Slovenian President meets representatives of the Italian national community

Piran, 20.10.2010  |  press release

The Slovenian President, Dr Danilo Türk, visited the Italian Vincenzo e Diego de Castro Primary School in Piran, where he met with staff and pupils of the primary school. Afterwards, he also met representatives of the Italian national community in Slovenia, with whom he discussed the contribution of Italians in Slovenia to the creative co-existence of the two cultures and practical problems faced by the Italian national community.

In his statement to the press after meeting, Slovenian President Dr Danilo Türk emphasised that the Italian national community on the coast makes an important contribution to Slovenian cultural development as a whole. He said that we should pay more attention in Slovenia to the schools of the Italian national community, which, as the president said, not only serve the members of this community but also enhance the fusion of cultures in this area. The president mentioned in particular the need to resolve problems related to investment in the schools’ infrastructure.

The president and his hosts also discussed artistic activities. President Türk emphasized the need for works of art removed from these places in the past and stored in depots today, to be made more accessible. As he explained, the works of art would thus become testimony to the cultural history of these places and would help an understanding of the cultural wealth of this area. We need all this to make progress towards building the European Union into a community of cultures, said the president and added that we need to pay close attention to these issues in Slovenia.

The president on this occasion called for more rapid progress in resolving open issues relating to the Italian national community in Slovenia and for more consistent use of bilingualism in practice. He characterised such efforts as important in terms of our cultivation and our political maturity.