NEWSLETTER Ambassador Attends Slovenian Festival in Indianapolis
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Welcome to Violinist Lana ASEF Meeting DCM Vladimir Trotovšek with President Kolmanič at the Embassy Pahor page 2 > page 2 & 3 > page 5 > NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 9, 2014, VOLUME 10, NUMBER 28 Ambassador Attends Slovenian Festival in Indianapolis The Indianapolis Ambassador Dr. Cerar addressing the audience. Slovenian society organized on August 31, 2014, the annual celebration of the Slovenian the Slovenian National home in successful is the cooperation heritage at the Slovenian Indianapolis, which was formed between the University of National Home Picnic Grounds. in Haughville neighborhood, Primorska and Indiana University The festival was attended by where also stands Holy Trinity Purdue University Indianapolis Dr. Božo Cerar, the Ambassador Slovenian Catholic church. The (IUPUI). The Indianapolis– of the Republic of Slovenia to presence of Slovenian community Piran Sister City committee on the U.S., who by invitation by in the area is one of the reasons September 6 participated at the the SNH president Joe Lampert that Indianapolis has had since Indianapolis Sister Cities Festival joined the vibrant Slovenian 2001 a sister-city relationship with a cultural booth. For the community in Indiana for the with Piran, Slovenia. occasion, the committee also event that celebrated Slovenian The purpose of the helped to organize a concert traditions, food, and music. relationship was to create by the renowned Slovenian This year marks 96 cultural, educational, and accordionist Marko Hatlak. years since the establishment of business exchanges. Especially Embassy of Slovenia 2410 California Street, NW twitter.com/SLOinUSA Washington, D.C. 20008, USA T: +1 202 386 66 01 E: [email protected] facebook.com/SLOembassyUSA washington.embassy.si EMBASSY STAFF Welcome to DCM Vladimir Kolmanič At the beginning of the Caribbean at the Ministry of September, Mr. Vladimir Foreign Affairs in Ljubljana. His Kolmanič, assumed his position previous assignments include as Deputy Chief of Mission ambassador of the Republic of at the Slovenian Embassy in Slovenia to Greece and counselor Washington, D.C. Mr. Kolmanič at the Slovenian embassy in did his undergraduate studies in Kairo, Egypt. Mr. Kolmanič has English and German, and later been appointed for four years. studied at the Department of We wish him good luck and Social Sciences at the University greater achievements as he of Ljubljana. He started his career starts his tenure in Washington, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he is accompanied by his in 1992. Most recently, he served wife Vesna. as the head of the Department for North and Latin America and DCM Kolmanič with his wife Vesna. CULTURE Violinist Lana Trotovšek’s Performs at the Embassy has since 1994 worked with over 200 ambassadors, hosted over 600 concerts in 73 different embassies involving more than 800 international artists from 80 countries and over 300 artists from the D.C. area. During the musical evening, which also offered a taste of Slovenian wine and cuisine, the winner of international competitions and prizes, Ms.Trotovšek presented works by Beethoven, Franck, Gerschwin and Slovenian composer Lucijan Marija Škerjanc. Playing a violin from the 18th century she was accompanied by Ukranian pianist Some 100 guests attended the event. Anna Shelest. In cooperation with The by the Deputy Chief of Mission, Born in Ljubljana, Lana Embassy Series, the Embassy of Vladimir Kolmanič, whereas started to play the violin when Slovenia, on Tuesday, September Jerome Barry, the founder of she was four. At the age of 17, 9th, organized a concert by one The Embassy Series, presented she was taken under the auspices of the most renowned Slovenian the activity of this leading of Ruggiero Ricci. She made her violinists, Lana Trotovšek. More organization in the field of cultural debut in 2012 with the Mariinsky than 90 guests were welcomed diplomacy. The Embassy Series Theater Orchestra under the SEPTEMBER 9, 2014, PAGE 2 Introductory remarks by DCM Vladimir Kolmanič. Address by Mr. Jerome Barry. baton of Valery Gergiev, a has performed at Wigmore Hall, in Vienna, at the Teatro La Fenice performance received h with both King’s Place, Cadogan Hall, St. in Venice, Concertgebouw in a standing ovationsand ecstatic John’s Smith Square, St. Martin- Amsterdam, Muziekgebouw reviews. Lana has given recitals in-the Fields. Elsewhere in Europe, Frits Phillips in Eindhoven and in the United Kingdom, where she she has played at the Konzerthaus elsewhere in Germany, Spain, Portugal, France, Finland, Sweden, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, China, UAE and the U.S. Future engagements include concerto performances with Yuri Bashmet and the Moscow Soloists, Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Keri Lynn, RTV Orchestra Slovenia, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and recital in the Wigmore Hall in 2015. More information about Embassy Series is available at: http://www.embassyseries.org/ FOREIGN POLICY 9th Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) The Bled Strategic Forum public life from 65 countries, The annual deliberations at Bled, (BSF), Slovenia’s top foreign policy including representatives of the therefore, centered on potential event, wrapped up on Tuesday, European Union, the U.N., NATO, for restoring trust through September 2, following two days the OECD and other international enhanced regional cooperation of debates dedicated to restoring organizations, the forum, with this and collaboration between politics, trust in international relations and year’s topic The Power of Trust, business, academia, NGOs and promoting regional cooperation. heard a call for overcoming the think tanks.The key aim is to “to Attended by over 500 participants cracks which have appeared in the prove that despite globalization, from the world of politics, business, fabric of global trust during the technology, digital tools and fast, academia and other areas of recent crisis. dramatic changes, good old trust is SEPTEMBER 9, 2014, PAGE 3 still the basic soft power that makes it all possible: solidarity between generations, security for individuals and states, business contracts, and international relations”, stressed Slovenian foreign minister Karl Erjavec. Following minister Erjavec’s remarks, guests were welcomed by Milan Brglez, Speaker of the National Assembly, and Janez Fajfar, Mayor of Bled. The participants sought to fulfil this aim in more than ten panels tackling issues of good leadership, demographic change, and cooperation in Central and Southeast Europe and Western Balkans, new technology, and A panel on regional cooperation. (Photo: BSF) cybersecurity. Following the central topic of the forum, the business to a team from the University of St. affairs, held talks with President segment focused also on building Gallen, Switzerland, which collected Borut Pahor on the margins of the of trust, which minister Erjavec the EUR 2,500 prize for a plan for Bled Strategic Forum. He stressed labelled as “the core value of all leasing land from private forest that the U.S. “greatly appreciates” business activities” as he addressed owners and reinvesting profits cooperation with Slovenia through over 100 business representatives in a technology park specializing NATO, where “we are able to work attending the proceedings. in forestry and wood processing side-by side with our soldiers in The Business Bled Strategic Forum know-how. some of the most difficult places in was tied in with the Young Bled The forum also afforded Slovenian the world”. However, he also said Strategic Forum as a part of which officials a chance to hold bilateral that he would like to see even teams of business students were talks with visiting political and greater and stronger commerce given the task of coming up with business officials. Mr. Hoyt Yee, and trade between the two new ideas for the management of U.S. deputy assistant secretary of countries. Slovenia’s forests. The prize went state for European and Eurasian Address by Minister of Foreign Affairs Slovenian President Borut Pahor greets visting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Karl Erjavec. (Photo: BSF) for Europe Mr. Hoyt Yee. (Photo: https://www.facebook.com/slovenia.usembassy) SEPTEMBER 9, 2014, PAGE 4 EDUCATION ASEF Meeting with President Pahor Director of American Chamber of Commerce in Slovenia, as a member of the ASEF Advisory Board. Mrs. Vodnik said she was “truly excited to actively cooperate with ASEF, because I believe that this is a great way to connect U.S. and Slovenia through science, education, opening opportunities for young people and creating friendly relations.” The American Slovenian Education Foundation enhances American and Slovenian education activities, uniting Slovenian scholars and educators globally. The Foundation From left: father Peter Rožič. Jure Leskovec, President Borut Pahor, Mark Vlasič and offers high-impact grant and President’s Chief of Staff Alja Brglez. endowment programs, teaching and learning materials, as well Representatives of the ASEF Advisory Board. Ambassador as foreign exchange of students American Slovenian Education Mussomeli is committed to and faculty. The ASEF vision is to Foundation (ASEF), Prof. Jure supporting reciprocal relations expand, globalize and personalize Leskovec, Prof. Peter Rožič, SJ, between the peoples of the United education in Slovenia and in the and Prof. Mark Vlasic met on States and Slovenia, especially in Americas in order to help shape September 1, 2014, with Borut the area of educational exchange. citizens, educators and leaders of Pahor, President of the Republic In addition