The Slovenians of Banja Luka joined up in 1997 and formed the Alliance of Slovenians, now known as the Association of Slovenians of the Republic of Srpska Triglav, Banja Luka. As of 1998, the Association has been registered as a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, the purpose of which is to gather Slovenians and their descendants living in and around Banja Luka in order to help them solve their existential issues.
As time passed by, the purpose of the Association changed, whereby its current role is to preserve and recognise the rights and interests of the Slovenians as a minority in this territory, to preserve identity and national awareness, encouraging cooperation with the Republic of Slovenia in culture, art and sports, as well as to connect all associations of Slovenians throughout the world.
In the past 13 years, the Association of Slovenians became active in many areas, primarily in culture. Number of Slovenians who joined the Association increased, whereby the current number of members exceeds 1400. As of April 2004 the Association has operated within the National Minorities Club, at 20, Cara Lazara St. President of the Association is Marija Grbić.
We are proud of being the most active and most numerous minority association in the Republic of Srpska. The most attention is paid to the preservation of the Slovenian language, culture and customs. That is the reason we organise many activities, including Supply Teaching Lessons of the Slovenian Language for young and elder members, two choirs - mixed choir Davorin Jenko and child choir Mladi Jenkovci, instrumentalist group Trio Fantastico. In addition, we have a library with over 2500 books. We publish a newsletter regularly, while we also publish our articles in the National Minorities' Newsletter.
Since January 2010 our Association has been a member of the Union of Slovenian Associations in Bosnia and Herzegovina "Evropa zdaj" /Europe Now/.
The Association organises events and manifestations, including the Prešern's Day, Slovenian evenings, Martinovanje /celebration of St. Martin's Day/, Kurentovanje /carnival/. Very often, we are hosts to artists from Slovenia: poets, writers, painters, musicians, choirs, and we are active in participating to public events in Banja Luka and Slovenia. Our members, students and choir members have been regular guests to events and performances throughout Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and other countries of the region, where they successfully represent us, thus establishing precious contacts.
We are very proud of a great number of friends and associates who helped us in our activities to date and without whom our Association would not be as successful.