Traditional Meeting of Slovenian Expatriates

Smarjeske Toplice/Nova Gorica, July 4 (STA) - About 300 Slovenian expatriates gathered for their 16th jamboree in Smarjeske Toplice on Saturday

Minister for Slovenians Abroad Bostjan Zeks said on the occasion that the purpose of such meetings was that Slovenians living abroad see first hand what was going on in their homeland.

on in their homeland. According to Zeks, Slovenian expatriates, primarily political ones, still believe that Slovenia is governed by some kind of a strange regime, which has to be afraid of.

has to be afraid of. They usually only read or hear about Slovenia, so he believes that it is good that they get acquainted with the true situation on the spot.

Zeks added he was not happy, personally and as the minister for Slovenians abroad, that a similar meeting is being organized today in Nova Gorica by another group of Slovenian expatriates.

This happens because there is a belief that there are different kinds of Slovenians, he said, proposing that the organizers agree to join the meetings next time.

According to Zeks, the biggest communities of Slovenian expatriates live in Germany, the US, Canada, Argentina and Australia. Emigrants arrived in different waves, first because of the economic situation, and then a wave of political and post-war emigrants followed.

There are differences between them, including ideological differences, the minister said, adding that “it does not matter where Slovenians come from, all of them are our people.”

The head of the Slovenians in the World association, Bostjan Kocmur, said that the annual jamboree provide the opportunity for exchange of opinions and public discussions. At the same time, they are a place where people can get new acquaintances and strengthen the Slovenian identity, he added.

The meeting is attended each year by hundreds of participants, including Slovenians living abroad and those who have returned, as well as Slovenians promoting closer ties with the country’s emigrant population.

Later today, about 1,000 ethnic Slovenians living abroad convened in Nova Gorica the traditional annual “Meeting in Our Country”.

The social gathering, organized by the Slovenian Emigrant Association, was addressed by President Danilo Tuerk.

The president noted at the 53rd gathering, which was also attended by Minister Zeks, that Slovenian emigrants had also played an important role in the creation of the Slovenian state.

After Slovenia gained independence, Slovenian expatriates helped Slovenia establish precious ties with influential factors in the countries where they live, and some also offered material and financial aid, Tuerk said.

The head of the Slovenian Emigrant Association Sergij Pelhan added that about 450,000 Slovenians lived outside Slovenia, of which 80,000 has Slovenian citizenship. About 150,000 Slovenians and their descendants keep regular contact with their homeland, according to him.

The president also opened an exhibition dedicated to the Alexandrians, Slovenian women who worked in Egypt, mostly Alexandria, from the end of the 19th until the middle of 20th centuries.

Before World War II, some 8,000 Alexandrians, mainly women from the western region of Gorisko, worked in Egypt as nurses, seamstresses, nannies, maids and governesses in the households of rich European families.

State Department International Religious Freedom Report 2009 - Slovenia

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and other laws and policies contributed to the generally free practice of religion. The Government generally respected religious freedom in practice. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom by the Government during the reporting period.

Traditional Meeting of Slovenian Expatriates

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