Argentinian youths of Slovenian descent visiting
Ljubljana, 28 July - State officials received on Friday young Argentinians of Slovenian descent who have been learning Slovenian since childhood, as the group is wrapping up their five-week visit to Slovenia, aimed at bettering their language skills and getting to know their ancestors' country.
Ljubljana
Vesna Humar, Sate Secretary at the Office for Slovenians Abroad, at the closing event of the traditional camp for Slovenian expatriates.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
The 15-member group has been taking Saturday night evening classes in Argentina's Buenos Aires and Bariloche since kindergarten as part of the RAST 52 project, acquiring knowledge about the Slovenian language, history and culture.
They are also active in choirs, traditional folk dance groups, and events hosted by the Slovenian community in Argentina.
For over a month, the group, which will complete their Slovenian course at the end of the year, has been on sightseeing trips throughout Slovenia and reconnecting with their relatives.
They attended the Youth Summer School of Slovenian Language, organised annually by the Centre for Slovenian as a Foreign Language at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana.
The group have also been actively taking part in several events in during their stay, including the annual Welcome Home event for expatriates in Vipava, west.
The guests from Argentina were received by Vesna Humar, a state secretary at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad, who expressed the hope that they will "turn all the work they have put into learning Slovenian over the years into riches for the future."
Gifting the group with Slovenian flag-themed pins in the shape of a heart, Humar added she hoped they will keep Slovenia in their hearts, the government office said.