Australian-Slovenian The Oldest Vine Cultural Festival 2008

SPEAKING NOTES FOR MAYOR of SHIRE of YARRA RANGES TIM HEENAN

OLD VINE CELEBRATIONS AT MCWILLIAMS

SUNDAY 6 APRIL, 2008

“ Mr Gregor Kozovinc, Charge’ d’Affaires of the Republic of Slovenia

“ Vinko Rizmal

“ Members of the Slovenian Community

“ Ladies and Gentlemen

I am very pleased to be able to join you today for the first ‘official harvesting’ of the cutting of the Old Vine from Maribor.

Today’s event takes on even greater symbolic importance as it coincides with the Slovenian Presidency of the European Union.

The Slovenian people have a wonderful history dating back many hundreds of years. And just as this vine is thriving in its adopted country, so too are the Slovenian people.

Slovenians from all walks of life have made numerous contributions to

Australian society and it is a privilege to see your culture on display at today’s event.

Seven years ago, a very small cutting from the world’s oldest grapevine was planted here. As a result of the care of Max McWilliam and his team, today that cutting is no longer small.

As the mayor of the Shire of Yarra Ranges I am proud to be able to say that we are home to this very historic grapevine. Its presence here is an important symbol of the connection between the people of the Yarra Ranges and those of Maribor.

The fact that we are here today celebrating this important part of Slovenian history and culture is due to the efforts of Vinko Rizmal. And I would like to pay tribute to Vinko, who has done so much to promote friendship and understanding between Australia and the Republic of Slovenia.

I hope you have a wonderful day and I look forward to one day soon sampling the fruits of this wonderful vine.

Thank you.

Tim Hennan

Shire of Yarra Ranges – The Mayor

Gospod

Vinko Rizmal

Koordinator Projektov

Slovenian Trading & Cultural Network in Australia

3 Church Street, Kallista 3791 Victoria

Australia

Spoštovani gospod Rizmal!

Prisrčna hvala za Vaše prijazno sporočilo in čestitke k mojemu imenovanju na diplomatsko dolžnost. Ko sprejemam Vaše pismo, bi Vam rad povedal, da ste kot dober Avstralec in Slovenec, rodoljub in svetovljan, doslej veliko naredili za prepoznavnost Slovenije v Avstraliji in Avstralije v Sloveniji, zato je prav, da Vam za Vas trud izrečem priznanje.

Zelo sem vesel, da je cepič častitljive Stare trte, najstarejše žlahtne trte na svetu že obrodil. Kot župan Univerzitetnega mesta Maribor sem pred leti z veseljem podprl Vaš predlog, da bi potomko naše žlahtne trte, ki že peto stoletje rase v našem lepem Mariboru, posadili v Avstraliji. Ponosen sem, da je trta dobro prenesla potovanje v daljno in lepo Avstralijo ter tudi pri Vas našla rodovitno zemljo, blagodejno podnebje, predvsem pa marljive ljudi, ki zanjo dobro skrbijo.

Žal se Vam v nedeljo, 6. aprila ne bom mogel pridružiti na prvi avstralski uradni trgatvi potomke najstarejše žlahtne trte na svetu. Želim pa Vam nadvse prijetno praznovanje tega lepega dosežka. V Sloveniji je trgatev vesel dogodek. Verjamem da bo tako tudi v prijateljski Avstraliji.

Stara trta poslej povezuje kontinente, predvsem pa ljudi, ki, kot bi rekel nas največji pesnik dr. France Preseren, “dobro v srcu mislimo”. Naj bo tako tudi v prihodnje. Četudi živimo na različnih koncih sveta, nas Stara trta povezuje v skupnih vrednotah sobivanja in sožitja, medsebojnega razumevanja in življenjske radosti.

Z odličnim spoštovanjem in najboljšimi željami!

Boris Sovič

Veleposlanik Republike Slovenije

Tel Aviv, 27. marec 2008

Dear Mr. Rizmal!

Thank you very much for your kind message and congratulations on my appointment to the diplomatic mission. When I accept your letter, I would like to say that you, as a good Australian and Slovenian, patriot and cosmopolitan, have done a lot for the recognition of Slovenia in Australia and Australia in Slovenia, so it is right that I give you recognition for your efforts.

I am very pleased that the grapevine of the Old Vine is the best, the oldest noble vine in the world has already been born. As the Mayor of the University of Maribor, I was happy to support your proposal years ago to plant the descendants of our noble vine, which already for five centuries grows in our beautiful Maribor, to plant in Australia. I am proud that the vine has successfully passed the journey to a distant and beautiful Australia, and also found fertile soil, a blessed climate, and above all, diligent people who care for it well.
Unfortunately, on Sunday, April 6, I will not be able to join the first Australian official harvest of the descendants of the oldest noble vine in the world. But I wish you a very pleasant celebration of this beautiful achievement. In Slovenia, harvesting is a happy event. I believe it will be so in friendly Australia.

The old vine now connects the continents, and above all the people who, as the greatest poet, Dr. France Preseren, “we think well in the heart”. Let it be so in the future. Even if we live in different parts of the world, the Old Vine connects us in the common values of coexistence, coexistence, mutual understanding and life joy.

With great respect and best wishes!

Boris Sovič
Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia

Tel Aviv, 27. marec 2008

Veleposlaništvo Republike Slovenije, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia

Top Tower 19th Floor, 50 Dizengoff Street, Tel Aviv 64 332, Israel

Phone: +972 3 629 3572, Fax: +972 3 528 2214

E-mail: boris.sovic@gov.si, Web: http://telaviv.veleposlanistvo.si/

DUO PLATIN in AUSTRALIA 2008

Diana in Simon sta se spoznala na odru šestčlanske skupine, ki je nastopala predvsem v tujini. Z njimi sta sodelovala dve leti, potem pa sta se odločila za samostojno pot in leta 2000 je nastal Platin. Ker sta, kot sama pravita, “prava norca”, na njunih nastopih izvajata blizu 600 pesmi, najlepše pop in rok balade, country skladbe, najbolj znane hite od sedemdesetih let pa vse do zadnjih hitov, ki jih slišimo na evropskih radijskih postajah. Vmes je slišati tudi katero od njunih lastnih pesmi, po katerih sta še posebej razpoznavna, saj sta jih kar nekaj predstavila na glasbenih festivalih kot so npr. Orion 2001(“Grafit”), HIT festival 2002(“Pet minut”) , EMA 2003(“Sto in ena zgodba”), Hit festival 2003(“Tisočkrat”) in EMA 2004(“Stay forever”), kjer sta tudi zmagala, MMS 2006 (“Vrsta omame”) in MMS 2007(“V dobrem in zlu”), kjer sta dobila nagrado za najboljše besedilo festivala. Na festivalnih odrih ne nastopata le kot izvajalca, ampak tudi kot avtorja svojih pesmi in pesmi, ki sta jih spesnila za druge izvajalce. Simon se takrat postavi v vlogo avtorja pesmi in priredbe, Diana prispeva besedilo, produkcija pa nastane v njunem zasebnem studiu. Na festivalih se večinoma predstavljata z dueti, saj sta bila že od nekdaj oba vodilna vokalista skupine s katero sta nastopala. V njunem studiu so nastali že štirje lastni albumi; “Pet minut”(2002), “Stay forever”(2004), “Vse ostalo”(2005) in “Ich lieb dich viel zu sehr”(2003), ki sta ga namenila nemškemu trgu, za katerega sta izdala tudi tri single. Najraje pa nastopata v živo, kjer ju lahko doživimo sama ali pa z njuno skupino. Sama večinoma nastopata na otvoritvah, banketih in drugih posebnih priložnostih., kjer ni dovolj prostora za celo skupino. Na teh nastopih ju velikokrat doživimo tudi popolnoma akustično, s kitaro ali klavirjem ali pa s polno opremo.

Diana in Simon tvorita srce skupine Platin, ki jo sestavljajo štirje “čistokrvni” glasbeniki. Skupino Platin lahko doživimo kot nevsiljivo glasbeno kuliso (pri seminarjih, kongresih, golf turnirjih) in kot skupino, ki izvaja plesno glasbo (različne plesne prireditve, maturantski plesi, valete, poroke,…) Skupina Platin že vec let osvaja kavarne, pub-e in lokale ter plesne dvorane po Sloveniji, Avstriji in Nemciji. Platin na svojih nastopih izvajajo blizu 600 pesmi, najlepše pop in rok balade, country skladbe, najbolj znane hite od sedemdesetih let pa vse do zadnjih hitov, ki jih slišimo na evropskih radijskih postajah.

SAATCE – Slovenian Australian Agency for Trading & Cultural Exchange
Vinko Rizmal – Koordinator projektov