EMBASSY NEWSLETTER

June 10, 2011 FIRST PAGE STORY Ambassador Kirn Visits Colorado In the first part of his visit to Colorado, Ambassador Kirn visited Pueblo, a historic Slovenian settlement in the U.S.

• AMBASSADOR KIRN VISITS COLORADO • SKI COMPETITION ON MANAGART • HC PULSIPHER PLANTS A LINDEN TREE • POTRČ AMONG WORLD TOP 10 MODERN ARTISTS Ambassador Kirn presenting a Cerificate of Merit to former Honorary Consul Mr. Ray Kogovsek • MAJORITY AGAINST During a ceremonial breakfast held at the Pueblo ON REFERENDUMS Convention Center, Ambassador Kirn honored our former • ART RECEPTION FOR Honorary Consul Mr. Ray Kogovsek with a Certificate of JAPAN Merit. For the past twelve years, Mr. Kogovsek has done a • TO DO LIST formidable work fostering relations between Colorado and and providing exemplary exposure for Slovenia not just in Colorado but throughout the United States. On this occasion, Mr. and Mrs. Kogovsek donated two $10.000 scholarships for students at the University of to study at the Colorado State University - Pueblo Business School. The Embassy of Slovenia 2410 California Street, NW Embassy of Slovenia would like to express sincere gratitude to Washington, D.C. 20008, USA Mr. and Mrs. Kogovsek for their donation and to Mr. Kogovsek T: +1202 386 66 01 www.washington.embassy.si for his devoted work as Honorary Consul. As part of the activities organized to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Slovenian declaration of independence, Ambassador Kirn planted a Slovenian linden tree in front of St. Mary’s Slovenian Church in Pueblo, which is dedicated to the preservation of church history and its Slovenian heritage. Ambassador Kirn will continue his visit in Denver where he will open an Honorary Consulate, headed by our Honorary Consul Mr. Srečko Vidmar. In addition, he will meet with a group of Colorado business executives from clean technology and ski industries, open the 10th Mountain Division Race exhibit and give a lecture at the University of Ambassador Kirn planting linden tree with Mr. Ray Colorado in Boulder. Kogovsek and Mr. Rudy Krasevec, President of KSKJ. SPORT Ski competition on Mangart recalls one in 1945 The ceremony in the town of held on the eve of the competition was addressed by Defence Minister Dr. Ljubica Jelušič and U.S. Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli, while Chief-of-Staff, Maj.Gen. Alojz Steiner, also attended. Following the border agreement of May 9, 1945, based on which a temporary border between Italy and Yugoslavia (later known as the Morgan Line) was set up, the 10th Mountain Division occupied the area of Kobarid, Žaga, Bovec, and the Weissenfelser lakes area. Their mission was to prevent a possible advance of the Yugoslav forces into the Italian territory. Despite the tense atmosphere, the division organized a giant slalom competition on June 3, 1945. While 76 soldiers competed On June 4, the municipality of Bovec in the event, only 25 made it to the finish line remembered the activities of the allied 10th due to difficulties with ski equipment and Mountain Division in the Posočje area between terrain. 1945 and 1947. The main event was Saturday Events related to the American skiing competition at Mangart, similar to the occupation are little known to Slovenians, one the American soldiers organized in 1945. the president of the Slovenian Federation June 3, 2011 2 of Mountain Soldiers, retired Brigadier Janez Kavar, said in explaining the reasons for organizing the event in which some American war veterans also took part. Kavar said he had stumbled on the subject by chance during his studies in the U.S. and then began researching it. Along with the ski competition, an exhibition at the fort of Kluže was opened and a film on the American 10th Mountain Division was screened.

20. ANNIVERSARY Honorary Consul Pulsipher Plants a Linden Tree

The Slovenian Honorary Consul in Tennessee, Dr. Lydia Mihelič Pulsipher planted a linden tree to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the declaration of Slovenian independence. The joyful event gathered more then 50 Slovenes and friends of Slovenia who sang the Slovenian national anthem and raised the national flag. The small celebration offered many Slovenian dishes, and the many little children had a jolly time “stealing” Honorary Consul’s Slovene raspberries from bushes donated by Slovene friends in Ohio about three years ago.

20. ANNIVERSARY Experience of Slovenian Independence Dear readers: To celebrate the 20. Slovenian declaration of independence and anniversary of the declaration of Slovenian the process of gaining Slovenian statehood. independence, we invite you to send us short Please send your contributions (not more than 350 words) reminiscences about to: [email protected], with the subject title My how you experienced, wherever you were, the experience of Slovenian independence.

June 3, 2011 3 CULTURE

Potrč among World Top 10 Modern Artists In the last edition of the Newsweek “Potrč … was born in 1953 in , magazine, Blake Gopnik, former art critic Slovenia, where she still lives. She got her start of The Washington Post, named the most in architecture, but began making building- important modern artist in the world. Among themed art about 15 years ago.” them, Slovenian artist Marjetica Potrč. “A typical Potrč begins with a structure or situation she finds in a distant place—say, Venezuela or Rajasthan, India—then tweaks to make more livable. ‘We should respect people in favelas, and learn from them, and their living conditions,’ says Potrč. “Other work comes closer to sculpture, as she mashes up constructions: in a big installation at MIT called Hybrid House, Potrč set down a wild building that hybridized features of buildings from Caracas, the West Bank, and West Palm Beach. By colliding three such different Marjetica Potrč visions, Potrč achieves a surrealist edge that also embraces the real.” The article “She builds better worlds” describes some of Marjetica’s important art: “She’s built dry toilets for Latin American slums and promoted a water jug for Africa that can also absorb the force of land mines. She’s taken the idea that art can change the world and made it come true. Sure, her art- world actions don’t do that much actual good. Instead, they do what art does best: they talk about how the world might be better,” says the article.

“‘I believe in art. People need art to negotiate their world,’ Potrč says.”

June 3, 2011 4 POLITICS Great Majority Against on Referendums Slovenians voted overwhelmingly The turnout stood at 40.19%. against all three government-sponsored pieces Rating firm Standard & Poor’s has of legislation in Sunday’s triple referendum preserved Slovenia’s long-term and short- with over 70% of the vote in opposition, term credit ratings at AA and A-1+ despite unofficial results from the National Electoral the rejection of the government’s pension Commission show after all ballots except those reform in Sunday’s referendum. While sent by mail have been counted. prospects remain negative, S&P argues In the referendum on the pension future ratings for Slovenia will be linked to reform, 27.82% voted “yes” and 72.18% budgetary consolidation in difficult political voted “no” with 0.46% of the ballot invalid. circumstances. The turnout stood at 40.24%. The agency noted that the negative The changes to the prevention of outlook reflects the possibility of a downgrade undeclared work were voted down most should the general government debt burden decisively with 75.54% of the vote against and fail to stabilize because of the failure to comply 24.46% of for with 0.73% invalid ballots. The with budgetary targets. turnout was 40.22%. The agency, moreover, noted that given Meanwhile, 71.01% voted against and the one-year moratorium after referendum 28.99% for changes to the archives law aimed decisions and the general election scheduled at restricting access to the intelligence archives for 2012, a new attempt at reforming the of the Communist-era Office of State Security pension system will probably not take place (SDV). Here 1.60% of the vote was invalid. before early 2013.

CULTURE Art Reception for Japan On June 8, 2011, the Embassy of Slovenia hosted an Art reception to benefit Japanese disaster victims, hosted by Beverly Burke, Edward Gingold and Bruce McBarnette. Visitors were greated by Maša Šiftar de Arzu, Cultural Attache at the Embassy. At the reception, several talented artists exhibited their work: Dana Ellyn, Linda Lowery, Myra Maslowsky, Nancy Scheinman, Matt Sesow and Isabelle Spicer. A portion of the proceeds from admission and art sale went to Sukyo Mahikari, who will devote the funds to help Japanese disaster victims. Mrs. Šiftar de Arzu with Mr. McBarnette

June 3, 2011 5 lIST OF EVENTS List To Do 1. Slovenia in US - Opening of the exhibition Photographer and film producer Alenka Slavinec’s exhibition SLOVENIA IN US is a story of love, peace and courage, the main characters of which are the world - renowned Lipizzaner horses, who are deeply interlinked with Slovenian identity and cultural heritage. Each of the 20 exhibited photos represents one year of Slovenian existence as an independent country, from its declaration of independence in 1991 to the present. When: Tuesday, June 14 · 7:00pm - 10:30pm Where: Gallery MC, 549 West 52nd Street, 8th Floor (Between 10th and 11th Ave), NY, NY 2. Bogdan Grom Exhibit Martin Hicks Gallery at the Belskie Museum of Art & Science in Closter, NJ proudly presents an exhibition featuring the work of internationally-renowned Slovenain artist BOGDAN GROM. When: June 5-26, 2011 Where: The Belskie Museum, 280 High Street Closter, NJ 07624 3. Wine Tour in Slovenia The tour leaders from Knoxville, Lydia Pulsipher, Professor of Geography, author, and Honorary Consul for the Republic of Slovenia, and her husband, Mac Goodwin, archaeologist, author, and a lover of Slovene wines for over 18 years are organizing a Slovenian Wine Tour. Together with friends of Slovenia they will visit several vineyards and winemakers When: October 16 through October 28, 2011 More info: http://web.me.com/macgoodwin/Wine_Tour_in_Slovenia/Slovenia_Wine_ Tour.htmlor contact: [email protected] 4. Welcome Home 2011 For the 20th Anniversary of Slovenia’s Independence, various events will take place both in Slovenia and around the world. One of the biggest events will be the WELCOME HOME event, a Slovenian get-together, which will be held in Ljubljana. Because this year Slovenia wants to be particularly generous to all who are connected with it in any way, special discounts for Slovenes around the world and their friends are offered at www. slovenia.info/homecoming. Don’t miss the Book&Buy offers of the HomeComing project, which are available all year round. You can also search for information about your visit and test your knowledge about Slovenia in an interactive quiz. Check. Visit. Tell your friends. This year, you have even more reasons to do so. When: July 1, 2011 Where: Ljubljana, Slovenia More info: www.slovenia.info/homecoming. Detailed information regarding Welcome Home event is available on: http://www.slovenia. info/homecoming.

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: [email protected], Editors: Maša Šiftar de Arzu, Neja Brglez June 3, 2011 6