[vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”2″ bottom_padding=”2″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ align_horizontal=”align_center” overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ width=”1/1″][vc_single_image media=”1678″ media_width_percent=”70″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column column_width_percent=”80″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column_text]Kako lep je Trst, ako ga gledaš s spočitim, jasnim
očesom, ako ga gledaš z neskaljeno tišino v duši, ako
ga gledaš z neranjeno dušo. Desetleten sem ga videl
tako. Samo en dan sem ga gledal tako in slutil njegovo
skrivnost.
–
How beautiful Trieste is when looked upon with rested eyes, serenely,
the mind filled with a silence unperturbed, a soul
unulcerated. That’s how I saw her when I was ten. I had laid eyes on her
for just a day, presaging her secrets.
Srečko Kosovel, Iz albuma [The Album]
These lines by Slovene poet and literary critic Srečko Kosovel are a perfect introduction to the fourth SLOFEST – the Festival of the Slovene Community in Italy – organized by Zveza slovenskih kulturnih društev (The Union of Slovenian Cultural Circles) – to be held in Piazza della Borsa in Trieste from Friday 20, September to Sunday, 22 September.
“Trieste can boast of an extraordinary past, one that was illuminated and open; and in a city that is multi-ethnic and multi-religious par excellence, the Slovenian community plays a pivotal role. Over the years it has contributed greatly to the development of the city,” Cultural Councilor Giorgio Rossi underlined at the press conference. “And it is by overcoming past issues ‘with an unulcerated mind’ that we can look to the future with optimism and hope. This is the spirit of Slofest, the Festival of the Slovene community, which in the name of coexistence amongst peoples, contributes greatly to the city, as do the several other communities.”
The festival has been co-organized by the Municipality of Trieste, in collaboration with the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Skgz-Slovenian Cultural and Economic Union and SSO-The Confederation of Slovenian Organizations. Great emphasis will be placed on literature, to underline the Slovenian community’s support of Trieste’s application for membership to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
Author Claudio Magris will launch the translation into Slovenian of his novel “Non luogo a procedere” (Blameless) at the Festival. Vladimir Bartol’s Trieste will be presented to mark the Italian translation of his book Tržaške humoreske – Trieste’s Humorous Sketches (translated into Italian as “Racconti triestini” by Patrizia Vascotto, Comunicarte Edizioni), with the participation of Poljanka Dolhar, Miran Košuta and Piero Purich. Slofest will end on Sunday morning with a reading of the popular Slovene fairytale “Kresna noč” accompanied by music.
During the festival it will be possible to visit: “Ohi, questi stereotipi! Negli occhi dell’altro – gli scrittori sloveni parlano degli italiani e viceversa” (Oh, these stereotypes! In the eyes of the other – Slovene writers talk about Italians and vice versa) at the Chamber of Commerce. The Exhibition, curated by Narodna in študijska knjižnica/Biblioteca Nazionale Slovena (Slovene National Library), will be inaugurated at 6 pm on 20 September and will see the participation of Tatjana Rojc and Gianluca Paciucci. Musical intermezzo by Kristina Frandolic and Piero Iuretig.
Click here to view the full Slofest program.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]