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May 29

50th Anniversary of Twinning of Maribor and Greenwich

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The ballet of the Slovene National Theatre of Maribor gave a much-applauded performance of its “Radio and Juliet” creation at the Woolwich Town Hall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the twinning of the city of Maribor with the borough of Greenwich.

Actively encouraged over the past three years by Slovenian Ambassador Tadej Rupel, the two municipalities cooperate actively in  culture and education and exchanges of young people. Maribor has donated a vine to grow in Greenwich, and the latter has created a beautiful green “Maribor Park” leading down to the Thames.

Asked whether the Brexit vote was causing concern, Maribor mayor Dr. Andrej Fištravec said: “Not at all. Our cooperation has never been stronger. There is wholehearted commitment on both sides.”

Also pictured at the event on 25th May: British-Slovene Trustee Evelina Ferrar with Mayor Fištravec.

May 21

The British-Slovene Society Annual Picnic

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Dear Slovenes, friends and families,

We warmly invite you to join us from 12 noon till 4.30 p.m. on Sunday 2nd July for the Annual Picnic in the Oxford University Arboretum at Nuneham Courtenay. We will meet again by the kozolec (Slovene hay rack).

Bring a picnic, drinks, deckchairs, blankets, your kids, grandchildren and friends. If you make something particularly nice, you may wish to share it with others!

The Arboretum is situated just south of the village of Nuneham Courtenay on the A4074 road from Reading, eight miles south of Oxford. The postal code is OX44 9PX. From London it can be reached by the M40, exit 8, A40 to Oxford, then southwards round the Ring Road (A4142) on to the A4074 towards Reading.

If you come by train to Oxford or Reading, you can then take the bus X39/X40 to the Arboretum. If you have problems please mail to evelina@ferrar.org.uk or call 07584 199 177 and we will do what we can to help.

The Arboretum has kindly agreed to mow the area around the hayrack, but we are not allowed to climb on it. Adults attending the British-Slovene picnic pay £5.00, concessions £3.50. You can pay by cash, credit/debit card or cheque. Children under 16 and Members of Oxford University (bring your card) enter for free. Dogs are not allowed.

More information on the Arboretum can be found at https://www.harcourt-arboretum.ox.ac.uk/.

We must leave by 4:30 pm when the Arboretum closes. However, if you wish to come earlier, you can do so from 10 am onwards.

We hope we can welcome many of you as we celebrate and enjoy an afternoon around the kozolec – one of the most traditional symbols of Slovenia and its culture.

Jan 07

Games with Greta: Slovenian author in conversation with Juliet Jacques

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Thursday 26th January 2017 at 7pm at Gay’s the Word Bookshop, 66 Marchmont Street, London WC1N 1AB

suzana-tratnik

Suzana Tratnik will be reading from and talking about her recent short story collection Games with Greta and Other Stories, translated by Michael Biggins, published by Dalkey Archive Press.

Suzana Tratnik is a writer, translator, publicist, and sociologist. She has published six short-story collections, two novels (My Name is Damjan and Third World), a play, and three works of non-fiction. Tratnik was one of the founders of the LGBT-rights movement in 1980s Yugoslavia and was instrumental in creating one of Eastern Europe’s most vibrant alternative cultural scenes before the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 2007 she was awarded the Prešeren Foundation Award, one of Slovenia’s most prestigious literary awards. https://www.suzanatratnik.si/biography/

A free book event with support from the Slovenian Embassy in London. Doors 6.55pm. Complimentary refreshments provided.

Jan 05

Prešeren Evening with Aleksander Mežek on 4th February 2017

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Saturday 4th February 2017 at Princess Alexandra Hall, Royal Over-Seas League, Over-Seas House, Park Pl, St. James’s, London SW1A 1LR.

Reception with drinks from 6.30 pm, dinner at 7.20 pm.

Aleksander Mežek, photograph by Ciril Jazec

Aleksander Mežek, photograph by Ciril Jazec

Members of the British-Slovene Society, students, and other friends of Slovenia in Britain are warmly invited to the Society’s annual Prešeren Evening.

This year’s celebration promises to be a particularly fine evening. Not only will we have one of Slovenia’s top singer-songwriters to entertain us, but we will meet in a stylish venue located in one of the best parts of London.

We have moved to the Royal Over-seas League because our previous location, the Hotel Russell, is being renovated.

The Prešeren Evening consists of a drinks reception, a three-course dinner with wine, and the concert by Aleksander Mežek.

Please note that if you become a member, you will pay less for the Prešeren Evening and your membership fee combined than if you come to the Evening as a non-member! The Society is subsidising part of the cost for members and students.

Once again, you can take part in a Tombola with prizes generously offered by supporters and sponsors.

We are looking forward to a splendid evening celebrating Slovenia’s most famous poet, and we hope you will join us.

If you wish to come, please fill in the  Application Form, send it to the address given on the form by Saturday, 28th January 2017 and make your payment. Prior reservation is essential. As capacity is restricted, places are allotted on a first-come first-served basis.

 

 

 

 

Dec 06

British-Slovene Society packs London Wren church

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At a time when solidarity among peoples is more important than ever, the annual Christmas Service of Carols and Readings of the British-Slovene Society attracted a record turnout of members and their friends on 2nd December.

Young and old filled all the pews of the beautiful Christopher Wren Church of St. Andrew-by-the Wardrobe in London, and took part in the readings and carol singing, led by the Gallus Consort choir under Paul Brisby (who brought his new-born son with him).

Casper and Lara Hill (mother Slovene, father British) sang solos and read in Slovene

Casper and Lara Hill (mother Slovene, father British) sang solos and read in Slovene

Robert Mingay-Smith played the organ, and the service was officiated by the Ven Luke Miller, Archdeacon of London, who is also Rector of St. Andrew-by-the Wardrobe.

Participants donated £306 in a collection for Barka, a charity in Slovenia for children with special needs, which the Society has supported for many years.

Afterwards, we stayed to talk, drink Slovenian wine kindly given by the Slovenian Embassy, represented in person by Ambassador Tadej Rupel and family, and eat traditional Slovenian potica and English mince-pies.

The Ven Luke Miller is assisted with the candles

The Ven Luke Miller is assisted with the candles

See gallery with pictures by Ian Božič.

Dec 04

Ljubo Sirc has died

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The British-Slovene Society is sad to hear of the death of Ljubo Sirc, one of its most distinguished and long-serving members. He was 97.

ljubo-sirc

Ljubo Sirc was born in 1920 in Kranj and fought with the Resistance in WWII in Yugoslavia.

Subsequently he was considered suspect by the new Communist regime and in 1947 he was sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to 20 years’ hard labour and in 1954 he was released.

He left for Britain and lectured at universities around the world. In 1965 he took up a post at the University of Glasgow, where he then lived. In 1983 he founded a Center for Research into Post-Communist Economies in London.

In 1989 he returned to Slovenia and unsuccessfully stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate for the Presidency three years later.

Back in Britain, he was awarded the CBE for spreading democratic ideas in Eastern Europe.

See https://www.delo.si/novice/slovenija/umrl-je-ljubo-sirc.html

Nov 25

Concert by Slovenian-born July Jones

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28 November 2016 from 8 pm
Underbelly | 11 Hoxton Square, London N1 6NU

Web

Get-together of Slovenes and Their Friends and concert by July Jones with Ina Reni, Becky Arundel and Ina Shai.

On this occasion, the Slovenian-born singer and songwriter July Jones will launch her first album. MORE

July Jones describes her style of music as modern soul, which in her vision means  soul combined with electronic pop. She will perform the songs created in the past  two years since her move to London.

Oct 31

Christmas Carol Service

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The BSS warmly invites you to our annual Carol Service on the 2nd of December 2016, at 7 pm.

This is our regular festive get together which is held in the beautiful church of St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe, Queen Victoria Street and St. Andrew’s Hill, City of London, EC4V 5DE.

The church, which was built by Sir Christopher Wren is a wonderful historic building and well worth a visit in its own right. Please come and join in our carol singing in English and Slovene.

Catch up with friends after the service as there will be potica (offered by the Society) and Christmas drinks (courtesy of the Embassy).

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

Nearest underground Blackfriars. St Paul’s and Mansion House nearby.

How to get there

Oct 31

Boštjan M. Zupančič talks about the European Court of Human Rights

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Time: Thursday 17 November 2016 at 6 pm

Place: Barnard’s Inn Hall, Holborn, London EC1N 2HH

Title: In the Context of the Common Law: The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg

Boštjan M. Zupančič, a Slovenian judge at the European Court of Human Rights since 1998, will talk about differences between British Common Law, under which “like cases should be decided alike”, and the logical reasoning in the Continental legal system. They represent two different cognitive approaches to reality.