Peace Road Event connecting AUSTRIA and
SLOVENIA
This year’s Peace
Road event organized on September 12th 2020 in the regional triangle
of Austria, Slovenia and Italy marked a remarkable step forward by connecting
the two neighbouring regions Carinthia in Austria and Koroška in Slovenia, in
particular Alfred Waldman’s hometown St. Paul and the Slovenian town Slovenj Gradec, the district capital.
The town of St. Paul and the Catholic Benedictinian monastery, founded in 1091 with the two
private High School buildings
The four venues connected through
this year’s Peace Road
Here is some
historical background why this route was chosen in particular: From the historical perspective the two regions have
been one country during the Austrian Hungarian Monarchy but became divided
after WWI. A bitter dispute aroused concerning territory as well as Slavic and
German ethnicity. After a plebiscite in 1920 – this year marks its 100´s
anniversary - political borders were pinned down but internal disputes and
resentments remained. Developments during and after WWII led to even higher
tensions again. Koroška, the Slovene name of this
region, became part of communist Yugoslavia, Carinthia became part of the
democratic Austrian Republic. Despite of such developments the people on both
sides remained connected somehow internally, social relationships kept going on
to a certain extent. In 1991, after the Yugoslavian war, which lasted only 10
days for Slovenia, the country became an independent nation and joined the
European Union in 2004.
Some interesting facts concerning the city of Slovenj
Gradec: In the year 1989, the city of Slovenj Gradec was accepted as
the only Slovene city in the International Association of
Peace Messenger Cities initiated by the UN. Now Mr. Tilen
Klugler, the mayor of Slovenj
Gradec, assumes a leading, active role as the
Secretary General of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities.
At this event he was appointed as an Ambassador for Peace by UPF.
When the day of the event arrived it turned out that two mayors of the
town of St. Paul, Mr. Stefan Salzmann with the former mayor, Mr. Hermann
Primus, and one lady mayor from the municipality Črna na Koroškem, Mrs. Romana Lesjak, participated in the 30 kilometers
long bike route. They were very enthusiastic to support the Peace Road idea. Dr. Marjan Sturm, a historian and
a figurehead for the reconciliation of the two ethnic groups in the region, the
Austrian Slovenian and the Austrian German participated already the second time
in the annual Peace Road project.
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Participants
at the start in front of the townhall of St. Paul with the two mayors and Mr.
Sturm holding the Peace Road banner |
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In his welcome address in German and English Mr. Salzmann supported the founding
principles of UPF and its activities for building bridges beyond borderlines.
He also expressed his great delight concerning the international participation
and recognized each nationality by name. Some refreshments were then provided
by the municipality and a group of Slovenian bikers had arrived earlier to join
in with the Austrian group.
This year’s Peace Road event marked a remarkable joint effort of the
Austrian and the Slovenian families. This fact turned out to be the main pillar
for success. Kristina Bacovnik and Sonja Grcar, WFWP
President, Radoslav
and Sun Woo Irgl, UPF representatives together with
Erna Kosmrlj, FFWPU Slovenia, did a marvellous job in
preparing and organizing all different matters from the Slovenian side. A good
number of the younger generation with young people from our Slovenian movement
coming up as well, giving their full support. Nao Kitič
together with his father were playing excellently on the oboe and the guitar.
Vida Bajt Kmetec did a great job as translator during the afternoon
program. Much of the joint planning and preparing was
done by using Zoom technology.
The great local, national and international support this project was
receiving needs to be mentioned as well. One Italian brother, Roberto Tonna,
was driving four hours from Northern Italy in order to arrive in time. Three
persons, Stefan and Jae Suk Schmid and Wolf Osterheld
were coming from as far as Munich, Germany, to offer their help. Elisabeth
Cook, President of FFWPU Austria was part of the event as well. Hermann Grubelnik from Bad Eisenkappel,
Carinthia, took responsibility for the transport of bikes and Gottfried Ibounig
from Klagenfurt, who also gave the start signal on his trumpet, was setting up
market umbrellas at the destination point and prepared drinks and snacks for
everybody.
The municipality of Slovenj Gradec was very cooperative, offering all the
technical support and media promotion of the event. Support came also from
the municipalities Dravograd and Crna na Koroskem, from where two women
mayors were already awarded as Ambassadors for Peace in 2013. The Slovenian local TV was present as well, covering
the event and taking interviews with UPF-representatives and participants.
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Our
two mayors at the rest stop |
The Slovene Men´s Choir |
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Following the joint arrival at the main plaza in Slovenj
Gradec, a tasty snack with drinks and cakes prepared
by the organizers, Mrs Kristina Bakovnik was guiding through
the afternoon program. The mayors of the two cities exchanged their greetings
in English, Slovene and German. Next highlight was the awarding of the
Ambassador for Peace Certificate to three recipients, Dr.
Marjan Sturm, Mr Tilen Klugler who was represented by the deputy mayor Mr. Peter Pungartnik as well as Mr. Stefan Salzmann.
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The
three newly awarded Ambassadors for Peace with Mrs. Lesjak,
previously awarded |
Mr. Pungartnik together with UPF
representatives |
Performance of Scottish highland music |
In their speeches of thanks each of them expressed his commitment for
friendship, peace and cooperation between the two regions. Two Slovenian choirs
together with Micha and Nao Kitič livened up the
program The afternoon ended with international music
performances: Scottish dance music, songs from Italy, South America, Austria,
Italy and Slovenia. After everything was said and done many attendees expressed
their wish to meet again to continue building bonds of friendship. The Peace
Road certainly will go on in this region, we are looking forward to meet again
next year.
Compiled by Alfred Waldmann, UPF Austria and Kristina Bakovnik, WFWP Slovenia
