Embassy's Book Series, 2009 – 2010

In Celebration Of Ljubljana’s Selection as UNESCO World Book Capital 2010

The Embassy will be organizing book presentations and readings throughout 2009 and 2010 in celebration of Ljubljana’s selection as UNESCO World Book Capital 2010. The designation by UNESCO is an acknowledgement of the best program dedicated to books and reading. Ljubljana is the tenth city to be chosen World Book Capital and was selected “for the quality of its application as well as for its diverse and complete program, widely and enthusiastically supported by all players involved in the book industry (publishers, bookstores and libraries). The jury’s choice has been this year particularly difficult because of the quality of the candidates."

First in the Embassy’s Book Series 2009 – 2010

November 5, 2009, 6 PM

Finding Slovenia, published by Mladinska knjiga in Slovenia, has recently been chosen the Award-Winning Finalist in the Travel category of the National Best Books 2009 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

A first in the Embassy’s Books Series 2009 - 2010 will be a presentation of a travel guide Finding Slovenia: A guide to Old Europe’s New Country by American Slovenian author Jacqueline Widmar Stewart (Embassy’s Newsletter featured an interview with Jacqueline on August 7). The book begins with prehistory on Slovenian soil, and continues with a short history of Slovenes since than. Most of the book is dedicated to the beautiful world of high mountains, national parks, breathtaking ravines, impressive plateaus, tumbling mountain rivers, picturesque lakes and vineyards, a country boasting fine wines and excellent food. What has been best in this land, both past and present, will be presented by Slovenian Tourist Board, Slovenian official tourist agency, which will offer an insight into natural and cultural sights of Slovenia worth visiting. Join us at our event on November 5, at 6:00 PM at the Embassy and »travel« with us to Slovenia! RSVP to (202) 386-6610 or neja.brglez@gov.si. 

 

 

Second in the Embassy’s Book Series 2009 – 2010

November 13, 2009, 6 PM

A first in the Embassy’s Books Series 2009 - 2010 will As a second in the Embassy’s Books Series 2009 - 2010, we will host one of Slovenia’s most popular Slovene poets, Tone Kuntner. Kuntner, who recently retired from his acting carrier in the Ljubljana Municipal Theater, has received for his artistic work in poetry and acting a number of awards, among others the prestigious Prešeren Foundation Prize, as well as the Sever and Borštnik awards. Together with selected collections, over twenty individual books of his poems have been published. On November 13, Kuntner will read from his new selection of poetry, Moj svet / My World.

Tone Kuntner will come to Washington accompanied by his son, renowned Slovenian biologist, Dr. Matjaž Kuntner. Dr. Kuntner’s discoveries in the group of Nephila spiders had just this week made headlines on the BBCs news Web page. Dr. Kuntner, who works at the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and his colleague, Dr. Jonathan Coddington, from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, have made a rare discovery in Africa and Madagascar. They found a new and rare species of giant orb web spider. The discovery will enable scientists to study the evolution of the dramatic size difference between male and female Nephila spiders. More in the BBC story at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8316720. stm