Address of the Trimo General Manager at the ceremonial opening of the Fabula festival, 2010

Trebnje, 4th May 2010 – At yesterday’s opening of the literary festival “World Literatures – Fabula 2010” held at the Slovenian National Dram Theatre, Ljubljana, Tatjana Fink, MBA, Trimo’s General Manager, addressed the guests. The evening was dedicated to this year’s Nobel Prize winner for literature, Herta Müller, a Romanian-born German, and her work.
“Good evening, let me start off by saying there is a logical connection and a set order behind everything. There is no denying this. Changes occur. Connections between people, until now most visible in sports, have started to happen everywhere – among writers, poets, cultural workers, and business people.

Dear Honourable Madam Minister of culture, Majda Širca,
dear Major of the City of Ljubljana, Mr. Zoran Janković,
dear distinguished guest and Nobel Prize-winner for Literature, Mrs. Herta Müller,
dear guests.

It started with communication; at first in the form of sounds and symbols, and later on it evolved into words. People passed on knowledge based on symbols and the spoken word from generation to generation. Then they started to write down the symbols and signs onto clay tiles, sometimes on rocks, and then on bamboo leaves and papyrus.

Many know the stories of complicated and exciting quests for manuscripts in South America that brought on many revelations. Written words started to spread among more people simultaneously and books gained in value. People became more civilised. Knowledge spread. Writers began to share their feelings and perceptions with their readers.

Slovenians are very proud of the most famous books that marked and confirmed we are a nation that can compete with many, as the first words written in Slovene date back over a thousand years ago to the Freising Manuscripts. There are other manuscripts known to man, including the Stična Manuscript. Two years ago, we celebrated the 500th anniversary of the birth of Primož Trubar, the founder of Slovene literature.

Over the centuries there have been famous and acknowledged writers and poets: Valvazor, Prešeren, Cankar, Pahor, and many more. Many left a permanent picture of the times in which they lived and they were often messengers of changes in other departments.

Here I would like to remember my fellow citizen, a Trebnje native Pavel Golia, who was a poet, a playwright, and the Artistic Director & General Manager of SNT Drama, which blossomed under his management. On this occasion I also have to mention dear Tone Pavček, who is devoted to Slovene words.

Slovenians are also known by a special book, “a growing book”, which was symbolically placed at the passage to the new millennium and is a sign of gratitude to all Slovenians who helped in the development of the nation in any way. The book “grows” by new authors being added to the book every year. The creation of “The growing book” was supported by many business people, who also enabled the construction of a memorial to the book. This also grows taller every year – literally - by a centimetre a year.

The book represents so much more than what we usually associate it with. History taught us about the Book of Jubilees, the Book of Concord, and the Book of the Dead. We also know many important books in the business world such as the Book of revenues and expenditures, the main book, the book of contracts, and the book of calculations in construction. With this growing book business activities expanded into printing and publishing. This enabled a fast and expanded transfer of recognition made by scientists from different fields of expertise into practice, and fast development of the company in the business area.  

Books also transfer best practices in company operations across the world. That is why today major leaps in development are possible - things we could not imagine happening in the past. Books help us learn about new methods, models, approaches brought on by the development of the world in different areas. We also record our important recognition and share them with others on a regular basis. 

In Trimo we are well-aware of the importance of knowledge, creativity, and development, and we nurture a respectful attitude to books. We recognise that progress is not possible without constant schooling and transfer of theory into practice, and that is why many new employees are caught by surprise when asked how many books they read in the last week. Books and recognition of them are important for keeping our mind in prime condition, similar to food keeping us physically fit.

When visiting Trimo you can see videos on our LCD screens showing Trimo colleagues sharing opinions and presenting novelties inspired by interesting books. A book can be a valuable gift shared on special occasions and thereby serve as promotion of the Slovenian book at an international level.

Excellence of the written word is the element, in the volume of books coming on the market in paper-back issues, or one of the new electronic ways that connect authors and readers around the world.

In a time when nature operates to its full perfection, and the world is faced with grand changes, we may not fully comprehend the Slovenian language is becoming a language of symbols for new breakthroughs. There have never been so many people learning Slovene as a second language, especially for its wider importance in times of an increased awareness for this language – one that puts the Slovene language at a higher level.

Therefore, my dear Slovenian writers of poetry, prose, scientific articles, and social topics - know that your role in today’s world is irreplaceable and unique.”