Highlights – november 2008
Our notes :The Visit of the British Queen Elisabeth II in Slovenia
The British Queen Elisabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburg stayed in Slovenia for 3 days on the state visit and it was historic for many. Above all things the visit was with many events the occasion, which consolidated already good relations between Slovenia and Great Britain. The Queen and the Duke came to Slovenia on their first visit on 31st October and they visited Brdo at Kranj, Ljubljana and Lipica. The first day of the visit ended in the evening with the solemn dinner in the castle Brdo, where the host Danilo Türk emphasized the meaning of the historic visit and good relations between the countries above all things in the oration. Also the Queen emphasized the same in her oration and between another she thanked Slovenia for its military help in Afganistan and Iraq, too. The second day of the visit began with the visit of Lipica, where symbolically the Queen got one of the best Lipicanes horses in the stables and after that it was a performance. Ater the visit of Lipica the royal couple dined with numerous guests in Ljubljana`s castle and after the dinner they promenaded yet over the Tromostovje /three Bidges/ and Prešeren square, where more than thousand people had been wating on them. The British Queen Elisabeth II and her husband the Prince Philip left Slovenia on 23rd October. They were accompanied to the airport Jože Pučnik by the host, the president of the Republic Danilo Türk with his wife Barbara Miklič Türk and the representatives of the British embassy in Slovenia and the president office of the Republic.
An interview: Borut Pahor, The President of the Social Democrats
»The contribution of the Slovenes abroad was extremely huge and priceless for the independance«, said the most likely mandatory and the winner of this year`s parliament elections, mr. Borut Pahor. »A lot of people amongs them worked anonymously and their contribution was never properly appreciated, but we owe them a deep debt of gratitude for the help for the enforcement of our common interests. For this reason one of the important tasks of the future government will be a strengthening of a collaboration with the compatriots abroad so in a form of financial help as with a communication deepening and as the help for the return in the central homeland, if the compatriots would wish so«. Pahor extra wants the strengthening of the contacts with the prosperous compatriots, specially with scientists, economists and men of culture. He gives notice to all, that it is quite normally, that we have different political ways, but this must not be a reason for a division on the basis of the old conditions. «Therefore I will personally strive for the processes of reconciliation«, because he wishes, that everywhere the Slovenes and the cosmopolitans would flourish, relieved of old painfull experiences«, he also added.
The topic of the month: Web portal www.slovenci.si
In this August a new web portal www.slovenci.si revived and it is meant for the Slovenes abroad and in the world. The basic idea of the portal is to make possible the acces to actual information about the Slovenes out of the Slovene borders in one place; to meet with the the work of the institutions, that are responsible in Slovenia for the collaboration with the Slovenes abroad and the latest information about their work (for example the publication of seminars, consulatations, applications) and to present all Slovene societies abroad. One year ago four organizations (SSK- Slovenski svetovni kongres, SIM – Združenje Slovenska izseljenska matica, SVS – Izseljensko društvo Slovenija v svetu in Rafaelova družba) of the civil society, that are in charge of the Slovenes abroad in Slovenia, took the initiative and so the portal www.slovenci.si was originated. The office of the government of the republic of Slovenia for the Slovenes abroad and over the world, which also became a coordinator of the project and with the great approval it accepted the idea for the portal and also donated the funds -12 000€. At the moment the portal offers the information in Slovene and English language. Dependently on a response they think over the translation in Spanish, German and different languages in the future.
The successful fellow countrymen: Janez Hacin, architect
Janez Hacin was born in Celje in 1931. First he studied in Ljubljana in the faculty of architecture, where he was the student of Plečnik for some time. His brother- in- law provided him with the visa and already after two years he went abroad and stayed there. For a shorter time he stopped in Wienna, Geneva and Stockholm and then after all these he registered as s student of Princeton University, USA. At this university in 1958 he took a diploma as Master of Architecture and then proceeded his exceedingly succesfull career in Geneva. A lot of time Hacin devoted his attention to charitable activities. He helped to many students of Ljubljana`s Faculty of Architecture with the scholarship and was also his Maecenas and model. With his donations he helped to realize many projects, that preserved the cultural and natural heritage in Triglav`s national Park. With his family foundation he helped thousand families in India and during the act of the Slovenian Independence he resolutely strove for the recognition of the new and independent state of Slovenia.