NEW LEADERSHIP FOR THE SLOVENE PUPPETEERS – Robert Waltl President of Unima Slovenia
In the regular annual meeting of the Unima Slovenia Committee, member of the international UNIMA – the oldest theatre organization in the world founded in 1929 in Prague – which took place in the premises of the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre on May 26th, 2008, the Slovene puppeteers elected a new leadership to this important puppet organization in our country.
The new President of the Slovene puppeteers i.e. of Unima Slovenia is Mr. Robert Waltl, actor, puppeteer, director and general manager of the theatre Mini teater; the new General Secretary is Mr. Marjan Gabrijelčič, general manager of Ljubljana Puppet Theatre; the new Programme Board of this most important puppetry organization is composed by Mr. Silvan Omerzu (freelance artist in culture, ULU), Ms. Katja Povše (freelance artist in culture, ULU), Ms. Jelena Sitar (Ljubljana Puppet Theatre), and Ms. Breda Varl (Maribor Puppet Theatre).
The Control Board is composed by Ms. Mojca Kreft (Theatre Museum), Ms. Branka Bezeljak Glazer (pensioner) and Ms. Lucija Čirović (freelance artist in culture). Mr. Jože Zajec (Lutke Zajec), Mr. Matevž Gregorič (Koruzno zrno), and Ms. Petra Stare (Gledališče Nebo) form the Disciplinary Commission.
The frame of special tasks for the next 5 years set by the puppeteers of Unima Slovenia consists of - beside the promotion of Slovene Puppetry in our own country and abroad – strong dedication to amateur puppeteers in Slovenia and their education (Ms. Branka Bezeljak Glazer in Mr. Jože Zajec); revival of theoretical literature on puppetry in printed form and on internet (Ms. Katja Povše, Ms. Eka Vogelnik, Ms. Jelena Sitar, Mr. Edi Majaron); and beside the annual celebration of the World Day of Puppetry on March 21st, special attention in this year: to the 60th anniversary of the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre; to the 99th anniversary of the legend in Slovene puppetry Ms. Mara Kralj; and to the exhibition of puppets created by Mr. Milan Klemenčič in the frame of the festival Mini Summer on Ljubljana Castle; and for next year: celebration of the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the World Puppet Organization UNIMA.
Unima will continue and even improve the co-operation with Slovene professional and amateur puppeteers and puppet lovers – who are all invited to join this most important world organization of puppeteers.
Unima Slovenia will continue to take care of the promotion of Slovene puppeteers outside the borders of our country and it will also try to provide puppeteers with additional education. Above all though, it will strive for a stronger co-operation with the World UNIMA and with all its national centres worldwide.
Everyone who is fond of puppets and puppetry art is invited to join the association Unima Slovenia, so we can all join together in beating the limits of the impossible and the fabulous.
