Mateja Medvedič
Mateja Medvedič was born in Ljubljana in 1967 where she graduated at the Faculty of Architecture in 1996. She works as an independent writer, architect and scenographer. Her articles and interviews on architecture, art and built environment have been published in Slovene and foreign architectural magazines, lifestyle magazines, publications and catalogues. She worked for RTV Slovenija the national broadcasting organization at the ‘Studio City’ weekly magazine programme from 1999-2002, she was a co-editor of Slovene - Croatian architectural magazine ‘Oris’ from 2001-2003. She was a regular contributor of Ambient magazine from 1999 - 2007. From 2008 she writes for the cultural programming section of RTV Slovenija. Since 2014 she is a board member of expers for European Award for Public Space. As a set designer she gave form to numerous Slovene and foreign TV commercials, TV shows and movies. In 2004 she received ‘Vesna’ award at the 7th Slovene Film Festival for the best Art Direction for an omnibus movie ‘Desperado Tonic’. She lives and works in Ljubljana.
Aleksandra Ceferin
Aleksandra Ceferin (M.A., B.A., Dip.Ed.) has introduced Slovenian language as a school subject in Australian school system and founded the Slovenian Teachers' Association of Victoria in 1976. She has extensive experience in language education: as teacher, lecturer, curriculum coordinator, course writer, language consultant and manager, VCE State Reviewer and Chief Examiner. Since 1998 she has been the President of ISSV and the manager and chief editor of its projects. Aleksandra visits Slovenian annually, establishing and maintaining contacts with Slovenia, and initiating exchanges and cooperation between organizations. In 2004 she was the recipient of the National Education Award of RS Slovenia.
Jožko Šavli
Jožko Šavli (1943-2011), was Slovenian author, freelance historian and professor of economics. He completed his university studies in 1967 at the University of Ljubljana, continued his studies in Vienna, and in 1975 completed a doctoral degree in social and economic sciences. From 1978 he taught Slovenian in the technical and commercial college in Gorica, Italy. However his true interest and love led him elsewhere - to the history of his nation. To this interest he dedicated all his time and energy ceaselessly, and with the passion of a true researcher. As a historian, Jožko Šavli is the originator of the Venetic theory of Slovenian history, which has remained officially unrecognized. It offers however a refreshing alternative history of Slovenians, that proved to be exceptionally creative and fertile. It offered a new perspective for research and led to new discoveries about Slovenian past, such as Slovenian symbols, Slovenian saints, Slovenian nobility, enthronement of Slovenian dukes, and most significantly to insights about Slovenian mythology. This research was published in a comprehensive monograph Zlati cvet, Bajeslovje Slovencev (Golden Flower, Slovenian Mythology). Its sequel, monograph Zlata ptica (Golden Bird), was published in 2010. Jožko Šavli continued the work of Slovenian ethnologists and collectors, such as Niko Kuret, Jakob Kelemina and others, and gave it a new meaning and perspectives. As it often happens, the full significance of Dr. Šavli’s work and achievements will be only fully appreciated and recognized by future generations.
Sonja Vadnjal
Sonja Vadnjal was born in Trieste in 1946, and arrived with her parents in Melbourne, Australia in 1950. She graduated with Honours in Italian literature at Melbourne University, travelled extensively in Europe, lived several years in Medjugorje, Bosnia, where she joined a humanitarian aid group, and wrote human-interest articles for monthly magazines. She is a painter, mainly in water colours. Her great interest is art, and has written a series of articles on Slovenian Impressionism.
Sandi Ceferin
Sandi Ceferin (B.A. CELTA) is a researcher and Thezaurus editor. She is a writer of language materials and the Slovenian Webclassroom. Her studies in Slavic linguistics and Indo-European languages has been a springboard to collaboration and development of new model applications of technologies for languages and culture study. Sandi produces curricula and resource materials including Course Outline - Slovenian CSF Years 1-10, published by the Victorian School of Languages, Melbourne (2003).
Zmago Šmitek
Dr. Zmago Šmitek was born in 1949 in Kropa, Slovenia. He graduated in 1973 at the Faculty of Arts in ethnology and history of art. In the same year he was appointed to the Department for Ethnology and in 1974 was elected assistant. In 1979 he completed the degree of Master of Arts (“Division of work as a part of social culture of Vitanje”) and in 1983 the PhD (“Horizon of Slovenes in the field of non-European cultures”). In-between he spent one year (1979-1980) on professional development in New Delhi. He was nominated Associate Professor and in 1995 Professor for non-European Ethnology and Ethnology of Europe. For several years he acted as Chairman of the Department. Prof. Zmago Šmitek lectures on Religious Anthropology and Ethnology of Asia, and conducts seminars in both fields. His fields of study are History of Slovenian Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, religion, comparative mythology, culture of Slovenes and Slavs, Slovenian links with non-European cultures, cultures of Asia. He has published several books and a number of articles in his field of studies, notably Slovenian folk narratives: Myths and Legends (2006) Most recently the exceptional Slovenian mythological series of eight books The treasury of Slovenian Tales, in cooperation with Roberto Dapit and Monika Kropej.