PRESS REVIEW FROM SLOVENIA, MAY 29, 1992

Ljubljana, 29 May - THE GORENJSKI GLAS: THE MIGHT OF THE PEN PITTED AGAINST DEATH - During the past few days, domestic and foreign writers have been gathering at the traditional meeting of the PEN Club in Bled to discuss the might of the pen and the might of the sword. The theme of this year's meeting, which springs from the PEN symbol is so much more topical owing to the bloody war in progress in Slovenia's immediate neighbourhood - a war which is preventing more and more writers from viewing the horror of such scenes with the "necessary distance," wrote Marko Jenšterle. The war is too close for comfort, yet despite this, it is advisable to lend an ear to those who warn that it is merely a part (the introductory part) of a violent world-wide process. The author also quotes segments of the speech given by the chairman of the Slovenian PEN Centre, Boris A. Novak, who pointed out the fact that the majority of mankind sees war as a big video game. Although technological developments in the field of communications have made it possible for all four corners of the world to receive immediate information from the crisis points scattered all over our globe, that is all such technology is capable of achieving. It merely informs - without feeling, which means that nowadays, the majority of viewers feel little horror sitting in front of their T.V. sets watching the atrocities of war. On the contrary, such scenes have become almost enjoyable, exciting; something to be watched with a general lack of concern. Mr. Novak also pointed out that we have begun to regard violence as something utterly normal and commented that many viewers would doubtlessly feel there was something vital missing in the programme if violence were suddenly to disappear from our T.V. screens. Such an attitude can only be defeated by striving to make people realize how essential peace is to mankind's continued existence, stressed Mr. Novak.