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Dr.
Judy Kuriansky |
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www.blacktiemagazine.com
Dr. Judy Kuriansky:
Slovenia National Day
May 28, 2026
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Dr. Judy Kuriansky |
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Black Tie
International Magazine:
Slovenia National Day May 28, 2026
America’s First Lady’s native country’ Slovenia
celebrates its Freedom |
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His Excellency Iztok
Mirošič greeted the gathering of diplomats and VIPs,
highlighting the strong relations between the U.S. and
Slovenia, especially on the theme of freedom – as this year
Slovenia celebrates 35 years of independence and the U.S.
celebrates 250 years! The two countries cooperate in
politics, the economy, culture, space, science, innovation,
artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. |
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I was delighted to
bring my good friend Diana AlHadid, whom I have known for 13
years, dating back to when I was negotiating with Ambassador
Otto to ensure the inclusion of mental health and well-being
in the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and she
was at the mission of Jordan to the UN and supported the
campaign. Also, it was perfect as she serves as Deputy Chief
of Mission at the embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of
Jordan; so, she knew many people at the reception. Diana has
come to many celebratory events in DC with me, including
when I received the U.S. Presidential Lifetime Achievement
Award for commitment to building a strong nation through
volunteer service.
As a psychologist, I loved the slogan at the Slovenia event:
“I feel sLOVEnia” shown in the photo.
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Good friend Diana
AlHadid with me, receiving Presidential Lifetime Achievement
Award in Washington DC |
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The Slovenian Armed
Forces Band plays the Slovenian and U.S. national anthems.
As such a nationalist, this always brings tears to my eyes. |
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Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Western Central Europe and Southern Europe,
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S.
Department of State, Daniel J. Lawton, reiterated the
Ambassador’s praise for the close and strong ties between
the US and Slovenia relations – which is grounded in shared
democratic values, trade, and defense cooperation. |
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Major General Robert
B. Davis the 45th Adjutant General of Colorado. U.S. States
have relations with foreign countries! I was surprised to
learn that the U.S. State of Colorado is one of only a few
states with more than one foreign country in the State
Partnership Program -- with Slovenia and the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan. The latter is perfect given that my good
friend with me is from Jordan – as the Deputy Chief of
Mission at the Embassy of Jordan! |
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The celebratory
toast |
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The event was
simultaneously Slovenian Armed Forces Day. I felt right “at
home,” here with the military attachés (of Spain, Germany,
and other European nations) as an “army brat” – growing up
on Fort Campbell with my father as a “full bird” (colonel)
in the U.S. Army. |
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Dr. Judy with
Ambassador Mirošič and his wife, Tina Kokalj who is also a
diplomat, serving as Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy
Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia
to the Holy See located in Rome, Italy. |
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The Deputy Chief of
Mission of the Embassy of Greece to the United States in
Washington DC, Nikoa Sapountzis. Greece has its term now in
the UN Security Council and the mission has co-sponsored
several of the UN events I have organized. No less, my best
friend at Smith College was notes artist Diane Katsiaficas,
clearly Greek, whose father always made us Greek food. I
recalled going to the Olympics in Athens in 2004, when the
country scrambled to get all the arenas built in time! |
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Diana AlHadid and
Dr. Judy with Tiffany G. Petros
of the U.S. Department of War |
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Dr. Judy with Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Western Central Europe and Southern
Europe, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S.
Department of State, Daniel J. Lawton |
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Happy to see friend
Ambassador Alfredo Nuvunga, Ambassador of Mozambique to the
U.S. who resent me the photo of us from the African Union
gala helmed by our mutual friend Hilda Suka-Mafudze from
Zimbabwe when she served as the African Union Ambassador to
the United States. He was happy I brought him up to date
bring that I had dinner with her in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
at the recent AU meetings and she is now living in Malawi,
posted as Ambassador at the African Union Southern African
Regional Office. |
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Diana and Dr.
Judy with Jacob Choe, Director of Asia and Africa Programs
and Board Member at the Eurasia Center.
It was wonderful to see friends from one part of the
diplomat world show up in new places/positions. Jacob Choe
is a member of the Bretton Woods Committee and Director of
Asia and Africa Programs and Board Member at the Eurasia
Center, connecting governments, NGOs, and industry to
advance cooperation and investment. |
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“Us and Them:
Without Frontiers” is a touring exhibition organized by the
Technical Museum of Slovenia, that highlights the scientific
and technological connections between Slovenia and the
United States. |
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Ambassador
Mirošič chatting with a friend of Diana’s. Garvey McIntosh,
and Irena Jager Agius, Economic Counselor in the Embassy of
Slovenia
It was psychic that Garvey McIntosh asked me where I’m from
and I said “space” (for the first time ever) and it turns
out he is Senior Director of International Government
Relations for Axiom Space, a Houston-based commercial space
infrastructure company developing the world’s first
commercial space station, Axiom Station, to succeed the
International Space Station, that also manufactures
next-generation. I was amazed by the small world (that
happens all the time) that I mentioned about a high-level
event I was invited to in New York about space and the
country of Eswatini, and it turns out he lived in Eswatini!
What are the odds? At that event, an agreement was made
between Eswatini's Ministry of Information, Communications
and Technology and the Canadian space company Stardust,
witnessed by Eswatini’s King Mswati III, whom of course he
knew all about! A landmark Declaration of Intent and
Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement was signed
with the United Arab Emirates. Of interest, also, at that
time, Eswatini became the first African country to adopt
space exploration exploration as its "18th Sustainable
Development Goal" (SDG-18).
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It was fun to meet
two young “cub” reporters (on the energy beat) from
Politico, Elsa McKenney and Mark Schlager, and introduce
them to the Ambassador –enjoying my mentor role, they agreed
as a life-changing experience. |
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The Ambassador’s
adorable 5 year old Avalon Gemma was also in attendance,
here with her mom. I brought her a “LeBubu” keychain which
she loved; the character is indeed known worldwide! |
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I was initially
drawn to the jersey on the wall at the entrance to the
embassy because of the number “77”, which is the number of
the radio station I started my career with – 77 on the dial,
WABC 77 that catapulted my radio and TV talk show career.
Then I discovered, with interest, that it belongs to
Slovenian-born NBA LA Laker basketball star Luka Dončić,
nicknamed “Luka Magic”, broadly regarded as one of the
greatest European players of all time.
Happy Independence Day Slovenia. |
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Bookmark Dr. Judy's Column on Black Tie International
Magazine
https://blacktiemagazine.com/Judy_Kuriansky/Judy_Kuriansky_Main_page.htm
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