American Corner

Opening Ceremony Speech 
February 6th, 2006

Minister Rupel, Rector ÄŒok, Vice Mayor Jani BaÄ?iÄ?, Mr. Škraba, friends and guests.  I am honored to be here today for the opening of the American Corner. This is a wonderful and important event.

Edward R. Murrow, a great and courageous American journalist in the 1940s and 50s about whom the film, “Good Night and Good Luck” is made and which is now in Slovene theaters, said that the “really crucial link in the international communications chain is the last three feet” and that this link “is best bridged by personal contact – one person talking to another.” 

But today’s world seems much less personal.  News circles the globe in minutes, our lives are so mobile, mobile phones are ringing incessantly, and with the Internet, we have the world at our fingertips.  Far too often, we forget the importance of personal connections. 

This past Friday I met with a handful of Slovenes who, years ago, traveled to the U.S. as high school exchange students.  They described the experience as having transformed their lives – something that has stayed with them for life, making them more curious about foreign cultures, more informed, more worldly.  As a high school student I spent a year in Germany, and I can personally attest to the value of the experience. And I know that FM Rupel also spent a number of years studying in the U.S.  Sadly, the numbers of Slovene high school and college students going to the States is down considerably.  We’re trying to fix that, and I hope that one day we will have more university exchanges between US universities and the University of Primorska.

Among all of you today I see many Slovenes who have lived, worked, studied or traveled in the United States and I see at least a few of my American friends who call Slovenia home.  There are several hundred thousand Americans of Slovene descent living and working in the U.S. today, many of whom are preserving their link to Slovenia through heritage societies, religious groups, and a handful of independent newspapers like “Ameriška domovina” and “Amerikanski Sovenec.”  While we so often hear about the differences between Americans and Slovenians (or Europeans), we should celebrate our shared values and traditions.

As I’ve traveled throughout this country in the past year and a half, I’ve heard many of your stories, and the stories of other Slovenes.  I’ve recognized that more than anything else, it is these personal experiences that connect our two countries, help us understand one another, and ultimately, help us work together to help others.
In his annual speech to the American people last week, President Bush said, “America is about partnerships – within our families, our communities, our nation, and with the rest of the world.”  We have much to celebrate about the partnerships between Slovenia and the United States.  Just a couple of examples:

- One of our biggest accomplishments has been U.S.-Slovenian cooperation with the International Trust Fund for Demining -- and I’m happy to see the current and former Directors here -- where U.S. donations have been the ITF’s largest source of funds.

- We support Slovenia’s strong commitment to NATO and to the NATO operations that strive to bring peace, stability, and democracy in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and now in Iraq.

From the Marshall Plan after WWII to our Emergency Plan now to fight AIDS in Africa and elsewhere, American aid has been instrumental in changing the lives of millions.  While official development assistance has grown considerably, few realize that private giving of all kinds was over three times as much as what the U.S. gives officially, close to $62 billion. 

For its part, Slovenia has already shown willingness to take on an important role in world affairs, from your humanitarian response to the Tsunami and recent earthquake in Pakistan, to, now, President Drnovsek’s involvement to try to help bring an end to the political and humanitarian crisis in Darfur.  In all of these efforts, Americans and Slovenians have worked together and continue to work together – a real partnership.

One of the Embassy’s biggest priorities over the past year has been reaching out to Slovenes to help them make a personal connection to the United States:

- Our speaker program has taken American diplomats and family members to dozens of schools, clubs, and events all around Slovenia.   Interested?  Call or email us, and we’ll be there.

- Our arts and cultural grants program supports collaboration between American and Slovenian artists each year.  Friday afternoon I welcomed a group of high school students and teachers to our home to present awards for an essay contest about what Americans and Slovenians can learn from each other.  That program was funded by our grants program.

-Our Fulbright scholarship program sends Slovenian students and scholars to the U.S. and brings American students and scholars (some of whom I think are here today) to Slovenia.

These programs help create long-lasting ties between people, and those can and should become long-lasting ties between our countries.

I’m delighted to be here to open the first Ameriški kotiÄ?ek in Slovenia with such great partners – the City of Koper, Emona Obala corporation, and in particular, my friend Rector ÄŒok and the people of this fine University.  Together, we hope to create a cultural and information center that will become a vibrant and important part of this community and will be a place that brings people together – across town, and across the ocean – to discuss the issues of the day, hear a provocative lecture, attend a cultural performance, check e-mail, read a good book, find out about study in the U.S., or simply, just practice English.
 
Ultimately, I hope the American Corner will be a place that stresses the personal, to deepen the level of friendship between Slovenians and Americans.  Thank you.