E-magazine Moja Slovenija August 2019 by Moja slovenija

August 2019

Slovenian stories from home and abroad

Slovenia in the hearts of our compatriots Get-together of Slovenians living abroad discusses youth emigration from Slovenia 1

Robert Kojc:

We are always facing challenges in neighbouring countries

Exhibition shows homeland through children's eyes The Government's Office for Slovenians Abroad occasionally hosts exhibitions by various authors. Minister for Slovenians Abroad Peter J. Česnik and State Secretary Olga Belec received artists, fourth grade pupils of the Ljubljana Trnovo Primary School, on 19 July 2019. The exhibition is open to the public. Marking Statehood Day, Slovenia's national holiday, and celebrating the start of the summer holidays, the pupils displayed their works of art in the Office's entrance hall, presenting national symbols and characteristics to Slovenians who live abroad and, particularly, their children. The creative process, which took several months, was part of art class at school under the guidance of fourth-grade teacher Iza Dojer and first-grade teacher Stanka Ilar. Each letter of the inscription SLOVENIJA represents Slovenian

symbols and characteristics, with their descriptions being placed under every letter. The Trnovo Primary School pupils wish their peers abroad lovely and long holidays and recommend visiting Slovenian mountains and pastures, refreshing lakes and sea, pleasantly cool caves, and vibrant Slovenian towns during hot summer months. The Office is grateful for the works and encourages children from abroad to be part of similar creative stories.   D.I.

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SLOVENIA IN THE HEARTS OF OUR COMPATRIOTS

ROBERT KOJC: GET-TOGETHER OF SLOVENIANS LIVING ABROAD DISCUSSES YOUTH EMIGRATION FROM SLOVENIA

WE ARE ALWAYS FACING CHALLENGES IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

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Get-together of Slovenians living abroad discusses youth emigration from Slovenia This year's 18th get-together of Slovenians living abroad, hosted by the National Assembly's Commission for Relations with Slovenians Abroad, was held under a slogan which is extremely significant and relevant in present times: »Slovenian, your land is healthy... still, the young are leaving«. he participants of the debate were critical of the state and shared their personal experience as well as views on the homeland. Parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan noted that Slovenians had been developing even during the times when there had been no national institutions, only love towards the Slovenian language and culture. »There are some 7,000 languages in the world and experts say that only 5% will survive. Slovenian is not threatened,« said Židan, adding that the nation was not defined by historical memory but by its language, culture and awareness of being one body politic. According to him, globalisation and internationalisation pose a threat. »There's nothing wrong with the young exploring the world, gaining experience, but it's wrong if they do not return home,« said Židan,

noting that Slovenians should be more confident as a nation. »When I completed my grammar school, I didn't think I would be

standing here, addressing my fellow citizens from around the world, let alone that I would be an emigrant myself,« said Minister for Slovenians Abroad Peter J. Česnik in

his keynote, describing the event with the words of two great Slovenian poets. He cited Simon Gregorčič, saying »Hey, homeland my mother, my only love, benevolent God save you, God bless you, God bless you«, as well as Anton Aškerc - »For centuries we've lived here, weathered every storm, brothers and sisters, let's not allow ourselves to disappear«. The minister highlighted that life abroad was hard and pointed out that he would strive for eliminating administrative barriers to make it easier for emigrants to return home. »I welcome you, swallows who have returned to your nest,« he concluded. Karla Urh, vice-president of the parliamentary Commission for Relations with Slovenians Abroad, said that it was difficult to stop emigration, adding that Slovenian language, culture and national awareness needed to be preserved. »The brave are entitled to a life and

a place which is given to them by homeland,« said Constitutional Court judge Klemen Jaklič, an associate professor at Stanford University. According to him, Slovenia has been lagging behind for 30 years in terms of emigrants' return back home. »Upon one's return, the weyou divide has to be forgotten,« said Jaklič, highlighting that homeland meant acceptance and that the native land accepted its citizens the way parents accepted their children. Meanwhile, co-founder of the American Slovenian Education Foundation (ASEF) Jure Leskovec called for a discussion on granting the Slovenian diaspora representation in the National Assembly. He believes this step would truly start tackling the emigration issue. »We need to draw up strategies with a clear vision,« he said, adding that the world had undergone globalisation, with distances getting shorter. Slovenians returning to their homeland are not a threat but provide an opportunity for growth.

Dejan Valentinčič pointed out that tracing one's roots and discovering almost forgotten Slovenian ancestry were getting popular among Slovenians around the world, while Marjanca Ajša Vižintin said that stories about Slovenians abroad should be included in school textbooks. Martin Lissiach called the creation of a system that would properly financially remunerate youths given their high level of knowledge and Andrej Bernarčič discussed remaining on a farm in a neighbouring country. The minister also met Draga Gelt, Slovenian language teacher, writer and poet from Melbourne, who highlighted that the young needed to be given an opportunity to showcase their knowledge and ideas. »All Slovenians around the world miss the beauty of this tiny country and love their families and friends who have stayed at home,« Gelt said with tears in her eyes.  Blanka Markovič Kocen

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Slovenia in the hearts of our compatriots  Blanka Markovič Kocen

The medieval town of Radovljica hosted people from all over the globe on the first Saturday in July. It was the venue of this year's Welcome Home event, warmly welcoming Slovenians living in neighbouring countries and farther afield. Like many times before, our compatriots had their hearts enveloped in a warm hug by the motherland.

In keeping with tradition, the event started with singing and dancing, as the Radovljica Manor Park saw performances by Aleksi Jercog Trio and Kresnice from Italy, the KPD Jesenice Folklore Group, Veseli Begunjci from Slovenia, the Croatian group Mimo Ritma and the Jazz Orchestra from Kakanj, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Radovljica Mayor Ciril Globočnik welcomed the visitors. “I’m pleased that you have come to Radovljica and I’m certain that you will take other, less formal opportunities,

to return with your families and friends,” he said. Karla Urh, the deputy chair of the National Assembly’s Commission for Relations with Slovenians in Neighbouring and Other Countries, talked about the reasons why the young are leaving the country and measures that should be taken by the government to attract them back home. “Statistics show that a better economic situation had not stopped emigration. We need to turn brain drain into brain circulation,” she said, adding that the future of any country depended on its young generations. “Through the centuries, we have emigrated all over the world... parts of the Slovenian territory were cut off from the motherland due to global politics, but still, following the words of Primož Trubar written on the one euro coin, ‘stati inu obstati’ (to stand and withstand), we have persevered and we will continue to,” Minister for Slovenians

Abroad Peter J. Česnik said in his address. He also quoted writer Ivan Cankar: “The nation will write its own fate. And we are writing it, for the first time in 1500 years in this part of the world, between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea. The minister also quoted the visionary poet France Prešeren: “Unity, happiness, reconciliation should return to us, the children of the Slava shake each other’s hands”, and writer Oton Župančič: “One homeland is given to each one of us, and one life and one death...” and ended with writer Anton Aškerc: “For centuries we’ve lived here, weathered every storm, brothers and sisters let’s not allow ourselves to disappear...” A conference held in the afternoon featured presentations of award-winning theses dedicated to the Slovenian diaspora, while successful Slovenians shared their life stories at a round table debate. A book by the Kredarica Association of Slovenians from Novi Sad,

headlined Preteklost za prihodnost (Past for the Future) was presented at the Radovljica Linhart Hall. Moreover, a film dedicated to the association’s men’s vocal group was screened to mark its 15th anniversary. The guests also got the chance to see an exhibition titled Cvetoči klas pelina in slovenski begunci v Avstriji po letu 1945 (Blooming Wormwood and Slovenian Refugees in Austria after 1945), marking the 100th anniversary of Cankar’s death and the 85th anniversary of the Ivan Cankar Association in Sarajevo. Award-winning research on Slovenians beyond the homeland The Government Office for Slovenians Abroad invited candidates to enter the 17th thesis competition, which had a prize fund of 4,000 euro. Aiming to promote research and strengthen national identity, the call for bids was open between 13 August and 2 December 2018. A total of 17 theses were submitted,

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of which five were dedicated to Slovenians around the world and 12 to Slovenians living in neighbouring countries. Throughout the years, a total of 321 papers have been entered into the 17 competitions and 106 prizes were handed out. At the conference, moderated by dr. Zvone Žigon, award winners talked about their work, which are far more than just theses. They tell interesting stories, so it comes as no surprise that that many of them had also been published as a book. Whereas only prizes are typically given out, an exception was made this year as a special commendation was given to Tina Kraner for her MA theses titled Dvokulturnost in medkulturnost na avstrijskem Koroškem, s posebnim ozirom na delo Florjana Lipuša (Bi- and Interculturalism in Austrian Carinthia with special focus on the work conducted by Florjan Lipuš). Janika Škerl presented her thesis Izpeljava komunikacijskega modela posredovanja književnosti na

podlagi analize pravljice po Proppovih funkcijah v vrtcu s slovenskim učnim jezikom v Italiji (The Execution of the Communication Model for Transmitting Literature Based on the Analysis of Fairytales following Propp’s Functions Carried Out in a Preschool with Slovenian Learning Language). The thesis has great implementation potential, providing insight into how children of different ages understand and experience Slovenian folk tales and how they develop their vocabularies. Tamara Šuligoj got the third prize for her master’s thesis Slovenščina v stiku: primer slovenskih ustanov, društev, zvez in organizacij v Gorici in njeni pokrajini (Slovene Language in Contact: The Case of Slovene Clubs, Institutions, Associations and Organizations in Gorizia and its Province). The author provides a comprehensive overview of the Slovenian language in the Gorica area in Italy. She told Moja Slovenija: “I was focussed on the people copy-editing and

translating texts in the Goriška region, above all in Slovenian clubs and associations, the representatives of the Slovenian language and identity in the neighbouring country. Although they have years of experience, these are not professional copy-editors or translators. I detected a lot of inconsistencies in the texts, grammatical and spelling-related, there are also differences in terminology. If an opportunity comes up, I will continue the research but for now I will stick to translating and will also be focusing on hospitality and tourism.” Eva-Maria Verhnjak - Pikalo received the second prize for Ein Leben für die Muttersprache - Zur Darstellung der Frau im literarischen Werk der Kärntner Slowenin Milka Hartman (A Life for the Mother Tongue - The Portrayal of Women in the Works of Carinthian Slovenian Milka Hartman). The author wrote her 350-page dissertation at the Institute for Cultural Analysis at the Alpen-Adria Universität in Klagenfurt. After attending school in

Carinthia, Hartman studied to be a teacher of home economics in Ljubljana. She returned to Carinthia and decided on a mission to teach girls in rural Carinthia home economics, but above all to teach them Slovenian. “For them, this was the only school where they could talk high Slovenian and learn to write Slovenian,” said Verhnjak - Pikalo. “Milka was a minority within a minority, a Carinthian Slovenian woman in the predominantly male society,” she said. The first prize went to Bernarda Volavšek Kurasch for Slovenščina v novi srednji šoli - Organizacijski okvir, integrativni pouk in leposlovje (Slovenian in the New Secondary School - Organisation, Integrative Teaching and Literature). Apart from analysing relevant documents, the 277-page dissertation dedicated to schools in Carinthia also pinpoints the problems of teachers and students which affect the results of teaching of Slovenian and the position the language takes later on in the lives of its speakers. The

dissertation has great application potential for Slovenians around the world. Three prizes were given out for research on Slovenians living around the world, two third prizes and one second prize. One of the third prizes went to Katja Urbančič, who graduated in Buenos Aires with the thesis 56° Dia de la juventud eslovena de San Justo (56th Day of the Slovenian Youth of San Justo), presenting the traditional get-together of Slovenian youths. Her research is an authentic prologue to the question what the young think of the Youth Day, what they are happy with and what they would like to change. The second third prize went to Larisa Petrič, who got her master’s degree in ethnology and cultural anthropology at the Ljubljana Faculty of Arts with a dissertation titled Domači okusi v novih okoljih (Taste of Home in New Environments). The author researched how Slovenians living around the world preserve and even reconstruct their link with

the homeland and create a feeling of home in new environments through food, familiar flavours and food brands. She told Moja Slovenija: “I focused on a topic I am not very familiar with myself: cooking and food. I used an online questionnaire and in addition to my family and friends living abroad, I collected the answers of 180 other people around the world. I was interested in their eating habits, how their memories of home are shaped through food, through different practices of having food sent from home.” Neža Hvale was awarded the second prize for Migracije Slovencev v Berlin v času Socialistične federativne republike Jugoslavije (Migrations of Slovenians in Berlin during the time of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Working guests). She graduated at the Ljubljana Faculty of Arts. Presenting her work in Radovljica, she said that it focused on the entire process of adapting to a new environment, dealing with everyday problems, life abroad in

// IN FOCUS general and the question of preserving one’s national identity. Stories of successful Slovenian women Almost simultaneously with the conference, visitors could attend an event in which successful Slovenians shared their inspiring life stories. “I love two homelands and I am richer by all my paths,” said Draga Gelt, a teacher, poet, writer etc., and above all a Slovenian from Australia. Apart from writing extensively about the efforts of Australian Slovenians for Slovenia’s independence, and her Chronicle Slovenian Schools and Slovenian Language Teachers in Australia, Gelt published several poetry collections and served as the editor of the web site Slovenians in Australia. Stories were also shared by Nevenka Jazbar from Italy, Jelena Malnar, a young legal expert from Croatian region of Gorski Kotar, who also lived in England, and Lilijana Mikuž, who returned to Slovenia a year and a half ago after living abroad for six years.

▼ Prof. dr. Boštjan Žekš, former minister for Slovenians abroad with his wife. PHOTO: B.M.K.

Minister Česnik: The office should become an information centre “This is my first Welcome Home in my capacity as minister,” Česnik said just before he delivered his address in Radovljica. “I’m incredibly honoured that I was elected MP in Slovenia and that I’ve been entrusted with a ministerial office. I had lived in Australia for more than three decades and this event is very emotional for me. My address includes thoughts by Slovenian poets and writers. It is hard to say something concrete, I need to repeat the words of Oton Župančič: One homeland is given to each one of us, and one life and one death.” He observed that few birds return to their nests. “There is so much red tape. For example, if you live in the

Countries. She said that she shared the minister’s view about red tape. When asked what the National Assembly commission can do to help those returning to Slovenia, Urh said that MEPs promised to advocate with the European Commission that individual countries start taking better care of those returning.

US and your grandparents left have you a small farm and you want to return, you face so much red tape at administrative units, the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage etc. I want to expand our team by one or two members to help those returning in situations like this, so that we become an information centre for Slovenians living in neighbouring countries and elsewhere around the world, helping them navigate through the various ministries, so they don’t wander around aimlessly, lost in bureaucracy,” said the minister.

Prof. Dr Boštjan Žekš: We need to change the way we view emigrants Prof. Dr Boštjan Žekš is a regular at Welcome Home events. This year, he came as the adviser to President Borut Pahor on Slovenians abroad. The former minister for Slovenians abroad believes that their position had improved when he was in office because relations among countries improved. “But I do feel that the way Slovenians view the people who left the country needs to change. We weep because they left, instead of viewing them like a part of our nation, and cooperating with them... They’re not doing so bad that we’d have to weep for them.” Addressing issues related to the young leaving the country and their returning, he said: “It’s normal that they go abroad and the young will always do so. The question is, how do we get them to come back. In Slovenia, we will never be able to offer them as much money as the best institutions abroad can. But we could strive to attract them in other ways. These people are still attached to Slovenia, they could return for a few months, half a year, work here and nurture their ties. We should do more in this field and, of course, cut red tape.”

This year’s Welcome Home event was the first for Karla Urh, the deputy chair of the National Assembly’s Commission for Relations with Slovenians in Neighbouring and Other

Welcome Home a great way for Slovenians to connect During the many cultural events at Welcome Home, I wandered through the crowd collecting

▲ Dina Maksun and Verica Džindo. PHOTO: B.M.K.

visitors’ impressions. Dina Maksun, vice president of the Ivan Cankar Slovenian Club from Sarajevo, had never before been to a Welcome Home event and was excited that she met other Slovenians living abroad. She has lived abroad for 30 years but speaks excellent Slovenian. “Welcome Home is a unique opportunity for Slovenians from across the world to meet,” said Verica Džindo, the president of the Ivan Cankar Club. Silva Babič moved back to Slovenia after spending three decades in Germany. She works in the hospitality sector and is a Welcome Home regular. She and her husband, Martin Babič, who had lived in Germany for ten years, are active members of the Lastovka (Swallow) Club, Mr. Babič is even the club president. “I wanted us, the people who returned, to get to know each other. The club has become so much more than that, we connected with other similar clubs around the world... It’s wise to go abroad, but also to come back,” he said. “Many of those who returned turn to us. We are not political, there is no membership fee. We are only Slovenians, patriots.” Miroslav Stantič, a member of the France Prešeren Club from Skopje, is another regular at Welcome Home. He stayed in Slovenia for seven days, going to theatre in Nova Gorica, visiting Portorož, and seeing Goriška Brda for the first time. Welcome Home went on into the late hours and the Manor Park saw many reunions and new friendships forged and experience shared... And like always, the event showed that Slovenia stretches far beyond its borders, because it is in the hearts of our compatriots.

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Minister Česnik opens exhibition on Slovenians in Croatia

Minister for Slovenians Abroad Peter J. Česnik opened the exhibition Slovenian Neighbours - Slovenians in Croatia at the Ljubljana National and University Library on 4 July.

▲ Dr. Barbara Riman, co-curator of the exhibition. PHOTO: Z. Žigon ▼ The exhibition. PHOTO: Z. Žigon

The showcase has been curated by Barbara Riman from Rijeka, Croatia, the head of the Slovenian Associations Union in Croatia and researcher at the Ljubljana Institute for Ethnic Studies, and Helena Janežič from the National and University Library. The exhibition shows the regions where Slovenians live in Croatia and presents how they are brought together and active in their associations. It also highlights achievements by notable members of the Slovenian community who lived and worked in Croatia. The opening event was addressed by Martina Rozman Salobir, the director of the National and University Library, Darko Šonc, the head of the Slovenian association in Zagreb, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, Sonja Novak Lukanović, the institute's director, and Barbara Riman.

The 26th camp of Slovenians abroad

This year's Welcome Home events wrapped up at the Ljubljana St. Stanislav Institute on 7 July. In line with tradition, the 26th camp of Slovenians abroad, held by the Emigrants' Association Slovenia in the World, got under way with a mass which included final-year secondary school students of the Slovenian course Growth 48 by Marko Bajuk from Argentina as well as the Jurij Dalmatin Octet from Boštanj. Bishop Anton Jamnik said mass with assistance from Zvone Podvinski, an emigrant priest from Sweden. The cultural programme included the octet and Argentinian guests as well as guitarist David Bajda from the Argentinian city of Mendoza. The event was addressed by Uroš Zorn, the president of Slovenia in the World, Jure Komar, the head of the umbrella organisation of Slovenian post-war emigrant institutions in Argentina United Slovenia, Zvone Žigon of the Office for Slovenians Abroad as well as poet and actor Tone Kuntner. Helena Janežič, Renato Podbersič and Zvone Žigon took part in a debate moderated by Federico Potočnik, discussing their first meetings with fellow citizens outside Slovenia as well as their views on Slovenian culture and awareness in the world, cooperation with the homeland

and opportunities for repatriation.  dr. Zvone Žigon  Z. Žigon, SVS Archive

// WHO IS WHO

Robert Kojc: We are always facing challenges in neighbouring countries  Blanka Markovič Kocen  Personal archive of R. K.

Moja Slovenija is preparing a series of articles entitled “Who is Who at the Office”, aiming to present to our readers the employees of the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad, so that they know who they should turn to for information or assistance, and who is responsible for an individual field. Of course, we will also add some interesting details from their private lives and present their hobbies. A member of the minister’s staff, Robert Kojc heads the sector for Slovenians in neighbouring countries, which is in charge of the Slovenian ethnic communities in Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia.

»We work with Slovenians in neighbouring countries and promote close ties between the ethnic Slovenian communities there and the home country in an effort to preserve the common Slovenian cultural space. We pay particular attention to culture, education, economy and politics, to young people and to preserving and teaching the Slovenian language. With an annual call for applications, we finance programmes, regular activities and projects by key organisations of Slovenians from neighbouring countries for preserving and developing Slovenian identity. We monitor and coordinate the activities of other ministries related to the cooperation with Slovenians from neighbouring countries,« Kojc describes the priority tasks of the sector he heads.

Robert Kojc was born in Germany, in the town of Calw, as a child of a couple who emigrated from their native villages of Ponikve and Žetale in the 1960s. He spent his early childhood in Germany and moved to Slovenia in 1981, where he attended primary school and secondary school in Maribor. In 1993, he returned to Germany, to the university town of Tübingen, which is not known only for its faculty of law, where Kojc studied, but also for Slovenian Protestant preacher Primož Trubar. »After graduating, I gained some work experience, and in 2001 I decided to move to Ljubljana and to start a family with my wife, whom I had known from my primary school years. At a time when young people are leaving Slovenia, I am an example of »brain circulation« and of a »returnee«, says Kojc, who was

interested in a job in foreign affairs, international environmental protection and administrative law when he returned to Slovenia. »Following positive talks about employment prospects at the ministries of foreign affairs, interior and the environment and spatial planning, I decided after much deliberation for the latter, being aware that issues related to environmental protection, nature conservation, healthy living environment and sustainable development are among the key challenges we will have to face in the future. At the same time, this field gave me the opportunity to be active in international affairs, as environmental diplomacy was becoming an important segment of foreign policy in European countries. I was also aware that many issues, for example climate change

and the related migrations, will have a significant influence on the creation of future European and security policies, which will have tangible effects on people's lives, which is why in the next eleven years I dealt mostly with international environmental law and, at least at the beginning, with drafting of regulations.ÂŤ Because he focused on international law with an emphasis on water management law, he was particularly active in the management of the Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, EU, Danube and Sava basins and, in the cross-border aspect, in bilateral commissions with Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia in the field of cross-border cooperation. It was mostly because of neighbouring countries that he was in contact with the areas in these countries populated by Slovenians. He concluded his work at the ministry in charge of the environment as the head of the sector for waters, or, as he says, the ÂťSlovenian water directorÂŤ. His career path later led him to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the government appointed him in 2012 as the acting director general of the Directorate for International Law and Protection of Interests. From 2013 he performed the duties of assistant director general. After almost four years of foreign service, he continued his career at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad in 2015, where he has focused on the Slovenian ethnic communities in neighbouring countries as the head of the sector for Slovenians in neighbouring countries. Which fields require particularly serious consideration - politics, education, employment, financing? Preserving language and culture is the foundation of the common Slovenian cultural space. What is inseparably connected with that is, of

// WHO IS WHO course, education, which provides the opportunity to learn and use the language. I pay particular attention to youths, where we are implementing activities in accordance with an action plan for cooperation with and support for young Slovenians in neighbouring countries and abroad. I have to emphasise the role of sports in neighbouring countries, through which young members of the Slovenian ethnic communities in all four neighbouring countries can connect among themselves and with Slovenia. Sport matches and trainings are an excellent opportunity for preserving and upgrading language skills of young people. I am also personally aware of the extraordinary importance of scientific and research institutions which study all aspects of key importance for the knowledge about Slovenians in neighbouring countries. It is impossible to safeguard the survival of the communities of compatriots in our neighbouring countries without material conditions which would secure their existence and future prospects. This is why economic prospects and business initiative are very important. We also address these aspects as part of the government's strategy on economic cooperation between Slovenia and the ethnic communities in neighbouring countries. It is actually because of all of these things that the efforts to create the budget and provide funds for the co-financing of their organisations and individuals and of projects every year are of key importance, which is why the sector is making an extra effort to carry out the relevant call for applications as soon as possible. How do you assess the current

situation of Slovenians in neighbouring countries? We are always facing challenges there. The ethnic Slovenian communities in neighbouring countries have rights, but their implementation always needs to be encouraged and promoted. On the inter-governmental level the relations are good, but there are some issues which we are trying to resolve together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The efforts are directed primarily towards financial support, the use and teaching of the Slovenian language and media content. How you cooperate with the umbrella organisations in neighbouring countries as a representative of the Office? Cooperation with the umbrella organisations of Slovenians in neighbouring countries is of key importance for ensuring and exercising the rights of the ethnic Slovenian communities in these countries. Close and regular cooperation with all umbrella organisations (NSKS, SKS, ZSO, SKGZ, SSO, ZSM, ZSH) has been a priority for a long time, as this is the only basis for creating the positions that the Office represents in contacts with representatives of neighbouring countries at all levels of cooperation. For me, another particularly important aspect is in how they are promoting the implementation of the rights of our ethnic communities. Of course, you can look at a question or solution from your point of view, but one should be aware that paths to a goal can be different. For me, the key is in dialogue between umbrella organisations so that they can agree on the most important questions in key moments despite having different views. How long is your working day, and how do you communicate with Slovenians from neighbouring

countries? Do you visit them frequently? I can justifiably claim that like many civil servants, I rarely have an eighthour working day. After all, we are connected by mobile phone and computer and information is instantly accessible. The topic of Slovenians in neighbouring countries is very dynamic and once you think that you have resolved one issue, you can be sure that, given the wide spectrum of content, another issue is waiting for you ... be it representation in representative bodies, financing of the media, or teaching of the Slovenian language and, of course, implementation of the protection legislation, to list only the most important recent topics. There is no shortage of everyday challenges either, which are

related to the operation of individual structures or the implementation of specific projects, both from the aspects of content and organisation. This is why I do not bother myself with the length of my working day, because the important thing is what can you do within a given time. Many times my working hours stretch into the late hours or the weekend, especially if I am »on the ground«. I am firmly convinced that the topic of Slovenians in neighbouring countries demands being present in person among our compatriots, both at events and in terms of individual activities performed by Slovenian organisations and individuals, as well as at the formal level in relation with the authorities in neighbouring countries. I have been told that you are a passionate judoka. How do you find time for this activity? Why is sport important for you? Considering that me and my wife have decided to have a large family, the answer is very simple when it comes to all other activities as well - good organisation and an understanding wife. Judo is only one of the activities on my daily schedule in addition to family and work. Judo is not just a sport you train in your free time, it is a way of how you perceive the world. The positive effect of judo is that the physical effort helps you conclude many difficult days on a more positive note. What is an even more important part of judo for me is the ethical system on which it is based. I will not give a lecture about judo at this point, but let me mention jita kyoei, the principle of mutual progress and support. As a judo master and coach, it is very important for me to teach values to young people, not just to pass the knowledge of judo techniques. In life,

you are always facing tests, difficult situations, and the most important thing is that you develop into a good person. »It is not important whether you have won today, but whether you are better than you were yesterday,« is a guideline which should be applied to all things you do. Judo is not only about training in a dojo. We usually spend weekends at competitions, with my favourite ones being those which take us in neighbouring countries such as Velden am Wörthersee, Gemona del Friuli, when we compete with friends in exciting duels, while getting to know the places populated by ethnic Slovenians. My dedication to sport is almost certainly also reflected in the fact that I place a particular emphasis on sport in neighbouring countries. Sport is a way for young people to connect at a very early age, to cooperate and to learn about fair play regardless of the type of sport. From this aspect it is important that, as part of sport activities, they preserve the language and continue to build the bridges that make the minorities such an important connection with neighbouring nations. I am looking forward to Europeade 2020, which will feature a football tournament of minorities and where young people and sport will be in the focus, with the clear message of cooperation and coexistence of nations. What is your biggest wish for the future in terms of Slovenia's relationship with Slovenians in neighbouring countries and vice versa? I would like to see people in Slovenia know more about Slovenians in neighbouring countries. The space they live in is so close to us, but the general Slovenian public knows too little about the life of our compatriots, their culture - songs and dance, dialects, customs, as well as natural

sites, cuisine and the beauty of the valleys of Alta Val Torre, Val Canale and Valli del Natisone, and Slavia Friulana, Udine, Gorizia and Trieste in Italy, Austrian Carinthia and Styria, Porabje in Hungary and the places from Croatia's Varaždin through Gorski Kotar and Istria and all other places where Slovenian participate in local life and create the common Slovenian cultural space. I am happy to see that schools in Slovenia cooperate with schools in neighbouring countries, that they organise trips and multi-day excursions to areas populated by ethnic Slovenian communities. I hope that more content about Slovenians in neighbouring countries will eventually find its way to textbooks in Slovenia. I would also like to see the rich culture of Slovenians in neighbouring countries better recognised. Our cultural institutions and performers at cultural events in neighbouring countries reach an impressive level of quality. The culture of Slovenians there is of a very high quality and it is unfortunate that not everybody is familiar with it. In conclusion, let me say perhaps the most important thing. I lived abroad as a Slovenian. Among emigrants and Slovenians in neighbouring countries - members of the ethnic Slovenian communities - it is possible to feel genuine connectedness with their roots - the awareness of being a proud Slovenian. This is what holds Slovenians together and unifies them. It is not a given that we have our own language and culture, as this is something ethnic Slovenians living in a neighbouring country must constantly fight for. Their pride and confidence can be an example to all.

// INTERVIEW

Barbara Camille Tanze: »Slovenia felt like home since the beginnig.«  Blanka Markovič Kocen  Photo: personal archive of B. T.

Barabara Tanze is a singing and breathing coach, an opera singer and an athlete. A German woman living in Cerknica, she came to Slovenia for love. But hers is not a classic love story: she came here for love for Slovenia and love for her husband. But before settling here, she travelled the world. “At first sight, my husband has stronger ties with Slovenia because he grew up a member of the Slovenian minority in Italy and has spoken Slovenian all his life. But the move from Switzerland to Slovenia was a joint decision. We both love the outdoors and we wanted some adventure, something new for our life story,” the breathing coach, whose course I attended, said in excellent Slovenian as we started talking.

When did Slovenia become My Slovenia to you? I fell in love with Slovenia when I first visited fifteen years ago. I'm very happy that a small part of the country belongs to me now and that I've felt at home here since the beginning. What sets Slovenia apart from other countries? What I like about Slovenia most is the sense of security and peace. I can walk along the road in the evening without fear. If I forget to lock the car in front of the store, I know that it will still be there when I get back, at least in the countryside. The same goes for the bike. Compared to other countries in which I've lived, there are fewer people and a lot more nature, there is also real wilderness in which you hardly run into somebody walking on two legs. In this small country, you have an unbelievable diversity of environments, from the sea to the Alps. I think Slovenia is extraordinarily well connected both with the west and the east and you can reach big cities like Vienna, Munich and so on. But the country itself is still an oasis of peace. Wife, mother, opera singer, breathing coordination coach, former top swimmer who is now returning into the pool again... what else of Barbara Tanze? I think it already sounds like a lot. But I don't know if I'd list my ÂťrolesÂŤ in that same order. In recent years I've only occasionally been an opera singer. I sing when I get a chance to take part in an interesting project or when I sing for pleasure. I've spent the past years as a singing coach and acquired a lot of knowledge about modern singing, because most of my students want to sing pop or jazz. There are only a few opera singers in my singing school. My long-term goal is developing breathing coordination for athletes. I've made a lot of new

// INTERVIEW contacts with experts and coaches all across the world and I am very happy that an increasing number of athletes are interested in optimal breathing. However, I have the feeling that Slovenians are very reserved in this respect and need to be persuaded with results that breathing is one of the most important factors for a long and successful athletic career, and that this is a skill that needs to be learned, like the ABCs of running, or swimming technique, and so on. My mission at the moment is to raise awareness among as many people as possible about the importance of breathing correctly during different activities. You've performed on many stages around the world. Have you ascended the stage of the Ljubljana Opera? And if yes, how did it feel? I sang two leads at the Ljubljana Opera in 2011 and 2012, Violetta Valery in La Traviata and Grilletta in the Apothecary. It was a great pleasure to meet other singers and musicians. I stayed in touch with some of them and one of the soloists even came to me for breathing coordination coaching. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to see the shows in the past years and I hope that this will change in the future, because I enjoy a good programme. Breathing coordination is new to Slovenia. It is turning the Âťdiaphragmatic breathingÂŤ theory on its head. So, what is optimal breathing? The term diaphragmatic breathing is a bit unfortunate, because breathing without the diaphragm is virtually impossible. We always use the diaphragm, at least in part. Coordination is key in optimal breathing, meaning a complementation of different factors, from the diaphragm to the thorax. We often fail to see that

the ribs play a vital role in breathing and many people are not aware how flexible the chest is. Its flexibility and the movement of the ribs (down when you exhale and up when you inhale) allows the optimal functioning of the diaphragm and the most effective breathing with the least effort. Who comes to your courses? I mostly do one-on-one courses, because each individual has different wishes, needs and challenges. On

occasion, I do group workshops for schools, sports clubs and other organisations. Optimal breathing is for everybody who feels like they could learn to breath more easily and effectively. They may be singers or athletes who want to improve their performance, but they can also be people with respiratory problems such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, maybe they have damaged vocal cords or suffer from anxiety and stress-related problems. The demand has increased

considerably since I started coaching optimal breathing six years ago. Two years ago my husband joined the business as well, running an optimal breathing studio in SeĹžana. Living in Notranjska, are you drawn to venture further off, if not far, than at least to one of the biggest cities in Slovenia? I enjoy living in ÂťmyÂŤ Notranjska very much, among the wolves and the bears, I really enjoy the countryside. At the moment I have no plans to move anywhere because I cannot imagine anywhere better to live with my family. I often teach optimal breathing abroad, even on

other continents. Last year, I taught athletes and singing teachers in Los Angeles as well as opera singers in Sydney and Adelaide. I feel like this provides me with just the right dose of city living and I'm always very happy to return home. What do you find best about living in the countryside? Peace and glorious nature, without a doubt. I also like the people, who I find to be kind, open and honest. Where do you see yourself in a decade? My sons will be adults by then, so that we will have more time to travel.

I'll be starting to teach singing teachers from across the world at the Modern Vocal Training Institute in Spain in September. Many of them will come for one-on-one courses to me in Notranjska and I hope that this will help spread the knowledge of the beauty of this part of Slovenia. I would also like to learn more about manual therapy (I will be attending a course of laryngeal massage in Scotland this year), vocal techniques and, of course, the various breathing approaches. This is a lively research field and I am happy to contribute my knowledge and to learn from the best specialists.

// AMONG US

ASEF alumni - a bridge to Slovenia and a window on the world The Government's Office for Slovenians Abroad held on the last Thursday in June a joint press conference with the American Slovenian Education Foundation (ASEF) to present the ASEF student grant programmes, which are co-funded by the government and represent an important bridge between Slovenia and the young, educated members of Slovenian emigrant communities. ASEF provides grants for the best students from Slovenia, with 45 professors of Slovenian origin from universities in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK a part of the network. The students study at prestigious universities during a ten-week placement while getting to know Slovenian emigrant communities as well. The contacts they establish are often maintained long after their return to Slovenia, which is an important incentive for internationalising Slovenian knowledge. ASEF also offers grants to descendants of Slovenian emigrants from the US and other countries, who come

to Slovenia for a summer exchange: they explore the homeland of their antecedents and forge a network in Slovenia that can help them on their career path. The foundation is clear about its wish to get these young people to move to Slovenia. According to Minister for Slovenians Abroad Peter J. Česnik, this idea of ASEF co-founder Jure Leskovec has borne fruit in many ways. “It is important that Slovenian generations are returning home,” said Česnik, stressing the importance of education and such integration. The Office has acknowledged that and the minister expressed his satisfaction about the financial and other support enabling

such experience for greater numbers of youths. State secretary Olga Belec added that the ASEF foundation had been doing honourable work by bringing together professors of Slovenian descent from universities across the world. This calling was first recognized by Slovenian emigrees whose donations helped ASEF provide the best Slovenian students with a chance to spend their summers with professors at world famous universities and gain new knowledge there and then bring it back home with them. At the same time, these students forge ties between the professors and Slovenia while getting to know emigrant communities. Belec pointed out that ASEF had started awarding grants to US students of Slovenian descent as well, adding that some alumni had decided to return to Slovenia. Nina Troha of ASEF said that this year 28 excellent students went abroad for ten weeks, while ten foreign students of Slovenian descent came to Slovenia to conduct research. “We are building bridges between countries and widening Slovenian borders,” she said. Some alumni shared their experience at the press conference and spoke about why ASEF exchanges are important for their future. There was a healthcare student

who is doing her internship at the Trnovo retirement home, a paediatrician who is expanding her knowledge at the UKC Ljubljana hospital, as well as a number of students who spend their summers doing research at Slovenia’s faculties. They all share great enthusiasm about Slovenia and a wish to stay in touch with the homeland of their ancestors for the rest of their lives. “Slovenia is a small economy, while the Office’s budget is modest,” said the minister, highlighting that “ASEF alumni are a bridge to Slovenia and a window on the world”. Jure Leskovec pointed out that the foundation conducts interviews with potential fellows, while the professors themselves assess applications. “What counts is the resume, past products, research work and people’s open-mindedness.” According to Leskovec, a call for ASEF grants will be published late in the autumn, with the results being known in early spring next year.   Blanka Markovič Kocen

// AMONG US

From a Slovenian House to a development and information centre of Slovenians abroad The idea for an emigration museum has been floating around for many years, and Zvone Žigon has been promoting it during several terms as the head of the sector for Slovenians abroad at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad. Representatives of the stakeholders, including the ministries of culture and public administration and the Office for Slovenians Abroad, discussed the idea in mid-July with the mayor of Postojna, Igor Marentič. It is in a beautiful half-vacant building in the centre of Postojna, in Ljubljanska Street, which is known among locals as the seat of the former financial administration SDK, that the officials inspected premises which, it seems, are currently the best option for housing a project which is expected to become a new tourist attraction in Postojna. “This was the first meeting on a larger scale. We initiated a debate about how to realise the initiative by Mr Žigon to establish an emigration museum,” said Olga Belec, the state secretary at the Office, adding that Postojna was currently the best site. She said that it was not completely clear who would operate the building, which is currently part-owned by a bank and the state. “It is still too early to talk about the forms of cooperation as well. Whether it will be a public institute, whether it will fall under the auspices of the Culture Ministry or the Office - these are all open issues which are yet to be addressed”. “Also in play for the museum were locations in other parts of Slovenia, but they gradually fell by the wayside as the Postojna location seems the best for us at the moment,” said Belec, who announced talks with Intesa San Paolo bank on the sale of the premises as the next move. A development and information

centre as a service for Slovenians outside the Slovenian borders and returnees Zvone Žigon, the head of the sector for Slovenians abroad at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad, said that when it came to content, the project was still at the level of concept. According to him, such an institution should house a permanent exhibition on Slovenians outside Slovenia, which would present the entire scope of Slovenian emigration, its causes, as well as the types and categories of emigrants, from athletes to architects, soldiers and others in different periods of history. “For the time being, it is only an initial idea which needs to be coordinated with the Ministry of Culture and a museum, most probably the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum, and the thing is still in its infancy. The project is expected to include a genealogy office to assist in the search for ancestors in and outside

Slovenia and in creating family trees, as well as an office for returnees and for those who would like to return to Slovenia and start a new life or to move here but are not able to find their way in the sea of web portals. In a nutshell - it would be a kind of an information office which would offer assistance in matters like insurance and healthcare, investment opportunities.” The museum would also feature a specialised library with books about migration of Slovenians that would be created in conjunction with the National and University Library (NUK), and it would also perform archival activity in cooperation with the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia. The Office already closely cooperates with the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia when it comes to preserving the archives of Slovenian expatriates, with professional archivists helping arrange, digitalise and record archives. A lot of other activities would also take

place there. “Concerts by bands and individuals from abroad would also be organised. I can imagine jazz musicians, choirs, Argentinian soloists performing there ...” says Žigon. “There are plenty of possibilities. There are many good Slovenian painters, architects abroad who could stage temporary thematic exhibitions which would accompany the permanent exhibition, and we could also organise seminars, conferences, film screenings.” Žigon believes that children are not getting enough information about Slovenians in neighbouring countries and Slovenian emigration in school. “An average Slovenian knows nothing about this, and everything is connected with stereotypes about people who are rich

and should be taken advantage of or be pardoned. Polka and sausages are stereotypes that are dying out.” Broader cooperation will be necessary The possibility of including civil organisations, such as the Slovenian Emigrant Association, Slovenian World Congress, Rafael Society and Slovenia in the World, will also be discussed, but the most important thing is that the project is based on expert knowledge. “Broader cooperation is needed and I don’t think that there will be a lack of interest in something like this,” said Žigon, who has been promoting the museum idea for several terms and who has established the following: “The desire in principle has always

existed, including in the civil society and politics, but it was always about nodding and there was never a final political decision, because this comes with a substantial financial investment.” The building in Postojna is closest to becoming the museum despite potential problems with the bank, according to him. “Minister Česnik himself comes from an emigrant background and he has already expressed his approval for the project in his first statements when he took over. There is a lot of work to be done, but we have started thinking about some more specific things.”

  Blanka Markovič Kocen