The publisher Istros Books has informed us of two events presenting Slovenian authors Marko Pogačnik and Evald Flisar:

The Wisdom of Fairy Tales

Thursday 27 February 7pm – 8.30pm

Talk and book launch with Marko Pogacnik

Rudolf Steiner House, 35 Park Road, London, NW1 6XT | T: +44 (0) 20 7723 4400

Join us for this rare visit from Marko and the launch of his new book which will take place after the talk, Grimm’s Fairy Tales Decoded: precious messages from the past for the future (ISTROS, Feb 2025).

MARKO POGAČNIK is a Slovenian artist and author of international renown. Since 2005, he has dedicated much of his work to creating Geopuncture Circles, a world-wide lithopuncture project to enhance communication with the Earth consciousness that he creates together with his international colleagues. He has written a number of books on spirituality and earth healing, including Sacred Geography (2007) and Gaia’s Quantum Leap (2011). In 2016, he was appointed UNESCO Artist for Peace and is a member of the TRANS-4-M Global Wisdom Council.

Entrance £8 / £5 concession. To book a place please ring Rudolf Steiner Bookshop on 020 7724 7699 or buy a ticket on the night in the bookshop.

In Conversation with author Evald Flisar

Barbican Library, Barbican Centre Level 2, Silk Street, London WC2Y 8DS 

Thursday, March 13, 6PM till 7:30

Join author Evald Flisar in conversation with Susan Curtis of Istros Books as he discusses his most recently published book in English, My Kingdom is Dying. 

Both Evald and Susan will also be taking part in the London Book Fair 2025, with Istros Books and Sodobnost International Cultural Society (KUD Sodobnost). Evald and Susan will discuss My Kingdom is Dying, before taking audience questions, followed by a book signing. Copies of the book will be available to purchase on the night.

Booking via Eventbrite:https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-conversation-with-author-evald-flisar-tickets-1146858587909

2025 Annual General Meeting

For members of the British-Slovene Society only:

Notice is hereby given that The Annual General Meeting of the British-Slovene Society will be held at 6 pm (UK Time) on Thursday 27^th February online via Zoom.

Any member may join the Meeting.

AGENDA

Ordinary Business

• To receive and adopt the Report of the Trustees and Accounts for the year ended 31^st December 2024
• To re-elect the following as Trustees, who retire by rotation and are offered for re-election: Shirlie Roden, Ana Stanič
• To appoint a Secretary for the forthcoming year. Miha Košak has indicated his willingness to continue in office.
• To appoint a Treasurer for the forthcoming year. Andrej Ogorevc has indicated his willingness to continue in office.
• To appoint a Chairwoman for the forthcoming year. Evelina Ferrar has indicated her willingness to continue in office.
• To approve the Minutes of the AGM held on 14 June 2024.
• Any Other Business.

Please confirm your attendance by email to: miha.kosak@britishslovenesociety.org  by close of business on Friday 21^st February, 2025.  You will then be sent an invitation to join the Zoom session together with instructions. You may also receive BSS Accounts for the year ending 31st December 2024 and the Chairwoman’s Statement.

In case you cannot attend the AGM and wish to vote, please use the Form of Proxy: 2025 BSS-AGM-Form-of-proxy

Evelina Ferrar, Chairwoman

The Office for Slovenians Abroad has sent the information about grants for Slovene language courses:

• Afternoon Course of Slovene Language, Spring 2025 – deadline: 1 February 2025

• Morning Course of Slovene Language, Spring 2025  – deadline: 1 February 2025

• Summer School of Slovene Language in Ljubljana 2025  – deadline: 15 May 2025

• Autumn School of Slovene Language 2025  – deadline: 15 May 2025

• Winter School of Slovene Language 2026  – deadline: 31 August 2025

• Spring School of Slovene Language 2026  – deadline: 31 August 2025

You can find more information about the courses and grants at https://centerslo.si/en/courses-for-adults/scholarships

Dear Members and Supporters,

We wish you all a Happy New Year! The time has come around to renew your membership to the British-Slovene Society. Annual payments are now due, and we would much appreciate if you would arrange this promptly. To those who have already done so, many thanks.

We remind you that, as notified on 13^th December, new rates apply:

INDIVIDUAL £25
FAMILY (maximum 5) £40
STUDENT £15
CORPORATE £150

If you are not yet a Member, and have British or Slovene connections, do consider joining! You would be most welcome. Among the advantages you will enjoy is a reduced price for our payable events, including the 2025 Prešeren Evening with Andrej Šifrer in London on March 8^th. Through membership you will be supporting a vibrant community promoting friendship, with activities taking place throughout the year.

You have a choice of three means of payment:

1. By direct electronic transfer to The British-Slovene Society’s bank account with Natwest, Sort Code 60-20-36, Account Number 51197685, IBAN: GB67NWBK60203651197685, BIC: NWBKGB2L. Put your name in the reference field. Please consider setting up a Standing Order. This will save you time and trouble next year.
2. Or you can pay by PayPal by going to www.britishslovenesociety.org/membership/ and following the instructions. This is also where you can apply to become a Member.
3. Or by cheque made out to The British-Slovene Society and sent to the Treasurer, Andrej Ogorevc, 10 Rogers Court, 5 Premiere Place, London E14 8SF, e-mail: treasurer@britishslovenesociety.org.

If you already pay by Standing Order, please ensure you have adjusted it to take into account the new rates.

The sudden loss of our Chairman, David Lloyd, has saddened us all, but we look back on a year in which we have continued to celebrate and nurture our friendship.

In March, Vlado Kreslin, one of Slovenia’s top performers, enthralled us at our annual Prešeren dinner in London. In July, a Slovenian folklore group sang and danced at our picnic in Henley, where we have erected a traditional Slovenian kozolec (hayrack).  And last week, members packed St. Martin Ludgate Church in London for our annual carol service.

Michael Žmahar and James Walker have joined as new Trustees, and have already proved their worth. Next year, we can look forward to a Prešeren evening with Andrej Šifrer (8^th March), picnic in Henley (6^th July), and carol service (5^th December). PLUS a new event: entertainment by Slovene standup comic Tin Vodopivec in London (23^rd October).

Members are invited to attend our online AGM on 27 February. Our financial year now ends on 31^st December instead of 30^th September.

Membership dues have remained unchanged since the Society’s earliest years. The Board of Trustees have now reluctantly decided we must raise them to take into account the rising costs of our activities. As Trustees, we strive to keep spending under strict control, and we serve without remuneration.

From 2025 the annual rates for individuals will be £25, for families up to five £40, full-time students £15, and corporates £150.

If you have a Standing Order, please adjust it accordingly. By your membership, you help the British-Slovene Society continue to flourish in its mission of fostering friendship and mutual support.

Our community consists of everybody who feels connected with Slovenia or Slovenes. Do come and join our events, become members and continue to  support each other and our Society. Every individual matters!

On behalf of our Board of Trustees, I send you warm wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

Evelina Ferrar

The British-Slovene Society once again filled St. Martin-Ludgate Church in London for our annual Christmas service of Carols and Readings on Friday 6^th December.

Readers of the Bible’s Christmas story ranged in age from seven to over eighty: carols and readings alternated between Slovene and English. Organist Aljoša Skorja once again made the 17^th century organ loft resonate with his mighty chords, ably assisted by singers Jessica Parnell, Lucy Peck and Maria Jurd.  Marija joined violinist Nikola Pajanović on the piano for a moving rendition of Gounod’s Ave Maria.

The new Slovenian Ambassador the UK, Sanja Štiglic, was present, and kindly donated Slovene wine for the social gathering afterwards, for which we are most grateful. Our thanks also go to the Sekne family in Šenčur, who donated seven kilos of potica – their daughter Zala graduated at Oxford and Cambridge. And to the Office for Slovenes Abroad for their ongoing support.

The service was introduced for the first time by Chairwoman Evelina Ferrar, who spoke of our sadness at the sudden death of her predecessor, David Lloyd. Our new Trustee, James Walker, took responsibility for practical arrangements, ably assisted by his wife Brigita. A collection raised £235 for Barka, a Slovenian charity for people with special needs.

That we can hold such a happy gathering owes much to the kindness of the Venerable Luke Miller, priest of this beautiful Christopher Wren Church. He officiated the service movingly – and gave us a fine example how to make one’s voice resonate in a building with tricky acoustics.

The BSS warmly invites you to our annual Christmas Carol Service on Friday 6^th December 2024, at 7 pm. We will gather again in the Church of St Martin Ludgate, 40 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7DE.

Do come and join in our service of carols and readings in English and Slovene. If you would like to do a reading, that would be most welcome. Contact BSS Trustee James Walker:  jameswalker5330@gmail.com.  Afterwards there will be a chance to catch up with friends over potica (offered by the Society) and Christmas drinks.

There is no charge but a collection is taken to support the work of the Barka charity in Slovenia.

Nearby stations are City Thameslink, Blackfriars and St Paul’s.

City Thameslink has very long platforms with exits at both ends.  For St Martin Ludgate, take the exit at the southern end of the platform  to avoid a long walk. 

    .

We are grateful to the Office for Slovenians Abroad for their financial support

Come to a one-off London concert by Slovenian singer Vlado Kreslin – poet, lyricist and performer much-loved in Slovenia and beyond.

Thursday 21 November 2024 at 8 pm
Doors open: 7:30pm

Conway Hall
25 Red Lion Square
London WC1R 4RL

BOOK TICKETS

Vlado Kreslin in one of the best-known Slovenian musicians and songwriters, playing his own unique mix of Blues mixed with folk music. He has been referred to as an ‘ethno-revivalist’, modernising traditional songs, and drawing on the rich traditions and ethnic heritage of his homeland and across the region. He is frequently performs worldwide and has opened twice for Bob Dylan and other world acts, such as R.E.M., the Dubliners, Allan Taylor and the Barcelona Gypsy and Klezmer Orchestra.

In addition to performing songs in his native Slovenian, Kreslin’s repertoire also includes English and Irish folksongs, sevdah from Bosnia, Italian ballads and folk songs in dialects such as Istrian and Littoral.

Organised by Istros Books & Založba Kreslin