The fifth All Slovenian Meeting was held at the National Assembly on Thursday 7 July, hosted by the National Assembly Committee for Relations with Slovenes Abroad. Participants were welcomed by France Cukjati – President of the Assembly, Janez Kramberger – the chair of the committee, Franc Pukšič – the state secretary for Slovenes abroad, and the writer Alojz Rebula.
They said that the Slovenia has not always been a kind "mother country" to her people abroad, but that it was important to move forward. France Cujkati used his welcome address to stress the importance of the National Assembly at the "heart of a democratic homeland". He said it was a shared homeland, and went to add that it had not always been kind to Slovenes abroad. In fact he said it had acted like a "cruel, hateful and evil step-mother" to some generations of political exiles. On Sunday 3 July there were two events for Slovenian emigrants and the indigenous Slovene communities just over Slovenia's borders. The organisation Slovenia Around the World (SVS) held an event in Cankarjev Dom, Ljubljana, to mark the 60th anniversary of the post-war departure of refugees. Meanwhile, the Slovenian Emigrant Association prepared its traditional "Meeting in My Country" in Kamniška Bistrica.
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