IT'S THE ENLIGHTENMENT, SO WHAT'S NEW IN SLOVENIA?

Even though this social, philosophical and artistic movement has attracted only a narrow circle of intellectuals in our part of  Europe, it is focusing on the upbringing and education of peasants, since they represent the majority of the Slovenian population. For this reason many educational books for peasants have already been published. Slovenian national consciousness is beginning to expand, and the demands for justice and the use of the Slovenian language in public life are becoming stronger. Slovenians often gather in so-called 'revival circles', where they encourage the rebirth of the Slovenian nation and it culture.

I've been to one of their meetings and have met  baron Žiga Zois, who's helped gifted and talented students by paying for their education. He wants to start a scholarship foundation for academic performance. Then there's Valentin Vodnik, the author of the first Slovenian collection of poetry entitled »Pesme za pokušino« (Poems for Sampling) and Anton Tomaž Linhart, author of the first two Slovenian comedies: 'Županova Micka' and ' Ta veseli dan ali Matiček se ženi'. Let's not forget Marko Pohlin, the beginner of the Enlightenment movement in Slovenia and Jurij Japelj, who wrote the second Slovenian translation of the Bible. I guess we're finally on our way to becoming a nation.