UN Day: Letters to Santa Consulate Gen. Diplomats in in in NYC Schools Seattle, WA is Closing page 3 > page 7 > page 8 > NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 26, 2012, VOLUME 8, NUMBER 40 Opening of Honorary Consulate in Michigan On October 2223, Ambassador Roman Kirn and Consul General in Cleveland Honorary Consul of Slovenia Yousif B. Ghafari speaking at the opening, next to him Ambassador Roman Kirn and Congressman John David Dingell. Jure Žmauc visited the State of Michigan to open The offi cial opening of Representative from Michigan, a new Honorary Consulate, the consulate was attended John David Dingell. Ambassador headed by the former U.S. by the mayor of Dearborn Kirn was also a guest on the Paul Ambassador to Slovenia and John O`Reilly, local consuls, W. Smith radio show on Detroit’s a respectable businessman, Slovenian community and the WJR radio. Smith is known for Yousif B. Ghafari. The media, and was celebrated with hosting a number of notable Honorary Consulate is a fl ag-raising ceremony. people, including politicians, located in Dearborn, near During his visit, authors and business leaders Detroit, which is the center Ambassador Kirn also met within the automotive industry. of the American automotive with the Governor of Michigan, Furthermore, industry. Richard Dale Snyder and U.S. Ambassador Kirn spoke at the Embassy of Slovenia 2410 California Street, NW twitter.com/SLOembassyUSA Washington, D.C. 20008, USA T: +1 202 386 66 01 E: [email protected] facebook.com/SLOembassyUSA washington.embassy.si Ambassador Kirn and Ambassador Ghafari with Governor of Michigan Richard Dale Snyder, Consul General Jure Žmauc and participants of the business meeting. Raising the fl ag. was accompanied by a group Suppliers Association and of Slovenian businessmen the Michigan Economic prestigious Detroit Economic from the automotive Development Corporation. Club on his perspective of industry. Representatives of Alongside, Slovenian company the importance of E.U.-U.S. Slovenian companies Hidria representatives also held cooperation and the future of Corporation, Kolektor, SG bilateral business meetings with the E.U. integration. The lecture Automotive d.o.o., Unior, American businessmen. was attended by more than 150 Impol, and Rimeco Products. On this occasion, the businessmen, public fi gures and Inc. met with representatives Embassy of Slovenia would students. of several local economic like to express its gratitude to As the visit was aimed development and automotive Ambassador Yousif B. Ghafari at strengthening economic resource organizations, and his assistant Vickie Vaughan cooperation between the two including the Detroit Regional for their excellent support and countries, Ambassador Kirn Chamber, Original Equipment organization of the visit. Ambassador Kirn and Hon. Consul Ghafari with Wayne County Ambassador Kirn addressing the audience at the Detroit Eco- Executive, Robert Ficano and Dearborn Mayor, John O’Reilly. nomic Club. (Photos are courtesy of Jerry Zolynsky.) OCTOBER 26, 2012, PAGE 2 UNITED NATIONS DAY Diplomats in Schools The Ministry of Foreign Affairs commemorated the United Nations Day on Wednesday, October 24, 2012, with a series of public diplomacy events at various elementary schools throughout Slovenia. Director General of the Directorate for global issues and multilateral political relations Dragoljuba Benčina; Head of the Department of International Organizations Ambassador Andrej Logar; and Head of Public Diplomacy Service Emil Ferjančič visited Griže, Kobarid, and Pišece Elementary Schools, where they Director General Dragoljuba Benčina at Griže Elementary School. introduced the structure and work of the most recognized of Slovenia’s membership in was written by U.N. Secretary- international organization – the the U.N. The textbook, titled General Ban Ki-moon, whose United Nations. ”Stronger Together”, is a result of message on the United Nations The Ministry of Foreign fruitful cooperation of the Foreign day was: “We are living through affairs representatives discussed Ministry, the Ministry of Education, a period of profound turmoil, with the students the common Science, Culture and Sport, and transition and transformation. values that the United Nations the U.N. Information Service Insecurity, inequality and promotes. They also talked in Vienna (UNIS). It represents intolerance are spreading. Global about the achievements of the a signifi cant contribution to and national institutions are being Republic of Slovenia in the past raising awareness of the U.N., put to the test. With so much 21 years within the international its role, goals, importance and at stake, the United Nations community. achievements in all areas of must keep pace across the On the occasion, they activity involving human rights, spectrum of its activities -- peace, presented to the students a sustainable development, peace, development, human rights, the Textbook on the U.N. published in and security. rule of law, empowerment of the May 2012 to mark 20th anniversary The preface to the textbook world’s women and youth.” EVENTS Slovenia at International Day in Brentwood On Saturday, October 13, that even more projects the Special thanks go to the the town of Brentwood, MD, held need for tolerance. members of the Brentwood its 3rd International Day event. The more than 200 people International Day Committee, Over 20 embassies, among who attended could also enjoy especially Brentwood Mayor them the Embassy of Slovenia, the fantastic music by Michael Roger Rudder and Ms. Melora represented the cultures of their Rawlings. For the young citizens, Anderson, Brentwood’s Town respective countries, so that this children’s stories from different Clerk, who, moreover. helped to local community of Maryland countries, including Slovenia, coordinate the event with the could learn about the different were read aloud by Brentwood’s Embassy of Slovenia. traditions and world diversity own Minerva San Juan. OCTOBER 26, 2012, PAGE 3 HERITAGE Slovenian American Inventors and Innovators An overview of missiles and the Thirsty Saber amazing and undeniable Program in 1988 — making Slovenian American invaluable contributions to inventions and innovations space exploration, as well as by Dr. Edvard Gobec – part to America’s offensive and 2. defensive military power. From among scores Ed Repic, as chief of Slovenian Americans who engineer in Rockwell’s Grand Tour left their mark on American Program worked on unmanned space exploration, let us fi rst satellites. He became the mention Franklin R. Puhek, leader of the Rockwell’s Space an outstanding General Exploration Team and made vital Dynamics designer and design contributions to the design of team manager in charge of Apollo 11, the space ship which missile guidance programs. It in July 1969 accomplished what was Puhek who designed the many consider the greatest feat gyroguidance systems for in human space history, the Mercury Space Capsule and landing of American astronauts Inscribed photo showing Buzz Aldrin explained their operation to on the Moon. Nothing could on the Moon, thanking Ed Repic, who John Glenn, the fi rst astronaut summarize his contribution to helped him get there. sent by America into orbit in the lunar landing success better engaged in research on the best 1962. He also worked with six than the inscribed photo of the way to land on Mars. other prominent Mercury space astronaut Buzz Aldrin, standing Dr. Sasa Bajt, the pioneers and designed the rocket on the Moon and thanking Ed Slovenian woman award guidance systems for Tomahawk Repic for helping him get there. winning researcher, inventor, cruise missiles, advanced Cruise Aldrin and Repic were later and internationally recognized leader in multilayer xray optics, was also one of space scientists selected to examine the stardust after the return capsule safely made it back to Earth with dust particles in tow, in 2006. Your Portal to Space, dated Feb. 12, 2003, reports on the practical value of her research fi ndings that “will lead to microprocessors that are tens of times faster than today’s most powerful chips.” Dr. Dusan Petrac, the NASA scientist and Jet Propulsion Laboratory physicist, is an authority on cryogenics (extremely low temperatures) The Mercury program, the earliest U.S. project to put an astronaut (John Glenn in space programs. The in 1962) into space, was commemorated by a U.S. postal stamp. The Slovenian International Cryogenic American rocket scientist and engineer Franklin R. Puhek designed the gyro Engineering Committee selected guidance systems for Mercury Space Capsule and taught the pioneer American him to receive its prestigious astronauts how to use it. OCTOBER 26, 2012, PAGE 4 Mendelssohn 1990 Award “in involvement with JPL by making manager for GRO, weighing recognition for his scientifi c a butyl bladder for the hydrazine 35,000 pounds and then the and engineering contributions tank on Mariner 69 and Vikings, heaviest NASA scientifi c satellite to the development of the fi rst which fl ew to Mars, followed by to be deployed by a space spaceborne superfl uid helium the Voyagers, launched in 1977. shuttle. According to Dr. Don cooling system designed for the John A. Hrastar Kniffen, the study was to yield infrared telescope IRAS.” was a leading designer of unprecedented answers about John Repar was an space satellites and Director the structure and dynamics awardwinning inventor and of Systems, Technology and of the Milky Way“ (Goddard innovator in space rubber Advanced Concepts at Goddard News, March 3, 1991). Hrastar research and technology,