farewell to colleagues

NEWSLETTERAUGUST 3, 2012, VOLUME 8, NUMBER 31

A Salute toSlovenianAmericanspage 2 >

Sloveniaat the Summer Olympicspage 3 & 4 >

Investto Sloveniapage 5 >

Embassy of Slovenia2410 California Street, NWWashington, D.C. 20008, USAT: +1 202 386 66 01E: [email protected]

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Farewell to Colleagues On Tuesday, July 31, 2012, diplomats Andrej Medica, Maša Šiftar de Arzu and Mateja Kavaš ended their tenure at the Slovenian Embassy in Washington, DC. At the end of the month of July, Ms. Nina Aguilar, Ambassador’s Assistant, also concluded her work at the embassy after 11 years. Andrej Medica was posted as political counselor at the Slovenian Embassy in December 2008. Mr. Medica has been an excellent member of the Slovenian diplomatic team advancing the cooperation and good relations between the U.S. and Slovenia. He will continue his career at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to NATO in Brussels,

Belgium. Maša Šiftar de Arzu started with the Slovenian Embassy in May 2007. Ms. Šiftar de Arzu was responsible for public diplomacy, media and culture as well as science and technology. She is headed for the post at the Directorate for economic diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After four years, Mateja Kavaš ended her tenure in

Washington. In her fi rst year, Ms. Kavaš participated in The Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellowship (TDF), a diplomatic exchange program for individual foreign diplomats at the U.S. Department of State. After fi nishing the program, Mateja Kavaš was appointed political offi cer at the Slovenian Embassy in Washington. Beside holding the political portfolio, she specialized in development cooperation. Ms.

From right: Ambassador Roman Kirn, Mateja Kavaš, Nina Aguilar, Maša Šiftar de Arzu and Andrej Medica in front of Slovenian Embassy.

AUGUST 3, 2012, PAGE 2

Kavaš will continue her work at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to NATO in Brussels. Ms. Nina Aguilar was Assistant to the Ambassador of Slovenia for 11 years. She was an excellent member of our team, known both for her professionalism and hard work and, most importantly, to all of us she was a great colleague and friend. So, all of us at the embassy wish them all the best in their future as they begin new, challenging and demanding

A Salute to Slovenian Americans EVENTS

On July 13, 2012, a daylong fi lm festival program, “A Salute to Slovenian Americans”, was held at Vermilion Community College in Ely, MN. Dr. Mirjam Hladnik, senior research fellow at the Institute for Slovenian Emigration Studies, Ljubljana, Slovenia, and Joseph Valencic, historian and fi lmmaker from Cleveland, were the presenters. Topics highlighted the social, economic and cultural sustainability of Slovenian Americans over the decades.

The evening event featured a Slovenian buffet table followed by dancing to the beats of the Barich Brothers, John Stark, Rudy Jandrey and Adolph Levar. The Ely-Winton Historical Society and the Slovenian Union of America partnered in hosting the fi rst annual cultural event. Event coordinator was Mary Lou Deyak Voelk.

Joseph Valencic’s Presentation.

chapters of their professional careers. Mr. Medica, Ms. Kavaš and Ms. Šiftar de Arzu can, in the future, all be reached at their personal e-mail addresses, as for all the matters regarding embassy affairs, please address them to: [email protected]. On the other hand, the Embassy of Slovenia is delighted to announce a new addition to our staff. We want to welcome Ms. Petra Langerholc, who took the post of Political Counselor, replacing Mr. Medica. Ms. Langerholc has been appointed for four years. We wish her good

luck in her new endeavors as we fi rmly hope that together we will be a compatible team, able to realize our professional and personal goals.

Dr. Mirjam Hladnik’s Presentation.

Ms. Petra Langerholc, Minister Counselor.


Urška Žolnir is being showered with praise after winning gold on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, in the women’s -63 judo category. Judoka Žolnir defeated China’s Lili Xu to win the fi rst medal for Slovenia at the London Olympics with congratulations coming from fans as well as senior Slovenian offi cials. “You have thrilled all sports fans in Slovenia and showed once again that you are part of the global sports elite,” President Danilo Türk said in a congratulatory cable.Prime Minister Janez Janša attributes her success to years of training, with which she has achieved “a balance of physical power and mental calm”. He said Slovenia was proud of her. President of the National Assembly Gregor Virant said Žolnir had “taken Slovenia’s

name global” and could serve as a role model, especially for the youth, with her “heart and fi ghting spirit”. Education and Sports Minister Žiga Turk, meanwhile, labeled her success “an historical achievement for Slovenian judo”.A confi dent Žolnir cruised to the fi nals with straight ippons. Xu proved a more formidable competitor, but a waza-ari midway through the fi ght was

enough for gold.The victory secures for Žolnir, who won bronze in Athens eight years ago, a place in the Slovenian Olympic pantheon. Urška Žolnir is not only one of just eleven Slovenian athletes in history to win more than one Olympic medal, she is also the fi rst Slovenian woman ever to win gold in an individual competition. (Source: STA)

Žolnir Wins Gold OLYMPICS

Iztok Čop and Luka Špik took the bronze in the double sculls event on Thursday, August 2, the second medal for Slovenia at the London Olympics. The bronze takes the medal tally of the most successful Slovenian rowing duo in history to three: they won gold in Sydney in 2000 and silver in Athens in 2004. The Slovenian rowing stars started strong and had a boat length’s advantage at the one kilometer (0.62 mi.) mark, in line with their strategy to secure an early lead. But their edge

Iztok Čop and Luka Špik Take Bronze OLYMPICS


Slovenian veteran Olympian Rajmond Debevec won bronze in the men’s 50m rifl e prone fi nals on Friday, August 3, with a score of 701.0 points, winning the third medal for Slovenia at the London Olympics. The 49-year-old with eight Olympic appearances fi nished only 0.2 points behind silver medalist Lionel Cox of Belgium (701.2 points). Sergei Martynov of Belarus won the Olympic gold with a new world record of 705.5 points. This is the third Olympic medal for Debevec, after he won gold in 2000 in Sydney and bronze in 2008 in Beijing in the three-position event. In the qualifi cation, Debevec took his time to adjust the rifl e, but this paid off since he made it directly to the fi nals with a third place and a score of 596 points in 60 shots, avoiding additional stress in the shoot-off. He almost caught up in the fi nals with Cox, who was three points ahead of him after the qualifi cation, and secured a strong lead ahead of India’s Joydeep

Karmakar. Among the many congratulations following the bronze medal, Debevec’s achievement was praised by a number of Slovenia’s senior offi cials, who lauded his hard work and perseverance. While President Danilo Türk also highlighted his focus, calmness and mental strength for withstanding the enormous pressure, parliamentary Speaker Gregor Virant said that the third Olympic medal was the best acknowledgement for the exceptional athlete, who had been winning major achievements for

decades. Debevec also received congratulations from Education and Sport Minister Žiga Turk, Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec and Prime Minister Janez Janša, stressing that Debevec was a very experienced athlete and certainly a role model for young athletes. After today’s bronze in what has become Debevec’s main event in the recent years as he has been experiencing trouble with shooting in standing position, the veteran Olympian will appear at the London Olympics again in men’s 50m rifl e three positions on Monday. (Source: STA)

Rajmond Debevec Grabs Bronze OLYMPICS

eroded in the second half of the race as wind conditions changed, and fi rst the Italian and then the New Zealand boat surged ahead, eventually winning silver and gold, respectively. The Olympic fi nal marks the end of the career for Čop, who had thought about retiring before, but appears to have fi nally decided to end his career at age of 40. It comes 20 years to the day after Čop won the fi rst Olympic medal for independent Slovenia, a bronze in the

coxless pair with Denis Žvegelj in Barcelona. His tally makes him the third most successful Slovenian Olympian, behind only the gymnastics legends Leon Štukelj (six medals, three golds) and Miro Cerar (three medals, two golds). Špik, who is 33 and is unlikely to retire despite losing his long-time partner, was also happy with the race, but was a bit irked at the uneven wind conditions. “Everything went according to plan, but in the fi nal

third it opened up for the boats in lanes fi ve and six due to the wind. In better conditions, we would have fought for gold, but we ended up defending bronze,” Špik said. Čop and Špik received congratulations from senior Slovenian offi cials. While President Danilo Türk praised their hard work and determination, Prime Minister Janez Janša noted that their achievement secures them a place in sports history books. (Source: STA)


From September 19 to 23, Ljubljana will host Investors’ Week - the world’s largest international meeting of investors’ representatives. Investors’ Week, consisting of over 100 representatives of investors from around the world, will be organized by the VZMD (Vseslovensko združenje malih delničarjev – PanSlovenian Shareholders’ Association) and prominent international organizations, including EuroFinuse - European Federation of Financial Services Users, Euroshareholders - European Organization of Shareholders Associations, and the WFI -- World Federation of Investors. This will mark the fi rst time that all three prominent organizations and their members will meet simultaneously.

other numerous eminent international functionaries will meet in Slovenia. Through the investo.si program, an investors’ convention, “Investo Expo”, will also take place on September 20 and 21 in Ljubljana’s cultural center Cankarjev dom, where a wide range of Slovenian and international industries and products will be represented and promoted with the aim of establishing new relations and capital investments for the participating guests. Furthermore, at the

“Investo Expo”, conference sessions, discussion groups and educational workshops will be offered for visitors and guests, providing a proactive approach to gaining knowledge from experts. For information regarding the event, please visit http://investo.si/. For further information on the opportunities for cooperation contact: [email protected] or call + (386) 31 770 771 or visit the websites: www.invest-to.net and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBsQMyXKIj0&feature=relmfu.

Investors’ Week in Ljubljana

BUSINESS

S l o ven i an -Ame r i c an NASA astronaut Sunita Williams took off on her second space visit along with the Russian Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Flight Engineer Akihiko Hoshide. Together, they blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:40 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 14. Williams, Malenchenko and Hoshide docked their Soyuz TMA-05M spacecraft at the Rassvet module of the station on Tuesday, July 17. They joined Expedition 32

Commander Gennady Padalka of the Russian Federal Space Agency and Flight Engineers Joe Acaba of NASA and Sergei Revin of Russia, who have been aboard the orbiting laboratory since May 17. The six crew members will work together for about two months. Sunita Williams (born Sunita Pandya Krishna) born in Euclid, OH, is an American astronaut of Slovenian and Indian origin and a U.S Navy offi cer, and holds the record for longest spacefl ight by a woman.

Sunita Williams on Second Space Mission

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Fifty-fi ve national associations of investors and shareholders, which together just in Europe embody over 4 million individual investors, along with


SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Team Pipistrel has participated every year for over a decade in the Oshkosh AirVenture in Wisconsin, possibly the largest aviation expo and event in the world; this year, however, was by far their most successful AirVenture yet. Pipistrel introduced its new “baby”: the two-seat aircraft Alpha Trainer, designed especially for training new pilots. At the expo, the Alpha Trainer received the LSA (light-sport aircraft) certifi cate, which allows Pipistrel to sell the Alpha in the U.S and all other countries that accept the LSA legislation. At Oshkosh, the Alpha Trainer was publicly demonstrated in the air for the fi rst time in front of the massive American crowds – the AirVenture expo is visited by over 300,000 people every year. The Alpha received a lot of attention during the show, Pipistrel received over ten fi xed orders with advanced payments for the aircraft. Besides a successful introduction of the new aircraft model, the Pipistrel Team received two very prestigious awards. The “Dr. August Raspet Memorial award” is awarded by the EAA, which connects tens of thousands of engineers, inventors and aircraft builders all over the world. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) has awarded the Dr. August Raspet Memorial Award annually (beginning in 1960) to a person who has made outstanding

advancements in the fi eld of light aircraft design. According to the EAA Airventure website, “The fi rst recipient of the award was John Thorp, Lockheed engineer and designer. Since then, the list of people honored has read like a Who’s Who of aircraft design”, including names such as Curtiss Pitts, Burt Rutan, Alan and Dale Klapmeier, and Gordon Pratt. Every year, the memorial is awarded for “outstanding contributions to the advancement of the design of light aircraft and the experimental aircraft association.” This year’s award being given to the Pipistrel Team is defi nitely proof that Pipistrel’s innovativeness is now fully recognized and appreciated even in the cradle of aviation industry, the U.S. On behalf of the Pipistrel Team, the award was received by Mr Michael Coates, Pipistrel’s U.S. distributor, who once again took care of the fantastic presentation of Pipistrel and its products at the Oshkosh AirVenture expo.

Pipistrel’s R&D engineer, Tine Tomažič, received the prestigious PADA Trophy (more about this award http://cafefoundation.org/v2/main_PADA.php). The Personal Aircraft Design Academy (PADA) evolved from the Laminar Flow True Believers Society, which meets at the Oshkosh AirShow every summer. The meeting of PADA during the Oshkosh AirVenture now includes an award ceremony for outstanding designers of personal aircraft who achieve state of the art progress in aircraft performance and effi ciency. This year’s trophy was awarded to Tine Tomažič, Pipistrel’s development engineer and the leader of the Taurus G4 development team (the aircraft that won the 2011 NASA Green Flight Challenge, world’s fi rst electric four-seat aircraft). Pipistrel has affi rmed once again its position as the world’s leading designer and producer of advanced light aircraft. These two awards are another step on its steep upwards journey.

Pipistrel Receives Two Prestigious Awards at the Oshkosh AirVenture

On behalf of the Pipistrel Team the award was received by Mr Michael Coates, Pip-istrel’s USA distributor.


The old seaport of Piran is situated at the end of a peninsula that gradually narrows between the bays of Piran and Strunjan as it reaches Cape Madona, ending with the Šavrini hills. Piran is a national historical best-preserved cultural monument of Slovenian Istria. Throughout time, it maintained the clustered medieval appearance with narrow winding streets and tightly squeezed houses, which rise in steps from the coastal lowlands into the hills. Together with its contact with the sea, numerous churches and squares give the town typical Mediterranean looks. The town is surrounded by a 7th-century circular wall, of which seven town gates are still preserved; therefore, Piran is also a member of the European Walled Cities Association. Tartini Square, in the very center of Piran, was named

after the well known violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini. His statue is placed in the middle of the spacious market square dating from the 13th century. He also owned one of the oldest houses in the square, now called Tartini’s house. The red Benečanka (Venetian) house, in the 15th-century Venetian Republic style is also

among the fi nest and oldest preserved buildings in the square, next to the municipal Palace, an old Romanesque-Gothic town hall from the end of the 13th century, which was completely renovated in 1879 in the neoclassical style. The largest of the ten churches of Piran is the cahedral of St. George, the patron saint

Piran

TOURISM

Piran’s Marina.Piran’s Market place.

Piran with its circular wall built in 7th century.


of Piran. From its lookout tower, there is a magnifi cent view of Piran and its surroundings and all the way to the Italian and Croatian coasts. The history of Piran is very much connected to the sea. It inspired the art works in the Municipal Gallery, the Herman Pečarič Gallery, and the Meduza 2 Gallery. The main jewels are kept in the Sergej Mašera Maritime Museum, the Museum of Underwater Activities, the Aquarium, and the Konhilarij, which is a magic world of shells. Today, Piran is an administrative and tourist center, which attracts both local and foreign visitors. The Promenade along the coast offers many restaurants with a wide diversity of local foods and drinks. Numerous events take place all year round in the open and in magnifi cent buildings. The Saltmakers’ Festival takes place on April 24, on the feast of the patron saint of the town, when salt makers traditionally

trip to the saltpans. Every last Saturday of the month, the fair of antiques is held in the Tartini Square. The town is especially lively during the summer. On Fridays in July and August, classical music concerts have been staged for more than 30 years. The Tartini Festival devotes concert evenings in

August and September to the music of Giuseppe Tartini. There are also art festivals. In September, Piran hosts painters from all over the world at Ex-tempore. The 30th Piran Day of Architecture will be held in November this year and, in December, as well as every Christmas, eight Piran churches will present work of eight artists.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

The Consulate General of the Republic of Slovenia in Cleveland seeks an experienced and motivated individual for the full-time position of Executive/Consular Assistant. The Consulate General of the Republic of Slovenia in Cleveland is the sole diplomatic foreign mission in the State of Ohio. It has jurisdiction over 10 states: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The successful candidate will demonstrate energy, motivation, and vision required to accomplish and expand the mission of the Consulate

General of the Republic of Slovenia, possess signifi cant personal enthusiasm for customer service, convey a strong commitment to public outreach and mission visibility, and possess an understanding of the culture of foreign missions.

Qualifi cations: The ideal candidate will be:Experienced as an executive level assistant or business/government professional;Extremely organized, self-motivated, and able to independently create systems and processes to support projects;

Able to manage resources cost-effectively;Able to manage physical resources and logistical functions of a foreign diplomatic mission in compliance with the standards of the Ministry of the Republic of Slovenia, and the United States Department of State;An articulate, professional communicator, both oral and written; Able to independently produce impeccable, publishable written material including press releases, diplomatic notes, and business letters;Absolutely discrete in managing

Full-time Position at the Consulate General in Cleveland

Piran peninsula.


CULTURE

Branimir Slokar, a world-famous trombonist known for his charisma, virtuosity and good feeling, received a visible spot in the International Trombone Association Journal. In the Journal’s second issue for 2012, Abbie Conant, an international trombone soloist, writes about the Slovenian musician and does not hide her admiration for his respectable professional trombonist career and all the successes that came along. Branimir Slokar was born in 1946 in Maribor and became captured by the idea of becoming a jazz trombonist at the age of 17 after seeing the movie “The Glenn Miller Story”. His enthusiasm for the instrument and hard work soon began to pay off as he won many competitions, such as the Grand Prix for Trombone at the Paris Conservatory and the ARD Competition in Munich. Many years of challenging

orchestral experiences contributed in major part to his becoming an internationally recognized trombone soloist, but also to his pursuing a “chamber and pedagogical career that changed the face of the classical European trombone scene”, as Conant puts it. His Slokar Quartet, which will celebrate its 40th year in 2013, has played in the most prestigious concert venues in the world. Slokar, who is a true role model to his students, advises them: “Master your instrument fi rst, then the doors to the understanding and love of music and how to perform it will open for you.” The International Trombone Association Journal

Renowned Slovenian Trombonist on ITA Journal Cover

sensitive information; An intuitive listener and bridge builder who can maintain relationships; Comfortable in a role that has a signifi cant amount of responsibility, high degree of variability and multi-tasking; Able to interact comfortably and effectively with individuals at various levels within the foreign missions community, and state and local governments, to establish liaison, provide service, organize meetings, coordinate activities, and support projects;Possess knowledge of diplomatic and other government protocol procedures; able to recognize the necessity for, acquire, and apply protocol procedures to a

variety of situations and written responsibilities; Eager and quick to independently research/acquire new skills as needed.

Requirements:College Degree and 3-5 years complex offi ce/administrative or program/project management experience;Excellent technology, computer (PC), software (Power Point, Word, Excel) skills;Demonstrable excellent English language writing/editing skills; A professional appearance, demeanor, and attitude;Integrity, discretion, team spirit, and adaptability;

A committed sense of customer service; Background in event and meeting planning/coordinating is a plus; Strong preference will be given to applicants possessing Slovene language skills.

To Apply: Interested candidates should send letter of interest, resume, and references by mail to:Consulate General of the Republic of Slovenia55 Public Square, Suite 945Cleveland, OH 44113Other methods of application will not be considered. Deadline for application is September 1, 2012.

is a quarterly publication of the International Trombone Association. In circulation since 1971, it contains scholarly articles, trombone news, job announcements, and literature and record reviews.


The weekly Embassy Newsletter, produced by the Embassy of Slovenia in Washington, is available on: www.washington.embassy.si.Send us your comments or request for a subscription on: [email protected],

Editor: Nuška Zakrajšek

TO DO LIST

Discover Enchanting Slovenia Those of you who love to enrich your knowledge or the knowledge of your children and grandchildren, or at one point decide to visit Slovenia, will appreciate this 30-minute DVD. This film by Zoya D. Pinto will introduce you to the most interesting places in Slovenia, which has a long history, great architecture, art, and a breathtaking natural beauty. Order DVDs not only for yourself, your children and grandchildren, but especially for your American friends and thus help promote tourism of our native country. More information and request for order form: [email protected] Clearly fi lled DVD order form must be sent to: ZD Productions, 51 Village Circle, San Rafael, CA 94903-4242Promo links available at:https://www.dropbox.com/lightbox/home/Publichttp://dl.dropbox.com/u/81839964/Slovenia_DVD_%20promoter1.mov

Jiri Kočica - Votive Sculptures (Project Gallery) TProject “Votive Sculptures” derives from a traditional custom, in which votive fi gures, made of wax or, sometimes, other materials, were placed at the altar in a church as sacred gifts. This custom was preserved in the central European countries up until the 19th century. Jiri Kočica made various kinds of fi gures, including wax statuettes of families and couples. He used to give them to the visitors of the galleries where he exhibited. This project was some kind of reversed traditional custom and it represented a connection, which has made us more integrated into the community. When: Ongoing from August 2, 2012Where: Gallery MC, 549 West 52nd Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10019 More information: http://www2.arnes.si/~jkocic/

TO DO LIST

Live life to the fullest and explore the most beautiful and secret places of Slovenia, the hidden gem of Central Europe. From the spectacular rocky limestone peaks to the medieval towns, this ancient country includes castles, vineyards, glistening lakes, and offers amazing photo sessions. The itinerary is designed to give maximum exposure to the best photo opportunities during our journey. It will be as fl exible as possible. Within an organized exploration, you will get as much freedom to stay in one place as possible. Assistance by professional photographer Hank Miller during

the day-walks will highlight how to capture the best images using available light and scenery, discuss composition, camera settings, and other photo shooting-related subjects while visiting the famous Lipica Stud Farm, and hiking in the most scenic areas and medieval cities like Piran. About your photo escort Hank Miller (second generation Slovene): Hank Miller is a photographic artist who catapults the realm of photographic art out of the digital darkroom and paper album pages, pushing the envelope of visual effects into a state-of-the-art digital mastery of image, color, and light. Hank’s images are with National

Geographic Stock, in private collections, and in several books available for purchase. Hank has been the Artist in Residence at Hubbell Trading Post National Monument, Petrifi ed Forest National Park, and was selected at Badlands National Park. Hank instructs digital photography for OLLI, College of Marin and Tamalpais Education. For more information and to receive your sign-up forms, please contact Cosmopolitan Adventure ToursTel: 415-924.4627 / 800-569.6228info@cosmopolitanadventuretours.comwww.cosmopolitanadventuretours.com

Slovenia - a Photographic Journey 2013

farewell to colleagues

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