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Institute for Slovenian Studies of Victoria Inc.

President's Report

1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017

Projects in Australia and Slovenia

I. Translation and Publication work in 2017 to 2018

A.L. Ceferin completed the translation from Slovenian to English of:
Zlati cvet. Bajeslovje Slovencev by Jožko Šavli, Studio RO-Humar, Bilje, 2008, The Golden Flower,
A Slovenian Mythology, by Jožko Šavli (524 pages).
The work was finally edited in 2017; publication of the book and e-book is to proceed in 2018.
Publisher: Radivoj Humar of Studio RO-Humar d.o.o., Bilje 139 B, 5292 Renče, Nova Gorica,
Slovenija.

II. A.L. Ceferin: speaker at SAAA Conference, RMIT, Melbourne, 22 May 2017
Aim of the event: to discuss current and future research opportunities.
Conference details are provided on SAAA website: www.saaa.si/
Program: http://saaa.si/saaa-conference-2017-program/

Sponsor: Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Slovenians Abroad
Opening addresses were given by: Dr. Kaja Antlej, President of SAAA, Matthew Coote,
Special Projects Officer of EU Centre at RMIT, H. E. Mrs. Helena Drnovšek-Zorko,
Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia in Australia.
Following the addresses, there were fourteen speakers who participated at the
Conference.
Full program: https://www.scribd.com/document/347094672/SAAA-RMIT-EU-Centre-22-
May-2017-Program

Paper presented by A.L. Ceferin:

Slovenian Language in the secondary school system of Victoria (1976-2005), activities of the
Institute of Slovenian Studies of Victoria, and its core project, educational resources portal
Thezaurus.com (1998-) and significance of online learning for minority languages.
In 2017 Slovenian Australian Academic Association (SAAA) (hosted by European Union Centre at
RMIT) invited me to speak at their conference on 22 May 2017. It was an opportunity to speak
about what we had accomplished for Slovenian language in Victoria. I spoke about Victorian
multicultural policies and the role of Victorian School of Languages, the great educational reform of
the eighties and nineties and the key role of Slovenian throughout the period of educational reform,
which peaked in 1998, in the educational resources project Thezaurus.com. This was the first
platform for web resources for learning Slovenian language and culture in Australia.
A significant achievement was that Slovenian had become for the first time a matriculation subject
anywhere outside Slovenian territories.
ISSV forged links with Slovenia’s cultural institutions, and major projects undertaken were in
partnership with Društvo slovenskih pisateljev (DSP), Slovenski etnografski muzej (SEM), in Javna
Agencija za Knjigo (JAK). It was due to our endeavours that J. W. Valvasor's facsimile collection
Iconotheca Valvasoriana was gifted to the State Library of Victoria in 2010. The website
www.valvasor.org was launched to underscore the significance of Valvasor.

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In conclusion I argued that Slovenia should develop a more coherent policy in relation to Slovenes
living outside Slovenia and support such initiatives as ours more effectively and proactively.

III. Invitation to support 2018 - European Year of Cultural Heritage in EU

In July 2017, ISSV was contacted by Dr. Jože Gričar Professor Emeritus, University of Maribor,
inviting participation as a member organisation of EU network development for cultural heritage
and tourism ePromotion. He is the Program Co-ordinator and Editor of Portal http://eregion.eu
which is an inter-municipality Initiative in Europe.
ISSV is listed as a member organization in category of Slovenian organizations
at:
http://eregion.eu/initiative/members/organizations-of-slovenes-abroad/
Also two ISSV Projects:
Sloveniana Webzine (1998-) and website www.valvasor.org (2010-) are referenced on the Eregion
Portal as cultural resources.

IV. Report by A. Ceferin on Field Trips in Slovenia - March to May 2018

I undertook the annual trip to Ljubljana in March this year and stayed for a period of two months;
this time with my daughter Jana Ceferin. We planned to visit places of natural and historic
significance in different regions of Slovenia and produce a photographic record of the visits. Jana
C. organized all the logistics for travel in Slovenia. While in Slovenia we also did excursions to
Venice, Prague and Sarajevo: exploring the cities and visiting places of cultural significance.

The first visit was to Toplice Radenci near Murska Sobota; a very relaxing and satisfying
experience of a Slovenian health resort. We spent 3 days there and availed ourselves of the many
services on offer. We found that it is a popular resort for the Austrians and Italians as well as
Slovenes. Slovenia is deservedly reknown for its health spas.
We planned to visit Murska Sobota and the regional museum, but turned back, because of the
many roadworks. We visited Sv. Lenart, found it impressive with splendid schools and churches,
but again roadworks. In Maribor we strolled through the centre with its beautiful buildings, church,
parks and of course the famous ‘Stara Trta’. I visited the Maribor Museum, which has an
outstanding archaeological collection back to the Stone Age and includes an extensive Roman
collection.
On the way back to Ljubljana we stopped at the Žiče Charterhouse near Slovenske Konjice, dating
back to the 12th century. In 14th century it boasted the largest library in Europe (2,000 books)
surpassed only by the Vatican. The strongly fortified monastery has been renovated, and now
exhibits a museum. containing ancient documents and statuary indicating its prominence in the
past. Back in Ljubljana we took enchanting walks, visited the Castle, Rožnik, Tivoli… Narodna
Galerija offers a wonderful and extensive collection of Slovenian painting and above all Slovenian
Impressionists, who have made a specifically Slovenian contribution to the impressionist art
movement.
Moderna Galerija was just exhibiting a retrospective, the complete life’s work of Marij Pregelj,
Slovenian illustrator, designer and painter, called master of Slovenian Modernism.
We took a conducted tour around the newly reopened Park of Military History in Pivka; it was
exceptional, with an informative tour guide and viewing of all the tanks, planes, canons, trains and
even a submarine. A real insight into the war machinery of both World Wars, and a lot fascinating
detail on the warfare conducted on Slovenian territories.

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Subsequently we visited Goriška Brda and Soča Valley. We stayed in Kobarid and the outdoor WW
I Museum along the banks of river Soča, where we saw stone bunkers of the 3rd Italian line of
defence. We took hundreds of photographs of the emerald river Soča, on its constantly changing
course.
The highlight of the trips was the visit to the great memorial of WW I, Memorial Church of the Holy
Spirit (Spominska Cerkev Svetega Duha) at Javorca, Triglav Narodni Park. It is a wooden shrine
built by soldiers of the 3rd mountain brigade. First built in 1916, it was renovated in 1934 and again
in 1980ies. In 2007 the church was renovated again and formally classified a WW I monument
bearing the European Cultural Heritage Sign. It is one of the stations along the historical Path of
PEACE TRAIL, in the upper Soča region, a reminder of WWI.

V. Projects: 2018 to 2019

Portal - Thezaurus.com - 1998 to 2018 - 20 year Anniversary

Background: Since the inception of Thezaurus - Slovenian Language and Cultural Resources
www.thezaurus.com , as one of paticipating language organizations developing a platform of
Lotelinx websites of the Education Department of Victoria, launched on 1 January 1999. The
domain name was registered 26 June 1998, and the Thezaurus project began as one of the
educational websites of the Education Department of Victoria, designated as the LOTELINX
project. A suite of continuing educational and cultural web projects has been published on the
Portal since 1999; Sloveniana Webzine, Galeria Sloveniana, ISSV Archives, Links and Bookmarks,
Slovenian Community, Slovenian Language, Slovenian Literator, Slovenian Webclassroom,
Thezaurus Forums. The web projects are updated, new materials and information published in the
projects on an annual basis.

Portal Thezaurus.com migration to new website in 2018

In 2014 Thezaurus portal required migration to another web hosting server in Slovenia and an upgrade
in technology. First published 1 January 1999, the portal was restructured in 2004-06. With issues of
changing technology in 2014 it was essential to migrate the portal. One consequence was that
Thezaurus Forums was de-activated in August 2015. From 2014 to 2017 ISSV Inc. utilizes Social
Media: three accounts with posts on Facebook and Twitter. https://www.facebook.com/thezaurus.issv
https://www.facebook.com/aleksandra.ceferin https://twitter.com/Thezaurus_
The portal www.thezaurus.com requires a substantial upgrade to a new CMS Wordpress program.
Financial support by the Urad za Slovence RS / Office for Slovenes Abroad for the maintenance
and redevelopment of the complex portal has been submitted in the annual grant application in
November 2017. The present funding provided by Slovenian Government covers the web hosting
service. The gallery with its enormous collection of albums and photos represents a problem,
because the older technology is no longer compatible. It will be necessary to reduce the number
and size of photo albums.

ISSV Archives from 1976 to 2017 - located in ISSV Library

ISSV Online Archives (over 2000 documents) will receive particular attention. They document the
work of STAV and ISSV from 1976 to 2018.
I have completed introductions for each section of the archives. They are divided into three
sections 1. Slovenian teachers associations - STAV and ISSV, 2. The school offering Slovenian
language, SSML and VSL, 3. Victorian Certificate of Education / VCE under the various authorities
VUSEB, VISE, VCAB, BoS, VCAA,

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Project: Slovenian Webclassroom – E- learning

Link http://www.thezaurus.com/webclassroom.html
Contemporary Slovenia on the Web (2001-)

One project in the Webclassroom is the continuing series of study units which present web
resources named "Slovenia on the Web" (Slovenija preko spleta) since 2001 on contemporary
Slovenia (Sodobna Slovenija) in four categories: Country (Dežela), Society (Družba), Arts and
Culture (Umetnost in kultura), Leisure and Recreation (Prosti čas in rekreacija). There are 31 units
online. Three new units were produced in 2017 and will be published online in 2018:
Country: Protection of Biodiversity / Zaščita biotske raznovrstnosti, Society: NUK / Narodna in
Univerzitetna Knjižnica Society: Roman city Emona

ISSV Archives and Study Resources on open publishing platform Scribd.com in California,
USA.
These consist of ISSV project documents published online from 2010 - 2017. Total 1,567 docs.

1. ISSV Archives

Link http://www.scribd.com/thezaurus
13 new PDF docs. (406 docs) Total 54,000 views (to 2016)

2. Slovenian Study References

Link http://www.scribd.com/Slovenian%20study%20references%20
13 new PDF docs(191 docs.) Total 59,000 views (to 2016)

3. Slovenian Webclassroom –

Link http://www.scribd.com/Slovenian%20Webclassroom
7 new PDF docs. (970 docs) Total 68,000 views (to 2016)

Web Statistics till 2017

The last statistics are given for 2016. The website is being migrated from 2017 to 2018, and
statistics will be addressed after the migration of the website is completed. In 2016 Thezaurus
portal had 4,301,311 views, and 320,802 visitors, which is 358,443 views per month, and 26,734
visitors per month. Viewers originate from USA 25%, Australia 33%, 35% from Slovenia, and the
rest from 85 countries mainly from Europe.
Thezaurus appears on the first page on Google Search with search terms such as: Slovenian
language, Slovenian language resources, Slovenian Community, Valvasor, etc.

VI. ISSV Library established 1976-

It was established as a resource base for teachers and students when Slovenian Teachers’
Association of Victoria (STAV) was founded in 1976. With the support of individuals, Slovenian
organizations, Slovenska Izseljenksa Matica, Urad za Slovence RS, ISSV Library contains over
1,500 reference books in the area of Slovenian language and culture studies for educators,

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students of Slovenian, researchers, and members. The library collection continues to expand with
new reference works and donations from organizations, individuals and companies in mainly
Australia, Slovenia, and USA.
Opening Hours: Saturdays 2.30pm to 6.00pm during Victorian state school terms by prior
arrangement:
Link http://www.thezaurus.com/indexd1cc.html?/issv/issv_library_1976_-/

J. W. Valvasor Collection 2017

Slava Vojvodine Kranjske, a new translation into Slovenian language of Valvasor’s Glory of the
Duchy of Carniola has been added to the Valvasor collection in ISSV Library.
The edition has been ordered from the publisher Maks Viktor and is to arrive in 2018.
Maks Viktor d.o.o. Prešernova cesta 3
1000 Ljubljana
Website: http://www.maks-viktor.si
Publisher’s description of the first edition: translation from German to Slovenian.
“The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola (Die Ehre des Hertzogthums Crain) is one of the most
important Slovenian symbols, a foundation stone of Slovenian history, a polyhistorian work
published in 1689 in Nuremberg in German language. It is Baron Johann Weikhard von Valvasor's
most influential work and still remains on of the most important scientific works about Slovenia,
encompassing all knowledge of that time about the area of today's Slovenia and its people.
The complete work comprises 15 volumes, bound in four tomes, which encompass 3,552 large-
format pages; in addition there are 24 appendixes and 528 copper engravings. Valvasor described
Carniola in terms of its history, geography, topography, medicine, ethnology, biology, geology, and
other fields of science.”
Source: http://www.dezela-kranjska.si/index.php/en/the-glory-of-the-duchy-of-carniola
A Reference List of ISSV Valvasor Collection of publications and facsimile editions is published
online:
Link: https://www.scribd.com/document/377667116/JW-Valvasor-Collection-ISSV-Library-2017

On Loan at Library Collection. New publications purchased Ljubljana, March to May 2018:
A.L. Ceferin purchased the following new books and they are located in ISSV Library as items on
loan to ISSV, and available for loan to ISSV members and researchers.
Človek, Srečko Kosovel (Sanje 2016)
Groznovilca in divja zima (Jana Bauer) 2017
Magične zgodbe starega Egipta (Alma M.Karlin) 2016
Nisem le napol človek (Jerneja Jezernik) 2016
Park Škocjanske jame (Gordana Beltram et al) 2012
Predjama Castle (Ivan Stopar) 2002
Vsi predsednikovi sonetje, (Jana Kolarič) 2017
V Burji in Strasti, Lea Fatur, KPD Miroslav Vilhar, Zagorje, 2015
Zbiralec sanj, (Evald Flisar ) 2017

Bojan Ažman gifted to the ISSV Library:

A collection of 70 Slovenian films and the following books:
Dalmatinova Biblija - Novi Testament 1584 (posodobljeno besedilo), 2017
Pravljične poti Slovenije (Irena Cerar Drašler) Sidarta, 2007
Še vedno verjamem. Popotovanja od Jesenic do Singapurja (Ahmed Pašič) 2017
Osma žrtev ali rekviem za likvidatorja (Črt Kanoni) 2017
Poljub z okusom timijana, (Roman Kukovič ) 2018

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VII. Launch of new website Andrew Potočnik, wood artist, April 2017
A. Potocnik’s work had been first showcased in the online exhibition Galeria Sloveniana located on
the Thezaurus portal. (Link: http://thezaurus.org/gallery/79.html )
He is a wood artist of Slovene descent and has launched his website, a comprehensive display of
his extensive work.
“Artist’s Statement; I am a wood artist, writer and teacher specializing in woodturning. I prefer to
work with recycled or salvaged native timbers in Melbourne, Australia.”
Links: https://www.andrewpotocnik.com https://www.andrewpotocnik.com/blog
https://www.instagram.com/andrewpotocnik/
A. Potocnik can be contacted for: tuition, woodturning, made-to-order or commissions. He provides
tuition in his workshop in Macleod or other locations.

Background Note About Galeria Sloveniana Project: the primary role of the gallery is to present
and document the works of contemporary artists of Slovenian descent. The gallery is giving the
opportunity to emerging and developing artists to present their work to the global community and
stimulate exploration of the Slovenian identity through art.

VIII. Language classes in Victoria

Two Slovenian organisations in Geelong and Melbourne provide fortnightly language classes on
Sunday mornings, run on a voluntary basis by respective association members.

Australian Slovenian Association Geelong, Ivan Cankar.

Link https://www.facebook.com/AustralianSlovenianAssociationGeelong/
Slovenian Language School
There is an advertised class for adults in Newsletter, two hours every second Sunday morning
from 10.00 to 12noon.
For regular information about the class see: IC Association’s Monthly Newsletter on Facebook.
Contacts are Geelong Assoc. members: Dan Furlan - 408 525 523 Ida Marcola - 0419 881 067

Slomšek Primary School, Slovenian Catholic Mission, Kew. Franciscan Order (OFM).
Link http://www.glasslovenije.com.au/versko-melbourneOznanila_2016.html
An early primary level class is held during school terms with volunteer teachers, organized also by
Veronica Smrdel and Julie Bogovič, every first and third Sunday at the Centre, from 11.10am to
1.00pm after Sunday mass at Kew Slovenian Catholic Mission. Regular announcements about the
class (in Sl.), and performances are in the News Section of www.Glasslovenije.com.au

Aleksandra L. Ceferin
President
Institute for Slovenian Studies of Victoria

19 May 2018

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