EMBASSY NEWSLETTER

November 25, 2011 The Society for Slovene studies The Society for Slovene studies (SSS) is a scholarly, nonprofi t organization dedicated to fostering closer communication among scholars interested in Slovene studies.

• THE SOCIETY FOR SLOVENE STUDIES • POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS • ANDREJ JERMAN, THE BEST SLOVENIAN SKIER • TRŽIČ – A TOWN WHERE NATURE AND The Society was founded in 1973 as a society of academics TRADITION GO HAND committed to the promotion of Slovene studies in the and Canada, but has grown into an internationally IN HAND recognized association of scholars with members in many • REFERENDUM countries of the world. Since 1979, the society, now based at the INITIATIVE Bowling Green State University in Ohio, has been publishing • “BETTER Slovene Studies: Journal of the Society for Slovene Studies, COMPUTERS FOR which is designed to be a forum for the expression of a variety BETTER PEOPLE” of scholarly viewpoints on problems of Slovene literature, • LIST TO DO linguistics, history, ethnography, and all other areas in the Slovene social sciences, humanities and fi ne arts. Embassy of Slovenia SSS also publishes a twice-yearly newsletter, book reviews and 2410 Street, NW other materials. Moreover, it awards two student prizes each year: the Washington, D.C. 20008, USA T: +1 202 386 66 01 Rado L. Lencek Graduate Student Prize and the Joseph Velikonja E: [email protected] Undergraduate Essay Prize. More about the Society’s abundant www.washington.embassy.si activities can be read at its web page: http://www.slovenestudies.com. At this year’s national convention of the Association of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies in Washington (17–20 Nov), the SSS organized 10 Slovene-themed panel sessions. On Thursday, November 17, Ambassador Roman Kirn participated together with Charles Bukowski from Bradley University; Michael Morrow, offi ce director of Central European Affairs at the U.S. State Department, and James Gow from King’s College in London, as a discussant in the roundtable on Twenty Years of Slovenian Foreign Policy: Past Accomplishments and On Friday, November 18, Ambassador Future Challenges. Kirn hosted a reception at the Embassy of Slovenia, where the president of SSS, Timothy Pogacar, announced the society’s long-term project for establishing a research center for Slovene Studies in the United States. On this occasion, the ambassador also delivered to Dr. Leopoldina Plut-Pregelj and Mr. Vladimir Pregelj certifi cates of merit awarded by Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Žbogar in recognition of their unwavering support of Slovenia on its path to independence and their engagement in the efforts to achieve its international recognition.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PostDoctoral Fellowships The ACHIEVE Research Partnership The program has two main foci: released a call for applications named: Action Population Health and Health Services for Health Equity Interventions. ACHIEVE Interventions Research and Community is aimed to equip new researchers with the Engagement, Partnerships, and Knowledge competencies necessary for closing the Translation. The deadline for submission of gap between measuring inner city health applications is February 13, 2012. inequities and reducing them. More information can be found at: www.crich.ca/education.php November 25, 2011 2 SPORT Andrej Jerman, the Best Slovenian Skier Andrej Jerman (33) is the best Slovenian downhill skier ever. He was born and raised in the alpine town of Tržič, where he still lives with his wife Simona. ‘Jerry’, as his ski colleagues nicknamed him, has stopped by the embassy while he was heading to Canada for the fi rst offi cial ski training and, later on, his fi rst competition of this season. He had cup of tea and a pleasant conversation with Maša Šiftar de Arzu.

Partenkirchen, Germany, in 2007, which was also the fi rst Slovenian downhill medal ever and the 50th altogether in all ski disciplines. The other memorable victory was also the downhill in , , in 2009. What is ahead of you in the next month? First, we have fi ve days of training in Alberta, Canada. After that, we have two competitions in downhill and Super G at Lake Louise, Canada, and two more at the beginning of December in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Andrej, when did you realize you were going to At such high level of sport, competitors come be a downhill skier? from all over the world. Are you close to any American I started skiing when I was fi ve. My dad was skier? a mountain rescue service member and he Like in other spheres of life, there are also in regularly took my brother Izidor and me to skiing some with whom you connect better the closest ski center Zelenica. So, I kind of than with others. We have a good relationship grew into it. When I won the silver medal in with the American skier Marco Sullivan. super G in Junior World Championship in What are your expectations for this season? 1998 and sixth place in downhill, I knew – this That is always hard to say. In this sport, there was it. And that I would stick with this career. are eight months of physical preparation and Which is the sweetest accomplishment in your only four months of competition. In the career? recent eight months, I put a lot of effort in My fi rst gold medal in downhill in Garmisch dry land training in order to be well prepared November 25, 2011 3 physically, but until you are on skis, you can’t accomplishment is the U.S. submarine really say how well prepared you are. Abraham Lincoln. What are your goals in the future? How does your sport infl uence your life, for To be in the top three in World championship example, in the choice of food? in downhill and to compete in Winter Olympic (Laughter) Well, I love to eat well and a lot! Games 2014 in Sochi, Russia. And I love soups! You have competed in the last three Winter Is there any message you want to share with the . Is it a special feeling for a sportsman newsletter’s readership? to compete in them? I invite all of them to visit Slovenia in winter Not for me. They are more political games. time. Slovenia is most beautiful when there is There are so many limitations and so much snow. And stop in Tržič [Andrej’s hometown] security. I have a feeling that the athletes are and visit the Košuta Mountain! in Plan B. You travel a lot. Do you have any contacts with Slovenians living abroad, especially in the United States? Usually, there is not much time. But I have been invited to dinner in Colorado once. The host was Mr. Košir from Cleveland. It was very pleasant. I assume there is very little private time in your kind of career. Do you have any non-snow-related hobby? I like to assemble models. My latest

TOURISM TRŽIČ – A Town Where Nature and Tradition Go Hand In Hand

Tržič is a town and municipality in the northern part of Slovenia. Its origins as a settlement date back to Roman times when a village sprang up near the road connecting Roman cities Emona (Ljubljana) and Virunum in the Gosposvetsko Field. The settlement was destroyed by a landslide caused by an earthquake, and people moved to the present location lower down the valley. The new settlement, called

November 25, 2011 4 Neumarktl, was granted market rights in 1492. Its location at the confl uence of the Tržiška Bistrica and the Mošenik rivers enabled further development of leather, wood, and textile industries. In 1811, Tržič was hit by a devastating fi re, spurring the introduction of iron doors and window shutters, which made the town unique in Europe. Walking through the old town, you can also visit the Tržič Museum, a mammoth hunters collection, the house of Vojteh Kurnik, a famous poet from Tržič, and observe the local architectural features such as a “nosy window”. The old town is protected as a cultural heritage object and is one of the The Dovžan Gorge is a worldwide main historic attractions in the municipality. known palaeontologic site where fossils and various minerals can be found along the path by the river. The busiest time in the gorge is May when collectors gather at The International Days of Minerals, Fossils and Environment – MINFOS, one of the biggest European international exhibitions of minerals and fossils. The most popular event in Tržič is the Shoemakers’ Sunday. It takes place every fi rst Sunday in September (“angels’ Sunday”), remembering a tradition when, More than 75 percent of Tržič in the past, shoemaker’s apprentices were municipality is forested, and its location at the promoted to assistants and the day ended foothills of the Košuta mountain range offers with a fair and a public festivity. The main many opportunities for peaceful retreat. event nowadays remains the fair of a variety Mountaineering and skiing are widely popular of goods, accompanied by crafts exhibitions, in Tržič. Every year more visitors are attracted performances, and culinary specialties of the by lush forests, waterfalls and picturesque area. mountains, with numerous huts and cabins There are many other small gems worth offering accommodation and local food. visiting in Tržič and we invite you to fi nd out Zelenica is a local ski center where the more about them at: http://www.trzic.si/ best Slovenian ski racer, Bojan Križaj, and the dozivite_en.aspx. best Slovenian downhill racer, Andrej Jerman, started their careers. November 25, 2011 5 BUSINESS “Better Computers for Better People” Jernej Barbič is a Slovenian scientist, university is very comprehensive and of very mathematician and computer expert. He high quality. They have become top experts in walked a long path from his home in Most computer science that have their place in the na Soči in Slovenia to fi nish his doctorate at computer elite. the Carnegie Mellon University. He was later picked out of 400 applicants to be a professor at the University of Southern California. The MIT Technology Review named him one of the 35 most successful innovators younger then 35 years of age (something also Mark Zuckerberg was named some time ago), for his innovations in computer graphics which can be used in the fi lm industry. Jernej Barbič likes solving practical problems, especially those that help contribute to changes for the better. The study at his

ANNOUNCEMENTS Referendum Initiative An initiative for the collection of citizen’s the referendum must bring the form, along signatures for conducting a referendum with a personal identifi cation document to on the Act Amending the Ownership the Embassy of Slovenia in Washington Transformation of the Lottery Slovenia Act or respective Consulate General either in has been submitted to the National Assembly Cleveland or New York, and sign it in person of Slovenia. The signatures will be collected in front of the consular representative. from November 17, 2011 until December The form must be mailed to Nacionalni 21, 2011. Every Slovenian citizen can give, svet invalidskih organizacij Slovenije, on the appropriate form. one signature to Linhartova 1, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. It can support the initiative and send the form to be obtained at the Embassy’s website: http:// the National Council of Disabled People’s washington.embassy.si/. Please call (202) 386 Organization of Slovenia. 6610 to set up an appointment for submitting Slovenian citizens temporarily or the signature at the Embassy of Slovenia in permanently residing in the United States Washington, DC. who would like to support the initiative for

November 25, 2011 6 LIST OF EVENTS List To Do

1. The European Career Fair in Boston The 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, 2012 Where: (MIT campus, Cambridge, MA) More information: www.euro-career.com

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, 2011 Where: Embassy of Slovenia, 2410 California St., NW, Washington, DC 20008 More info: (202) 386-6601

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], Editor: Maša Šiftar de Arzu November 25, 2011 7