One gets often surprised, sometimes in the positive, sometimes in the negative sense. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Slovenian Day in Slatina, all present Slovenians living in Banja Luka, Slatina and the surrounding area were surprised by Dušan Tomažič in an unusual way.
Members of the Association of Slovenians Triglav Banjaluka met with Dušan several years ago. At the time, he came to Banja Luka as a journalist to gather material about Slovenians living in Republika Srpska and other areas of BiH where Slovenian associations operate. Last year, his bilingual book “Slovenian Ethnic Minority in Bosnia and Herzegovina” was presented in Banja Luka, and was published with the support of the Triglav Banja Luka Association. Since then, to this day, the ties between Dušan and our association have become more solid and friendly.
This year, the Association of Slovenians Triglav celebrates the 10th Slovenian Day in Slatina. To make this day more festive than other years, we asked Dušan Tomažič to join us in running the program. We didn't have to ask him too much, he immediately agreed, came to Banja Luka, Slatina and, as an experienced presenter, led the program at our event. The one and a half hour program, consisting of singing, dancing by folk groups, wishes expressed by consul of the Consular Office of the Republic of Slovenia in BiH in Banja Luka, guests of the City Administration of Banja Luka, Laktaši, fellow countrymen from Slovenia and other Slovenian societies in BiH, was festive and cheerful.
In the end, there was a surprise, which was mentioned at the beginning. Congratulations and a gift, unexpected, unusual, a gift from Dušan Tomažič to our Association - the world-famous vine.
It is hard to imagine, let alone get, a gift that has been decorating the Old house on Lent in Maribor for over 400 years. The vine, registered since 2004 in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest, is still a rich indigenous variety of vines planted at the end of the Middle Ages, when the Turks surrounded Maribor and when the Old Vine House, once part of the city, resisted the fires, bombing, and when the Old Vine House was nearly demolished, it was able to survive.
Today the grapevines of the old vines are growing not only in many places in Slovenia, but also in many continents. The gift, a grapevine from an old vine, received by the Association of Slovenians Triglav Banja Luka, will be planted in Slatina in the household of Lunić. We are convinced that in this region of Slatina the "marvellous" vine will significantly expand its roots and become part of the history of Slovenians living in this area of Republika Srpska.
