Ljubljana, 28 January 2011
ACTION PLAN REGARDING CO-OPERATION AND SUPPORT TO YOUNG SLOVENIANS LIVING IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES AND ABROAD
Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Slovenians Abroad
1. Legal basis
The Action Plan, which determines in detail actual tasks, persons carrying them out, expected results, time frameworks and other conditions regarding co-operation with young members of the Slovenian community outside the Republic of Slovenia, derives from:
· Paragraph (2) of Article 6 of the Act Regulating Relations between the Republic of Slovenia and Slovenians Abroad (ZORSSZNM) which stipulates that endeavouring to preserve and strengthen Slovenianism in the common Slovenian cultural space is one of the main undertakings of the Republic of Slovenia. The Republic of Slovenia, in accordance with Article 12, builds a relationship with Slovenians outside its borders on the basis of a long-term strategy which is enacted through the development of sustainable strategies for the comprehensive strengthening of Slovenian communities abroad,
and
· the Strategy of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia with Slovenians outside its borders (Government of the Republic of Slovenia, 2008) which determines as the fundamental goal the preservation, enhancement and development of Slovenianism in the common Slovenian cultural space. The Strategy emphasizes that, to attain this goal, the Republic of Slovenia carries out measures with which it encourages young members of the Slovenian communities outside the Republic of Slovenia to learn the Slovenian language, to get to know Slovenian culture and to form a Slovenian identity and connection with the Republic of Slovenia.
The Action Plan includes strategic directions, goals and measures which have been created on the basis of the analysis of the situation in Slovenia and outside Slovenia.
2. The analysis of the situation
The analysis should show how many young members of the Slovenian community outside Slovenia are interested in working in the field of preserving the language and culture and enhancing business and other contacts. The analysis highlights the model cases with regard to responses of Slovenian organisations in Slovenia and outside Slovenia, pedagogic workers, catholic missions and diplomatic and consular posts of the Republic of Slovenia abroad and on the basis of researches published in publications[1], questionnaires and similar.
The situation differs among countries in which Slovenians live. In some places the interest in co-operation from young people is greater, and in others smaller. The reduced interest of the young people is a result of generation differences. A reason for the non-activity of young people in societies of Slovenians around the world is also the contemporary internet and telecommunication (information) era when young people, on their own, without being included in societies, are obtaining information for their interest as regards the homeland of their parents or grandparents. The contemporary internet social networks are a good source of information and a method of connecting with societies without formal membership. Young people are merely observers of social goings-on, and the membership the internet social networks is beneficial also when an individual is faced with a situation in his/her life which demands more knowledge from him/her, a need to change their studies, employment, place of residence and similar. Contemporary life requires independence and autonomy from young people. The process of gathering information on the internet enables young people to create their own opinions. Young people wish to socialize and connect with their peers from Slovenia in a manner which surpasses the framework of the society, place or even country in which they live.
The expectations and experiences of young generations of the Slovenian national communities in neighbouring countries are quite different from the experiences of their parents and grandparents. This is the result of European integration and new life situations such as partnerships with partners from other cultures. It is important that socializing and friendship with peers from other cultures are also shown as a possibility for cultural enrichment. It is necessary to create a positive attitude to other cultures and at the same time emphasize the richness of Slovenian cultural heritage so that the young may feel more interesting in their midst, also from the point of view of Slovenian identity and cultural heritage. Therefore, it is a matter of integration of multi-culturalism and cohabitation with Slovenian identity and cultural heritage.
The interest of young people in studying in Slovenia, for the learning of Slovenian and for summer schools in Slovenia is particularly emphasized, and some young people would also wish for greater participation in terms of business co-operation. In some countries, the young people have already taken up some actual campaigns. The forum and the web page www.sloarg.com are mentioned as an example, within the forum and web page young Slovenians from Argentina and others may obtain useful instructions regarding studying, student exchange, practical work or work in Slovenia. The young people regularly meet within the framework of two groups on Facebook, that is, “Slovenians in Switzerland”, which some one hundred persons have currently joined, and “BruSlov” for Slovenians in Brussels. In some places younger representatives of the Slovenian national communities in neighbouring countries (for example in Austria) wish for greater co-operation in the handling of political issues of the national community.
2.1 European Union and Council of Europe
The Youth of European Nationalities (YEN) is a network of thirty youth organisations which represent European ethnic, language and national minorities. Similarly, YEN is the greatest independent and non-governmental umbrella youth organisation which includes young members from seventeen European countries. The Council of Europe and European Commission support YEN with administrative logistics. YEN participates as a member in the Federalistic Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) and in the European Youth Forum. In the spirit of co-operation among nations in Europe, YEN strives for the preservation and development of culture, language and minority rights.
Young people from Austrian Carinthia (“Klub slovenskih študentk in študentov na Dunaju” (The Club of Slovenian Students in Vienna), “Koroška dijaška zveza” (Carinthian Secondary-school Student Association), “Mlada enotna lista v Celovcu” (Young United List in Klagenfurt) and Italy (young section of the Slovenian Community Party) are members of the YEN. A special working group of the YEN association strives for the enlargement of the membership to other youth organisations in Europe.
2. 2 Neighbouring countries
2.2.1 Austria
“Slovenska mladinska organizacija” (the Slovenian Youth Organisation – SYO) is an experiment of young generation of Carinthian Slovenians to overcome ideological divisions and direct their activities into the future of the national community[2]. The following youth organisations are included in SYO which was established in January 2010:
· “Koroška dijaška zveza” (Carinthian Secondary-School Association - CSA),
· “Mlada enotna lista (Young United List –YUL),
· Klub slovenskih študentk in študentov na Koroškem (The Club of Slovenian Students in Carinthia – CSSC),
· “Katoliška mladina” (Catholic Young People)
· “Študentski klub koroških Slovencev iz Gradca” (Student Club of Carinthian Slovenians from Graz),
· “Študentski klub koroških Slovencev iz Dunaja” (Student Club of Carinthian Slovenians from Vienna).
The SYO strives to enhance its role by means of renting and later by purchasing its premises in the centre of Klagenfurt.
Slovenian youth organisations are also active in some international and regional initiatives. The Club of Slovenian Students in Vienna, the Carinthian Secondary-School Association and the Young United List in Klagenfurt are partners of YEN. Upon an initiative of Slovenian youth organisations, the Carinthian Secondary-School Association, the Young United List, the Club of Slovenian Students in Carinthia, and the Club of Slovenian Students in Vienna, a seminar of the YEN association, under the slogan “We do not fear – Minorities Against Social Exclusion”, took place in Bleiburg from 12 to 18 September 2010.
The one-week seminar was very diverse in terms of the content since in addition to the main topic regarding social exclusion it included the presentation of the history of the Carinthian region, regional peculiarities and culinary presentations. The learning of Slovenian language was also available to the participants.
Such a seminar is a good example of the endeavours of young generations to preserve identity and culture by means of mutual co-operation and connection.
The umbrella cultural organisations, “Slovenska prosvetna zveza” (Slovenian Cultural and Educational Association – SCEA) and “Krščanska kulturna zveza” (Cultural and Christian Association – CCA) also provide support to young people. “Slovenska prosvetna zveza” (Slovenian Cultural and Educational Association) encourages the cultural work of young people and children, it organises reading events and language courses. SCEA runs the Slovenian Study Library in Klagenfurt and functions as a publisher of expert, children and youth literature. Central initiatives of CCA also include annual theatre and puppetry workshop in Ankaran on the Slovenian coast, language holidays in Novo mesto, a week of young artists in Rebrce, main spring concerts “Koroška poje” (Carinthia sings) and “Srečanje mladinskih zborov” (Meeting of youth choirs). Dom v Tinjah also gives attention to young people in its programmes.
Approximately thirty sports societies function within the framework of “Slovenska športna zveza” (Slovenian Sport Association – SSA) in Klagenfurt in which young people are mainly active. Various sport branches (mountaineering, sledding, Alpine and Nordic skiing, volleyball, football, basketball, boxing, table tennis, tennis, athletics and chess) are developed. “Slovenski atletski klub” (Slovenian Athletic Club – SAC) is particularly active and it has altogether eighteen football teams. The youngest are six years old. The centre of the SAC’s activity is in Klagenfurt where the club has its ground by the Slovenian Gymnasium. The purpose of the work is to strengthen national consciousness and the knowledge of the language between the Slovenian and bilingual youngsters, and they are also successfully inviting the German speaking young people to co-operate with them.
The young people are also active in the scout organisation “Slovenski koroški skavti in skavtinje” (Slovenian Carinthian Scouts – SCC).
Bilingual schools and learning of the language
Applications to bilingual lessons in the area where the laws regarding minority schooling in Austrian Carinthia apply have been increasing but the language skills of children applying to courses are increasingly dropping. Diverse language pre-knowledge of children upon entry into school also shows that completely new organisational and didactic approaches for bilingual education and for the raising of its quality are necessary.
Education with an emphasis on the language – the mother tongue – should start in early childhood in the family environment. The Office for Slovenians Abroad therefore supports projects which give attention to the learning of Slovenian also outside educational institutions. The project of the Slovenian Cultural and Christian Organisation from Klagenfurt is mentioned as an example within which the CCO addresses families, particularly from mixed marriages, and invites them to learn the language and promotes the language through the media, flyers and other publicity material. In this manner they strive to raise the importance of the mother tongue. The project is an example of good practice, useful for the minorities in other neighbouring countries.
A second example of a case of good practice is the Alps-Adriatic Centre for Cross-border Co-operation (AACC) in Klagenfurt which started to implement the project the “Godparenting of Multilingualism for Diversity in Austrian Carinthia”. The project is supposed to promote language and cultural diversity with stimulation for language learning through the worldwide web. The supporters of the project are numerous renowned personalities from the social, business, church and media life of Austrian Carinthia. The project “Godparenting of multilingualism” may be supported by anybody who champions multilingualism, who learns any foreign language or who supports a language project within his/her own company or organisation. For this purpose, a web page www.mehrsprachigkeit.at was arranged and their presence on the social network Facebook was provided for.
2.2.2. Italy
The Slovenian Research Institute SLORI in Italy has prepared a comprehensive analysis regarding the participation of young generations in activities of organizations and societies and published it in a publication “Mladina na prehodu” (Young People in Transition) (2009). The publication emphasizes the specific characteristics of the current position of the younger generation at the levels of the region and province and states experiences regarding cross-border communication with some areas of neighbouring Slovenia. A part of the analysis is based on the study of the situation regarding the reality of the societies of the Slovenian national community in Italy which was carried out between 2002 and 2003 on the occasion of the Programme Conference convened by the Slovenian Cultural and Economic Union (SKGZ) and the Council of Slovenian Organisations (SSO). Among problems which societies identify with regard to their operation, the second position is taken by problems in making membership younger (21% of surveyed societies). The data is also interesting in that 20% of the surveyed secondary school students co-participate in the leadership of the society while their proportion is significantly higher (83%) with regard to the level of their co-operation in activities offered by the society. Approximately 50% of persons surveyed state intergenerational differences as the reason for the reduced interest of the younger generation and the fact that the system of the organisation of the minority is old-fashioned and does not comply with today’s needs. According to the authors’ opinion, both generations may find common points with the level of quality communication and common points for co-operation. Such strategies need to be developed which stimulate complementary relationships.
An important role in the inclusion of young people is held by the “Slovenski izobraževalni konzorcij” (Slovenian Education Consortium – Slov. I. K.) which carries out the extra-curricular programme “EKSTRA”. This programme offers secondary school students of higher secondary schools (aged 14 – 18), under professional supervision, the possibility of additional learning and supplementary education, study guidance and socializing in the afternoon after-classes.
In the Slov I. K. they strive to raise the interest in studying in Slovenia and student exchanges. Within the framework of the European Union there are many opportunities for student exchanges but young people prefer to choose to study in more remote countries. The organising of common events for students from neighbouring countries within the framework of an open- door fair in Slovenia in which Slovenian universities would participate would possibly increase the interest of students of Slovenian origin living in neighbouring countries to study in Slovenia.