Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Washington

The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Washington, D.C. is the official representative body of the Slovene Government in the United States of America.

The Embassy in Washington is competent for all Federal States except Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin (for these is competent the Consulate General of the Republic of Slovenia in Cleveland, Ohio. The Embassy in Washington is also competent for Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of the United States (OAS).

The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Washington every year organizes a range of cultural events, indicated in the weekly Embassy's Newsletter. Premises of the embassy include a spacious reception hall, which also serves as a gallery space and a concert room.

Cultural cooperation

Every year the Embassy of Slovenia in Washington organizes a range of cultural, public diplomacy, educational and science events - all highlighted in the weekly Embassy's Newsletter and promoted through embassy's website, social, printed and even TV media. Premises of the embassy include a spacious reception hall, which also serves as a gallery space and a concert room.

Anja Bukovec, Manca Ahlin, Miha Alujević, Artvento quintet, Boris Bizjak, Gary Bukovnik, Sabina Cvilak, Jože Domjan, Andrej Goričar, Matej Grahek, Mak Grgić, Meta Grgurevič/JAŠA/Luka Uršič, Bogdan Grom, Marko Hatlak, Ištvan Išt Huzjan, Arne Hodalič, Tadej Horvat, Stane Jeršič and Barbara Jakše Jeršič, Barbara Jernejčič Fürst and Žarko Ignjatović, Barbara Jurkovšek, Manca Juvan, Boštjan Korošec, Jiři Kočica, Lučka Koščak, Vlado Kreslin, Nejc Kuhar, Tone Kuntner, Mojca Majcen, Megaron Chamber Choir, Octet9, Perpetuum Jazzile, Tomaž Izidor Perko, Eva Petrič, Nataša Prosenc, Jure Pukl, 4Saxess quartet, Zora Stančič and Tanja Radež, Slowind, Ejti Štih, Zagreb Saxophone Quartet, Andrej Schlegel, Matej Sitar, Aleš Šteger, Tone Škerjanec, Lana Trotovšek, Juan Vasle, Teresa Velikonja Oaxaca, Žan Tetičkovič, David Vertačnik, Jože Vodlan, Miro Zupančič and Dragan Živadinov are some of the artists that performed or exhibited at the 2410 California Street, NW in Washington, D.C..

Recent cultural activities

In the recent years percussionists Jože Bogolin and Simon Klavžar, saxophonists Jan Kus and Igor Lumpert, Carmina Slovenica choir, N'Toko, Grammatik, flutist Matej Zupan, clarinetist, Jože Kotar, trumpeter Franc Kosem, violinist Vasilij Meljnikov and Gorjan Košuta, violist Franc Avsenek, cellist Miloš Mlejnik and Sebastjan Bertoncelj, pianists Hinko Haas and Nejc Lavrenčič, soprano Irena Preda, multimedia artists Neja Tomšič, Irena Tomažin, Miha Ciglar and Martin Bricelj Baraga, writers and poets Evald Flisar, Aleš Šteger, Andrej Blatnik, Gabrijela Babnik, Tone Škerjanc, Jela Krečič, Maja Haderlap and Cvetka Lipuš, philosopher Slavoj Žižek, architects Marjetica Potrč and Dean Lah, film makers Darko Herič, Žiga Virc, Tina Lešničar, Davorin Marc, film curator Jurij Meden, directors Peter Petkovšek and theatres Mladinsko Theatre, Zapik Theatre, Fru Fru Puppet Theatre and Nika Solce, dancers Jurij Konjar and Mojca Majcen and others performed in Washington, New York or elsewhere in the U.S. with the support of the Embassy, Consulate General in Cleveland, Department/Lectorate of the Slovene language at Cleveland State University, and 13 honorary consuls in respective states of Colorado, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. Just in 2016 the embassy organised around 140 events, trying to embrace all arts, from architectural showcases, film, sculpture, paintings, visual arts, dance, theatre and music. Many of them were dedicated to embrace the 25th anniversary of Slovenia's independence.

Artist-in-residence programme in New York

The Embassy also promotes activities of the twelve artists from Slovenia who spend a month in the residency in New York which is a part of the the Slovene Arts & Culture Residencies Programme of the Ministry of Culture.

Cultural heritage programme

At its premises the embassy often also presents exhibitions curated by Slovenian museums; such as the exbition by Idria Lace by the Idrija Municipal Museum, the exhibition titled 'Far and Wide they Went, Their Ware Always at Hand' about Ribnica peddling curated by Ribnica Museum, the exhibition 'Jewish Soldiers of the Austria-Hungarian Army On The Isonzo Front' by Maribor Synagogue, and 'Million 289 Thousand 369', an exhibition curated by the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia on the 25th anniversary of the plebiscite for an independent Slovenia.

American partners

Besides a series of cultural events at the embassy's space, which include concerts, film screenings, plays, panel discussions, lectures, wine tastings, cooking lessons, tourist promotions and at least five exhibitions a year, the embassy presents many of its events in collaboration with other embassies and consulates, non-governmental and nonprofit organizations, Slovenian societies and clubs in the U.S., universities and other partnering organizations, such as the Embassy Series, the Kennedy Center, U.S. Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, Hill Center, Hillwood Museum and Gardens, Listner Auditorium, the Phillips Collection, International Club of DC, Word Artists Experiences etc.

Events in Mexico

Besides introducing Slovenian culture to the U.S. audiences, is the embassy also accredited in Mexico. With the assistance of honorary consuls in Mexico City and Guadalajara, Slovenian writers every year participate at the Guadalajara Book Fair, theatre groups perform at different festivals (such as FCTAI in Zacatecas). Most recently curator Vasja Nagy in Mexico presented Art in a Suitcase project which featured several Slovenian artists.

Networking (EU)

The Embassy of Slovenia also participates in annual cultural events organised in cooperation with the Delegation of the European Union in Washington, D.C. other EU member states’ embassies, non EU embassies, consulates, non-governmental and nonprofit organisations and universities.

The most popular annual event presented in collaboration with other EU member states is EU Open House Day, with more than 4000 visitors in a span of six hours alone at the Embassy of Slovenia.

Other bigger events annually presented in cooperation with other foreign embassies are Panorama Europe Film Festival every May, Euro Kids Festival every October, AFI EU Film Showcase every December and one month long festivals European Month of Culture in May and Francophonic festival in March.

The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Washington is also an active member of two European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) clusters: the EUNIC Washington cluster and the EUNIC New York cluster, both dedicated to promote contemporary European culture in the U.S.

Educational projects

In the field of education programs such as Fulbright, American Slovenian Educational Foundation and Kerže endowment funds enhance the cooperation between Slovenia and the U.S. The embassy regularly collaborates with VTIS Association and Society for Slovene Studies and has for the past 3 years organised Science and Educational Showcase for researchers, scientists and scholars, with the support of the diaspora.

Slovenian community in the US

The first Slovenian immigrants should arrive to the United States in the late 1700s, while most intensive Slovene migration to USA took place in the 19th Century, the first decades of 20th Century, and after the Second World War. Nowadays majority of Slovenian descents (the 90% already born in the USA) live in Ohio (49.598), Pennsylvania (14.584), Illinois (11.743), Minnesota (6.614), Wisconsin (6.478) and California.

External links

Gallery