Dragi prijatelji / Dear friends,

In Melbourne we celebrated and brought to a great conclusion a memorable period of Slovenian presence in Australia.
On the weekend 22 to 23 March, we celebrated 25 years of Slovenian language learning in the secondary school system of Victoria, Australia. We commemorated the occasion with style that we considered worthy of its significance.

There was a cultural program of speeches, songs, recitations of poetry and humour. We further marked the 25th Anniversary by launching the book Slovenian Language in Australia, which will remain as permanent document and witness of Slovenian presence in Australia. The ISSV Archives Exhibition, held at Baraga House was an impressive display of documentary and photographic evidence.

We concluded with the Conference on 23 March, where we looked examined our past and present and prepared to turn towards the future with its rather different challenges.

Ss Cyril and Methodius Hall was overflowing and the event a great success for the Slovenian community. The Slovenian public and the Australian guests were pleased and impressed with the program and the young performers, most of whom had been students of Slovenian.

Among guests were Bojan Bertoncelj, Charge d'Affaires of Republic of Slovenia, Bob Stensholp, representing the Victorian Multicultural Commission. Department of Education of Victoria was well represented with Therese Mercader, Manager of Languages Division, Maree Dellora, Head of Languages Other Than English at the VCAA (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority), Frank Merlino, the Principal of Victorian School of Languages, and Venetia Kefalianos and Connie Bramble, VSL Area Managers. All Slovenian associations were represented and the school community was present in great numbers.

The cultural program was conceived as a presentation of Slovenian culture as it has been developed and maintained by Slovenian immigrants in Australia and its aim was to reflect the study of Slovenian language and culture in Slovenian classes. The other aim was to present our talented young people and their capacity to portray Slovenian language and culture. There were songs and musical compositions - two performers were also composers- , humorous sketches, jokes, traditional folk, children's and modern poetry- beautifully recited -, accordion music and popular entertainment music. Finally the male choir Planika - the longest existing Slovenian male choir in Australia.

The program concluded with the raffle of books, videos and CDs donated by the Institute for Slovenian Studies of Victoria for the occasion. The librarian of Baraga Library. Maria Oppelt, was thrilled when she received as her prize "Slovenski slikovni slovar" ( the Great Slovenian Picture Dictionary)

ISSV 25th Anniversary Exhibition

It was an ideal opportunity for an exhibition of ISSV Archives. A point in time when we look back with pride at our achievements before we turn our eyes towards the future. The display was presented in the Baraga House, and the public was able to view a part of the extensive ISSV collection of documents, students work, examination papers, curriculum publications, course books and photographs, documenting the period from 1976 to 2002.

ISSV Conference and exhibition:
Slovenian Language and Culture - "The lost generation"

With the Conference we wanted to come to grips with the burning issues of language loss, and loss of identity or to put it more positively to bring together a group of individuals of Slovenian background, born outside Slovenia and plan a course of action addressing these issues. Aleksandra Ceferin in her opening speech identified the issues of the so-called "lost generation".

Members of Slovenian community active in Slovenian language maintenance and the post-migrant generation attended. The Australian born generation was well represented although not present in a great number. They were invited to state their case and they had responded with enthusiasm. We listened to five points of view, focusing on personal experience of double identity - growing up as Slovenians in an English/Australian environment of friends, school and work. All spoke of appreciation, enrichment and broadening of perspective as a result of understanding and speaking Slovenian, participating in community life, and having a connection with Slovenia and Slovenian heritage.

The debate and sharing of similar experience and viewpoint was lively and satisfying, extending well over the appointed time. It was regretted that so many of the young people with Slovenian background are to ready to abandon their links with the Slovenian community and do not find it of value to persevere with Slovenian language.

Aleksandra Ceferin concluded with the suggestion that we go forward and find some positive solutions. Fr. Cyril Bozic had already pointed out that there are now many close links between Slovenian and Australia in cultural, political and economic spheres, which promise well for the future. Aleksandra Ceferin stated again that Institute for Slovenian Studies of Victoria has already taken some significant steps to strengthen such links: establishment of the website www.thezaurus.com has been a momentous step forward, providing a link to Slovenia accessible to Slovenes anywhere in the world and becoming an important web destination accessed in 53 countries in the world. Another such initiative was the organizing of Australian Reading Tour of Five Slovenian Authors, where Slovenian modern literature was introduced to the Australian public. Finally, sending our students to study at a Slovenian high school - to learn the language and make friends with their peers.
It was proposed that a follow-up session be held, focusing on future plans and proposals that would involve the 2nd and 3rd generation, the community, and Slovenia.

The meeting will be held at Baraga House, on 13 May at 7.30 pm. A letter has been sent out to all colleagues and friends who have an Email address. We are hoping for an increased audience, judging by the interest generated from the conference on 23 March. I am putting some of these issues on the Forums also, and hoping for results. A contribution from those who are unable to attend is also welcome.

The book Slovenian Language in Australia.
25 years of Slovenian language teaching in Victoria by Aleksandra L Ceferin

The book reflects the writer's experience of arrival and settlement in Australia with her family in 1950, and from 1976 onwards her professional involvement with Slovenian language in Australian secondary school system.

Slovenian Language in Australia has been written to document important work of 25 years, so that it would not be forgotten. The book, 140 pages in length, is based on the extensive archives of the Institute for Slovenian Studies of Victoria, and presents in essence a historical context for the introduction of Slovenian language in Australian school system. It documents the initial stages of introduction of Slovenian language and its evolvement as a teaching subject while udergoing several major school reforms, and the accreditation process as a Higher School Certificate (maturitetni predmet).

It contains 120 photographs, 22 illustrations and 39 documents, which illustrate the progress and process of the work undertaken by the teachers and the Institute for Slovenian Studies within the school system. There is also a full list of nearly 500 students enrolled in Slovenian classes from 1977 to 2002 and a list of all teachers who had taught Slovenian in Victoria. It features statements by teachers, some in Slovenian and English, statements by students, and samples of VCE written with descriptions and other selected pieces. The Appendix contains in detail the milestones of teaching Slovenian from 1976 to 2002, an extensive bibliography of Slovenian teaching materials and a review of that unique institution, Victorian School of Languages.

The book costs $25 AUD (+postage) in Australia, and $35 AUD overseas and can be ordered ditectly from the Institute for Slovenian Studies of Victoria at Email issv@thezaurus.com or at Baraga Library, 19 A'Beckett Street, Kew Vic 3101, Australia

Our work in other areas and projects continues, perhaps a little more slowly, since all the above events were major projects:

Thezaurus Forums

There are now a number of Forums to read, add or respond to. The number of registered users has risen to 50, and there are now over 200 articles. We wish for more response, interest and involvement from all those people who read the texts. It would be really encouraging to hear from this silent public who obviously like to be given some food for thought but does not want to participate, or to use modern jargon - to be interactive.


Sloveniana Webzine

Plecnik, the Architectural Legend of Slovenia has finally been published and appears in a series of four articles. Joze Plecnik, the Architect, Joze Plecnik in Vienna , Joze Plecnik in Prague, Joze Plecnik in Ljubljana. Vienna, Prague and Ljubljana are the three central European capitals, on which Joze Plecnik has left a mark and which mirror the breath and scope of his extraordinary talents.