slo: Petelinji zajtrk) Slovenian blockbuster feature film, a love story, set in a small town, where characters have their own hidden passions, which set up a start to dramatic events. Written and directed by Marko Naberšnik. Screenings are free and open to the public.
Newsletter May 8, 2009 Page 1
Your online connection to everything Slovenian all around the world.
President Türk Appoints Ambassador to US
Ljubljana, 6 May - Slovenian President Danilo Türk on Wednesday appointed Roman Kirn Slovenia's new ambassador to the United States. Ambassador Kirn, who served as Slovenia's ambassador to the UN from 2002 to 2006, will also cover Mexico.
Minister Žbogar with Ambassador Kirn
Mr. Kirn, who will arrive to Washington, D.C. on Thursday, May 14, 2009, began his professional diplomatic career at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of SFR Yugoslavia in 1977 and has served as a diplomat ever since. Before his appointnemt as Ambassador to the UN, he served for two years (2000-2002) as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna. Mr. Kirn was also a co-founder of a joint Slovenian-US project, the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) in Southeast Europe. Prior to his appointment as ambassador to
the United States, he served as the Director of the Department of North and Latin America and the Caribbean at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was, during Slovenian EU Presidency, in charge of transatlantic relations and preparations of the EU-US Summit, held in Slovenia in June 2008.
These are just few important achievements in his rich and diverse diplomatic carreer for which he is considered one of the most experienced Slovenian diplomats and an expert in bilateral, multilateral and European affairs.
Upcoming Presidency: Slovenia to Chair the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Strasbourg, May 8, 2009 – After Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2008, Slovenia faces a new challenge: Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the
Council of Europe, which will begin on May 12th and will last until November 18th, 2009. The chairmanship, which rotates in alphabetical order of member states, will be passed from Spain in May and handed over to Switzerland in November this year.
www.washington.embassy.si
EventsEvents
May 9 – EU Open House. EU Embassies and EU Commission open their door to general public for the third year in a row. Washington, D.C., from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. Free bus shuttles provided.
EUROPE WEEK May 9 – 16 :
May 12 – Američanke / 100% SlovenianDocumentary film on the personal, intimate experiences of European immigrants to the U.S. Embassy of Slovenia, 7 pm, free & open to public.
May 14 – Rooster’s Breakfast / Petelinji zajtrkSlovenian film featuring a humoros love story with small-town protagonists harboring hidden passions. Embassy of Slovenia, 7 pm, free & open to public.
The priorities of the Slovenian chairmanship of the oldest pan-European international organization have been defined in accordance with the commitments made at the Third Council of Europe Summit held in Warsaw in 2005. The program places special emphasis on children and education on children's rights; the Roma; bioethics and biomedicine; and the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Southeast Europe, the Caucasus, and Belarus.
Dr. Ernest Petrič Becomes President of the UN Commission on
International Law
Ljubljana, May 5, 2009 - The 61st session of the United Nations Commission on International Law, on Monday, May 4, elected Dr. Ernest Petrič as the President of the Commission.
The International Law Commission has 34 members who are recognized experts in the field of international law. The Commission is a body of the United Nations General Assembly, with the goal to promote the progressive development of international law and its codification. It’s headquarters is in Geneva. The President of the Commission each year reports on its work and achievements to the UN General Assembly.
Dr. Petrič also remains the Slovenian candidate in elections of Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei´s term of office expires on November 30, 2009.
A bipartisan organization of distinguished leaders in the United States has voiced strong support for the IAEA´s work for safe, secure and peaceful nuclear development.
ZARJA - The Dawn Celebrates 80 Years
The year 2009 marks 80 years since Zarja the Dawn, the official publication of the Slovenian Women’s Union of America (SWUA) has been in continuous circulation. In July 1929, SWUA members began receiving this popular publication, filled with informative and educational information of interest to its new Slovenian immigrants. In recognition of this historic achievement, Zarja The Dawn and the Slovenian Heritage Museum have planned a two-day event, ”Let’s Feel Slovenia”.
For Friday June 19, events are scheduled in Joliet, IL, at St. Joseph’s Church and the Slovenian Heritage Museum. On Saturday June 20, events will take place at the Slovenian Catholic Center in Lemont, IL. The activities will be bringing together Slovenian cultural and religious traditions, food, music, drink, language, customs, and dancing. Attending will be 3 guests from Slovenia! ALL ARE INVITED. ALL FORMS and DETAILED INFORMATION on these events can be obtained from the SWUA web site, www.swua.org/.
Slovenian Tourist BoardWorkshop and Press
Event in New York City
On the 12th of May, starting at 10 am, a presentation and workshop on Slovenia’s tourism, followed by a luncheon, will take place at Club 21 in New York City.
Official logo of STO
At the event, you can learn about new tourist offers for the 2009-10 season and aboutSlovenian tourist attractions -from seaside promenades and world-class ski slopes to hikingin the beautiful Julian Alps or visiting fascinating caves. In Slovenia, one can get from a lunch in a rustic village pub to a trendy café in the center of a thriving university city, filled with modern architecture and avant-garde attractions, withinan hour.
Besides that, the story of the Soča River Valley will be told. Soča River is one of Slovenia’s jewels. It is said that the Soča River stirs something deep inside people as it winds its way through the Julian Alps and Triglav National Park to the Adriatic Sea.
In Club 21, you can meet key representatives of Slovenian tourist agencies and local experts presenting the latest information for designing idealtrips to Slovenia. For more information, please [email protected]
Washignton, May 5 – At a joint press conference, Ambassador John Bruton, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission, together with Euronews Chairman Phillipe Cayla and MHz CEO Frederick Thomas, officialy announced the launching of Euronews Channel in Washington, D.C.
In the past year, Euronews featured daily newscasts on MHz Network 1 (MHz Worldview DC), and on April 14, 2009, began broadcasting full-time (24/7) channel via MHz Networks 10 on Comcast cable (channel 280). Euronews will also broadcast throughout the spring and summer on Cox, RCN and Verizon FiOS and begin transmitting “on air” on June 12.
Launched in January 1993, Euronews covers world affairs from a European perspective. Euronews is broadcast 24 hours a day, simultaneously in eight languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. Euronews is broadcast all over the world, reaching 256 million households in 144 countries by cable, digital satellite and terrestrial distribution. In Europe, Euronews is the most - distributed and most-watched international news channel.
The channel web site (www.euronews.net) complements on-air newscasts with round-the-clock news in the same eight languages.
The launch of Euronews coincides with the 30th anniversary of the election of
the European Parliament. This year's election (June 4-7) will be covered extensively by Euronews.
Europe Week
From May 9 to May 16, 2009, the Delegation of the European Commission and the Embassies of the Member States of teh European Union will sponsor a series of events, celebrating the translatlantic partnership with the U.S. and more than 50 years of peace, prosperity, and freedom in the EU.
The EU representations have prepared a rich program of events, including speeches, seminars and workshops on EU issues, film screening, concerts and cultural events related to the Europena Union or one of the member states. For programs, visit www.eurounion.org
Slovenian Embassy invites you to celebrate the Europe Week by attending a screening of the documentary film Američanke / 100% Slovenian on Tuesday, May 12, and a Slovenian feature film Rooster’s Breakfast (Petelinji zajtrk) on Thursday, May 14, both days at 7 pm.
The documentary film Američanke / 100% Slovenian, written by Mirjam Milharčič Hladnik, in a humorous yet down-to-earth fashion digs out some big questions: what is national identity and why is it still such an important issue in this multicultural world we live in.
Rooster's Breakfast (Petelinji zajtrk) is a love story, set in a small town, almost a village, where the tranquil life is disturbed by the arrival of a beautiful brunette, Bronja,
who is married to Lepec, the local ruffian and pimp.
Djuro, a local mechanic apprentice, and Bronja start a risky love affair that does not stay unnoticed. Rooster's Breakfast received numerous awards at the 10th Slovenian Film festival. Visit http://www.petelinjizajtrk.com
Slovenian Dancer Tadej Brdnik at the
Martha Graham Dance Company
Slovenian dancer Tadej Brdnik, who is principal dancer and special project coordinator at this dance company, will perform with the Martha Graham Dance Company, at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, Tuesday, May 12 – Saturday, May 16.
Founded in 1926, the Martha Graham Dance Company is
the oldest and most celebrated contemporary dance company in America. The acclaimed company will be performing two programs of Graham's classics. For more information and tickets see www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu
The International Year of Astronomy 2009
Washington, D.C., May 7 – Slovenian Embassy marked the International Year of Astronomy with an extremely interesting and stimulating lecture by Dr. Andrej Prša, Slovenian scientist at Villanova University.
The lecture A Short Stroll Through the Universe presented the universe through the scales of the universe from one centimeter to several million light years and introduced celestial bodies that are found at those scales.
stamps required, changed their names to that of Slovenia's...prime minister at the time, Janez Janša.
Works exhibited in this show at Location One in New York on May 7 (www.location1.org) (valid ID cards, passports, credit and bank cards, driving licenses, birth and marriage certificates, and so on) are generated by the reality itself. Through turning around the classical relational scheme
between art and life Janez Janša, Janez Janša and Janez Janša have cut right in the midst of their own realities and the reality of space and
EU Open House:Celebration of
Europe Day
On May 9, 2009, diplomatic representations of EU Member States in the United States will celebrate Europe Day.
Europe Day celebrates the first move towards the creation of what is now known as the European Union. It was on May 9, 1950 when the FrenchForeign Minister Robert Schuman presented the Declaration for “the first concrete foundation of a European federation”.
EU representations in Washington D.C., together with the EU Commission, mark the day by organizing annually the EU Open House day, under the slogan Shortcut to Europe.
The EU Open House event will take place on May 9, 2009, from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. Free bus shuttles to take you from one embassy to another will be provided. You can view the routes on the official website www.europe-in-dc.com/.
Program at the SlovenianEmbassy:
See you on Saturday, May 9!
www.washington.embassy.si
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Join us for an exciting journey through Slovenia: enjoy the Slovenian fine artists’ exhibit MoveMoment; experience the contemporary video art Transpositions by Nataša Prosenc, Slovenian artist residing in Los Angeles; learn about the Idrija bobbin lace making and explore the Ambassador’s residence, while musician Michael Rubin brings you two hours of cheerful Slovenian tunes on accordion (11 am and 1 pm). Engage in discussions with Slovenian diplomats and browse the informational brochures, while tasting the typical Slovenian dessert - potica.
