Cultural soirée dedicated to Paraguay and anthropologist Sušnik held as part of LAC Days

Born in Slovenia, Branislava Sušnik devoted most of her life to studying the indigenous peoples of Paraguay, leaving an indelible mark on the scientific world and intercultural relations.

Opening addresses were delivered by Anita Stanković Pavlič, Head of the Department for North and Latin America and the Caribbean at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and Igor Prassel, Senior Film Curator at the Slovenian Cinematheque. Ms Stanković Pavlič emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation between Slovenia and Latin American and Caribbean countries, including in the cultural sphere. She emphasised that the Latin American and Caribbean Days conference, organised by the Ministry since 2018 under the auspices of the Bled Strategic Forum, aims to promote dialogue and strengthen relations with the region.

The audience was also addressed by the Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay, Dr Juan Francisco Facetti, and film director Diego Segovia, who presented his experience in making a documentary about Dr Sušnik.

The main part of the soirée was dedicated to the screening of the documentary Memories of Branka Sušnik, which provides a detailed insight into her professional career and her exceptional contribution to the study of indigenous cultures in Paraguay between 1951 and 1996. Sušnik's work remains an important bridge between Slovenia and Paraguay to this day.

The event ended with a discussion and presentation of the publication Branislava Sušnik and her contribution to the study of indigenous peoples of Paraguay issued by the Scientific Publishing House of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. Participants of the discussion included editors Urša Geršak and Dr Jaka Repič, and Dr Tanja Roženbergar from the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum, who was also the moderator.