Round table about Human Limits In This Issue On Monday, October 25, the embassy hosted a salon evening and discussion titled “Human Limits” in cooperation with Parley Creative Group. -Round table about Exploring the life-experiences and careers of four Human Limits individuals who challenge the boundaries of the human condition in their work, the discussion ranged from - Elects First questions of culture and tradition to the ways in which Black Mayor in Slovenia information technology is changing humanity, to the nature of being dedicated to one’s craft, to what makes good art good. - Gar y Bukovnik’s Show

- Interview Series: Nika Kljun

- AFI Film Showcase

- Public Tender for 2011

- Announcements

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- List of events: Panelists (from left): Varvn Aryacetas, Annie Kielman, Audrey Matthias and Nika Kljun. The panelists included celebrity Slovenian dancer Nika - Kids Euro Festival Kljun, technology strategy consultant Varvn Aryacetas, social media specialist Audrey Matthias, and artist Annie Kielman. - Slovene Languag e The panel was moderated by Max Fowler Cohen of Course in Parley Creative Group. The audience, which numbered about forty people, was encouraged to participate actively in the discussion, and had - ’s quite a few questions for the panelists. Necropolis After the discussion, panelists and audience members mixed and mingled, and enjoyed desserts and wine before heading home for the evening.

Embassy Newsletter Page 1 October 29, 2010 POLITICS Piran Elects First Black Mayor in Slovenia The coastal town of Piran elected the first black mayor in Slovenia’s history - Peter Bossman, the 54-year-old physician. Born in in 1955, Bossman moved to Slovenia in the 1970s when he won a scholarship to study in the former Yugoslavia. He was elected to the Piran City Council in 1998 and also held a term as president of the local community of Lucija, a part of the Piran municipality. Bossman, who ran as Social Democrat (SD) - the ruling party at the national level - won what has been dubbed the “battle of doctors” against Gantar of the local Piran-Is-Ours party. “I am happy and proud. The people have won. I based my campaign on dialogue and I think dialogue has won,” Bossman, popularly referred to as the “Obama of Piran”, told the press. Peter Bossman.

Culture Gary Bukovnik’s Show in San Francisco On October 21, Caldwell Gallery in San Francisco opened a new exhibition of works by American-Slovene Gary Bukovnik. Over 60 members of the Slovenian community gathered for the special pre exhibition party celebrating Gary’s newest work. One of the highlights of the evening was Gary’s entertaining dialogue with the group detailing how he paints, how he got his start, and insights into the life of this creative genius. Earlier this year, Gary Bukovnik exhibited at the Embassy of Slovenia. Afterwards, he exhibited at the Slovenian Museum in Cleveland, OH, than in Japan. Gray Bukovnik. From Japan, his watercolors went to Idrija and Beltinci in Slovenia. Embassy Newsletter Page 2 October 29, 2010 Interview Series: Nika Kljun Slovenian professional dancer Nika choreographer and pedagogue. I teach at my Kljun gave a performance at this year’s Kids parents’ dance school -- Bolero -- where I Euro Festival (KEF) in Washington with her am a leading teacher of hip-hop. I also hold personal style, influenced by hip-hop and classes in different parts of the world. modern dance, Nika prepared a very modern and energetic dance show. With a whirling mix of movement and choreography she had the audience on their feet. They had the opportunity to try some moves of their own during the workshop with Nika after the show. The dance show took place on three different stages: at the Austrian Forum at the Embassy of Austria, at the Washington Ballet, and at the Kennedy Center.

Nika with kids from the KEF workshop. What does your everyday practice look like, how many hours per day do you devote to dance? Dance is everything for me and it makes me company all day and night long. Since I have very unpredictable, active and tiring timetable, it is hard for me to describe what my everyday looks like. I also bring my profession home, because I live in a dance family. A lot of organization needs to be taken care of outside Nika Kljun. the dance hall, which also demands time. For how long have you been dancing? However, if you love your work and you enjoy I have been dancing since I was three the things you do, then you have no problems years old. At the time, I performed on with fulfilling your obligations. national TV with my mother and father, You are very active also abroad. Which places who also are professional dancers and have you visited so far and where did you like choreographers. Since then I danced in it best? various national, European and international I have been in almost all continents, but I dance competitions, and always reached high feel like at home in London and Los Angeles. results, if not first places. I also performed in Los Angeles is also my new home now. the America Got Talent show, and I danced in There, dancers are really committed to their various music videos. profession they practice a lot and there are Besides dancing, you also have teaching real professionals. The most important thing experiences, right? is that you remain a realist, always loyal to That is correct. I am also a dancing yourself, and that you respect others.

Embassy Newsletter Page 3 October 29, 2010 EU News AFI European Union Film Showcase American Film Festival (AFI) presents the 23rd AFI European Union Film Showcase, a selection of new films from EU member states including film festival award winners, box office hits and US premieres. Festival will take place from the November 4 to November 11, 2010. This year Slovenia will be represented by Damjan Kozole’s movie “Call girl”, on Friday, November 5,2010 at 6.30 pm. More info about festival on: www.afi.com

Announcements Public Tender for 2011 Slovenian Government Office for Applicants are required to send sealed Slovenians Abroad announced a public tender and clearly marked applications directly to the for co-financing of programs and projects for Government Office for Slovenians Abroad, Slovenians living abroad. postmarked by November 26, 2010, as proof Primary objectives are the promotion of timely application. of activities of Slovenians abroad to preserve Any questions should be directed to ethnic, linguistic and cultural identity; Tadej Bojnec ([email protected]) or Suzana strengthen cooperation in science and Martinez ([email protected]) at the economy; provide activities for young people; Government Office for Slovenians Abroad. maintain existing structures; nurture mutual Slovenians living in the U.S. are relations and maintain ties with Slovenia. encouraged to carefully evaluate the tender The application form, tender documentation and apply if they fulfill the documentation and more information can requirements. be found at its web sites www.uszs.gov.si and www.slovenci.si.

Embassy Newsletter Page 4 October 29, 2010

lIST OF EVENTS To Do 1. Kids Euro Festival Washington, DC, is curently hosting the third annual Kids Euro Festival, the country’s largest performing arts festivals for children, with more than 150 free events around the city. All performances are free of charge, some need registration. More about performances visit: www.kidseurofestival.org When: October 14 - November 10, 2010

2. Slovene Language Course in Ljubljana The Center for Slovene as a second/foreign language at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, is organizing an Intensive morning course of Slovene language. When: November 15 to 26, 2010. From Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM Where: Pionirski dom in Ljubljana, Kongresni trg 12, 1000 Ljubljana. More information and the application form can be found on : www.centerslo.net

3. Boris Pahor’s Necropolis In 1941 Boris Pahor, who later became one of the most prominent Slovene authors, was drafted into Mussolini’s army. He returned to his home city of Trieste, a city occupied by the Nazis, after the armistice in 1943. He joined the Yugoslav resistance forces and was arrested in 1944 and sent to Dachau, Struthof, Harzungen and Bergen-Belsen. His memoir of his camp experiences, Necropolis, recently published in a new English edition by Dalkey Archive Press, will be the centerpiece of this event. When: November 4, 2010 at 6: 30 pm Where: Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, New York 10011. For all reservations and inquiries, please call SmartTix at 212-868-4444 or visit www. smarttix.com.

The weekly e-Newsletter is produced by the Embassy of Slovenia in Washington. The archive of the e-Newsletter is available online. To subscribe or unsubscribe to the e-Newsletter please send an e-mail to: [email protected]. Designed to help explore possibilities CULTURE. Your online SI for collaboration connection with Slovene cultural to everything organisations. Slovenian all around the world. Embassy Newsletter Page 5 October 29, 2010