CURRENT EVENTS

Suzana Lep Šimenko, Minister for Slovenians Abroad: “The love for our homeland brings us together, even when we are oceans and continents apart.”

“Personally, I consider caring for Slovenians living abroad to be much more than fulfilling my ministerial role. It is an area that has always been close to my heart and to which I had already devoted much of my time as a Member of the National Assembly. Today, I have the opportunity to strengthen this bond and take concrete steps forward on behalf of my compatriots,” says Minister for Slovenians Abroad Suzana Lep Šimenko at the beginning of her interview with Rodna gruda. “I admit that meeting Slovenians living outside our country is always an emotional experience for me. When you are thousands of kilometers away from Slovenia and your compatriots welcome you with a Slovenian song, a warm smile and a heartfelt handshake, it truly touches you. This is especially true when you meet people who left Slovenia decades ago, or their descendants, who may never have set foot in our country but still speak of their Slovenian roots with immense pride.”

The Slovenian Cultural Society in Buenos Aires expands its activities

At its headquarters, the Slovenian Cultural Society in Buenos Aires continues to organize activities for the local community. This article highlights just a handful of them.

Kristina Globokar and Elsa Bat held a masterclass in making potica, followed by a tasting of poticas with different fillings. Another highlight was an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Triglav Support Society (A. M. E. Triglav), which was established in 1947 through the merger of three associations from the Littoral region: Ljudski oder, Naš dom and Zarja. The event featured presentations by Aleš Šteger and Jure Tori, as well as a lecture on two of the greatest Slovenian singers in history, Anton Dermota and Carlo Cossutti (Košuta), who came from Santa Croce near Trieste and had roots in this very community. Sonia Tomazin presented her book Adiós al dolor de espalda, which has also been translated into Slovenian and published in Slovenia. We also learned about Los caminos de mi vida by Emil Okretič, a Castilian-language version of Poti mojega življenja published by the Slovenian Emigrant Association. Translator, author and university professor Dr. Julia Sarachu-Vodopivec also took part in the presentation and later gave an overview of Slovenian literature.

CULTURE

Darinka Kozinc and Sabina Vostner: A fresh breeze of Slovenian culture in Russia

A night of Slovenian culture in Moscow, as experienced by a Slovenian from Saratov

I live in Saratov, a town on the banks of the Volga River. It is nearly 900 kilometers from Moscow and more than 2,000 kilometers from Ljubljana. Few Slovenians live in this region, yet we strive to preserve our mother tongue and culture.

Recently, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a personal invitation to a musical and literary event, Far and Near (Daleč in blizu in Slovenian), held at the Center of Slavic Cultures of the Margarita Rudomino All-Russian State Library for Foreign Literature. There, I met two wonderful Slovenian artists: writer and poet Darinka Kozinc, and writer, poet, singer and musician Sabina Vostner.

When I received Sabina’s invitation, I immediately knew I had to go. I felt that this was an event I could not miss, and I was right! To this day, I still feel moved. It was not an ordinary cultural event but a true celebration of Slovenian literature and music.

GENERATIONS

Marjan Grum honored by the City of Buenos Aires

On 23 September 2026, the Buenos Aires City Legislature hosted a ceremony at which Marjan Grum, an old friend of Rodna gruda, was named an Outstanding Cultural Figure of the City.

On this occasion, we would like to congratulate Marjan on this well-deserved honor. In mid-December last year, we wrote about him and the monograph dedicated to him, which was published in both Castilian and Slovenian. Now, it is worth saying a few words about the neighborhood where he lives and pursues his creative work.

SLOVENIAN WONDERS

The Brihtna Glava Primary School: At our grandparents’ school desks

In Bela Krajina, visitors can travel back in time. In an authentic classroom from the 1950s, they can relive their school days, discover the cultural heritage of the region and laugh after being scolded by a strict teacher.

In Radovica, a village not far from Metlika, stands a school that at first glance resembles many schools of the past. It features old wooden desks, blackboards, maps, pictures and a teacher’s desk, behind which a strict schoolmistress presides. But lessons there do not end with the school bell, and visitors do not leave with grades entered in the school register. Those who visit the Brihtna Glava Primary School leave with smiles on their faces, new knowledge and, quite often, deeply moving memories. This is especially true of those who experienced similar classrooms in their childhood.

Mag. Kristijan Radikovič