In a slightly different but still good atmosphere and even better company, this year we celebrated the traditional St. Martin's Day, the 25th in a row.
On November 16, 2024, we gathered at the Aquana restaurant in Banja Luka with many old and new friends to traditionally celebrate the national holiday of wine baptism. The President of the Association, Mladen Lunić, welcomed everyone present. Then, greetings were extended by Dušan Tomažič, our friend from RTV Slovenia from Maribor, who hosted the program and announced the representative of the city of Banja Luka, Mrs. Mirna Savić-Banjac, advisor to the Mayor of Banja Luka. She conveyed greetings from Mayor Draško Stanivuković and congratulations on the jubilee 25th St. Martin's Day, an event that is already well known in Banja Luka, and wished many more successful events in the Association. After Mrs. Savić-Banjac's address, the attendees were greeted by H.E. Damijan Sedar, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Bosnia and Herzegovina. He emphasized that he was proud of the Triglav Association and its good work, especially the fact that through its activities it brought together all generations in its work. He mentioned that next year he would organize a trip to Planica, where ski jumping is held, and that students who regularly attend additional Slovenian language classes in all associations in BiH will participate in the trip. In this way, he wants the most regular students to be rewarded for their effort and work and to establish even better ties with their homeland, Slovenia.
In the program part of the event, the mixed choir "Davorin Jenko" performed two songs under the conductorship of Vanja Topić-Vještica. After the choir, a children's folklore group with choreographer Predrag Savić performed Gorenjska dances and received great applause from the audience. Since Martin's Day is a traditional Slovenian event, dedicated to Saint Martin, the patron saint of vineyards and winegrowers, the traditional baptism of wine was performed in a humorous manner by a long-time friend of the Association, Peter Kirič from Ormož, with the help of winegrower Miran Trop and his son. Then, everyone present was entertained by a musical duo brought from Novo Mesto by Branka Bukovec from the Association for the Development of Voluntary Work. We celebrated this traditional event in a good atmosphere with dancing and pleasant company with traditional Slovenian autumn food. This year, we were joined by Nevena Blagojević – Podrić, the Head of the Department for Culture, Social Welfare, Citizens' Associations and Religious Communities with associates from the City of Banja Luka, Miha Vilar, Consul from the Consular Office of the Embassy of Slovenia in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Novo mesto, Igor Kotjelnikov from the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Srpska, Ženja Simonič from the Slovenian Emigrants' Association, Metoda Perger, the new Slovenian language teacher in Banja Luka and Prijedor, representatives of national minority associations of the City of Banja Luka, representatives of Slovenian associations from Bosnia and Herzegovina and numerous members of the Association. The event was organised with the financial support of the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Slovenians Worldwide, the City of Banja Luka, the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republika Srpska and the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH, and sponsors.
Ana Marjanović
