Laibach. On Wednesday, to the 31. August 2022, Slovenian President Borut Pahor visited the headquarters of the umbrella organization of cultural associations of the German-speaking ethnic group in Slovenia and took part in the membership conference. In the almost two-hour conversation, the member associations reported on cultural activities and their efforts to preserve the German minority language in Slovenia. Es wurde auch über die möglichen Verbesserungen und rechtlichen Lösungen des Minderheitenstatus gesprochen.

The umbrella organization of the cultural associations of the German-speaking ethnic group in Slovenia convened the membership conference of the associations last Wednesday, in which the Slovenian President Borut Pahor took part as a guest of honour. In a lengthy conversation, the activities of our member associations were presented to the distinguished guest. The umbrella organization currently consists of 8 Kulturvereinen aus ganz Slowenien.

Meeting of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, mit Vertretern der deutschsprachigen Volksgruppen.

In his speech, President Borut Pahor advocated the constructive work of the dialogue group at the Slovenian Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the relevant departments. He also welcomed the visible progress made in recent years: “The increase in funds, the scientists are currently in intensive exchange, to create a common historical reference book, that will strengthen our public's understanding of the role of German speakers in our common past", fügte er noch hinzu.

After the event, President Borut Pahor visited the international traveling exhibition IN TWO WORLDS – 25 German stories watched, the till the end of November 2022 in the Schweigerhaus at Alter Markt 11a in Ljubljana is shown to the Slovenian public. The exhibition is accessible online and is a project of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (SOURCE/AGDM).

The representatives of the German-speaking cultural associations reported to President Pahor on the situation of the German-speaking ethnic group in Slovenia. In addition, the common wish for the constitutional recognition of the ethnic group was expressed. To the 20. Anniversary of the signing of the cultural agreement between Austria and Slovenia, our umbrella organization will prepare a memorandum, mit dem wir auf die Versäumnisse und Verbesserungsmöglichkeiten die slowenische Politik aufmerksam machen wollen.

The German-speaking ethnic group in Slovenia was once the most numerous ethnic minority in the Slovenian area. According to their own assessment, the autochthonous German-speaking ethnic group is between 3.000 and 5.000 Citizens of Slovenia with German mother tongue. Sie ist in Kulturvereinen im gesamten Staatsgebiet Sloweniens organisiert und durch den Dachverband der Kulturvereine der deutschsprachigen Volksgruppe in Slowenien vertreten.

For questions: Christian Lautischer, Chairman;
Union of cultural societies of the German-speaking national community in Slovenia,

Pictures: Bor Slana/STA