Slovenian Charitable Society

Slovensko Dobrodelno Društvo (SDD), or the Slovenian Charitable Society, is a non-profit and non-political association established in Trieste in 1948. It was created as a voluntary association to promote social solidarity, without profit motives and independent of political, party, religious, or racial affiliations. The society operates in the fields of social assistance and charity, as well as cultural and educational interventions, primarily for the benefit of members of the Slovenian national community throughout the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, but also for other people in need when necessary. The society was founded on 14 April 1948, during a period when Trieste was under the administration of Anglo-American Allied forces in the Free Territory of Trieste. Slovenians in Trieste recognized the need to organize their own cultural, political, economic, and social institutions after twenty years of fascist suppression. A group of Slovenian merchants, entrepreneurs, educators, school principals, and students gathered to establish the society. Slavko Tuta was elected president, Joško Gerdol became secretary, Ignacij Marc served as treasurer until his death in 1978, Julka Kapelj Vesel was vice-president, and board members included Marija Pauzin, Zora Sandalj Polojac, Anton Muha, and Adalbert Štubelj. Initially, the society relied on its own resources, such as membership fees, contributions from board members and benefactors who also donated goods, clothing, and food. To generate income, they organized cultural and entertainment events, including the annual Slavic Ball held in various halls in Trieste between 1951 and 1969, reviving a tradition from pre-World War I reading rooms. The society's goals were to help the poor, unemployed, orphans, and disabled persons, as well as Slovenian students in need, by organizing summer colonies, excursions, and student trips. In the 1970s, after the Treaty of Osimo definitively placed Trieste under Italian administration, the society adjusted its rules to new legislation and expanded its area of operation to the entire Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. Today, SDD continues to operate with the same purposes and dedication. It focuses on helping schoolchildren by covering small expenses such as winter or green week stays, theater performances, subscriptions to children's magazines Pastirček and Galeb, insurance, and school trips. It also assists high school students with financial difficulties for school trips, exchanges, book purchases, and computers, and university students through scholarships and awards such as the Mihael Flajban and Irena Srebotnjak calls, and the inž. Aljoša Vesel and inž. Marko Stavar scholarships. The society also helps families in distress due to job loss, illness, or children with special needs, and participates in major solidarity initiatives during severe accidents. The society has been led by several presidents: Slavko Tuta (1948–1949), Stanislav Flego (1949–1950), Rudolf Marc (1950–1977), Stanislav Pavlica (1978–1987), Ivan Artač (1987–1999), Aljoša Vesel (1999–2015), and Ivo Jevnikar (2015–present). As of 2021, the administrative board consists of president Ivo Jevnikar, vice-president Vera Čok, secretary Silva Gasperi, treasurer Jole Zudetič, and members Veronika Gerdol, Matejka Gruden, Mateja Počkaj, Sara Superina, and Eva Vesel. The society remains a vital part of the Slovenian community in Italy, providing charitable support and fostering cultural and educational development.

Slovensko Dobrodelno Društvo (SDD) was founded on 14 April 1948 in Trieste, at a time when the city was under the administration of Anglo-American Allied forces within the Free Territory of Trieste. After twenty years of fascist suppression, Slovenians in Trieste recognized the need to rebuild their own cultural, political, economic, and social institutions. A preparatory meeting was held, bringing together Slovenian merchants, entrepreneurs, educators, school principals, and students, some of whom were already connected through the then Slovenian Democratic Union. At the founding general assembly, Slavko Tuta was elected president, Joško Gerdol became secretary, Ignacij Marc was appointed treasurer (a position he held until his death in 1978), Julka Kapelj Vesel became vice-president, and Marija Pauzin, Zora Sandalj Polojac, Anton Muha, and Adalbert Štubelj were elected to the board. The society soon obtained official recognition as a charitable legal entity. Due to the political circumstances of the time, the society could initially provide moral and economic support only to Slovenians living in Trieste and its surroundings; the areas of Goriška, Beneška Slovenija, and the Kanalska dolina were outside its scope because they had already been annexed to the Republic of Italy. In its early years, the society relied solely on its own resources, such as membership fees and contributions from board members and benefactors who also donated goods, clothing, and food. To generate additional income, it organized cultural and entertainment events, including the annual Slavic Ball held in various halls in Trieste between 1951 and 1969, which revived a tradition from the pre-World War I reading rooms. The society's objectives were to assist the poor, unemployed, orphans, and disabled persons who were not receiving support from public institutions, as well as Slovenian students in need. It organized summer colonies, excursions, and student trips, all carried out with the help of dedicated volunteers. In the 1970s, after the Treaty of Osimo definitively placed Trieste under Italian administration, the society amended its rules to comply with new legislation and expanded its area of operation to the entire Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. Today, SDD continues to operate with the same purposes and dedication. It focuses on helping schoolchildren by covering small expenses such as winter or green week stays, theater performances, subscriptions to children's magazines Pastirček and Galeb, insurance, and school trips. It assists high school students with financial difficulties for school trips, exchanges, book purchases, and computers, and supports university students through scholarships and awards, including the Mihael Flajban and Irena Srebotnjak calls and the inž. Aljoša Vesel and inž. Marko Stavar scholarships. The society also helps families in distress due to job loss, illness, or children with special needs, and participates in major solidarity initiatives during severe accidents. The society has been led by a series of presidents: Slavko Tuta (1948–1949), Stanislav Flego (1949–1950), Rudolf Marc (1950–1977), Stanislav Pavlica (1978–1987), Ivan Artač (1987–1999), Aljoša Vesel (1999–2015), and Ivo Jevnikar (2015–present). As of 2021, the administrative board consists of president Ivo Jevnikar, vice-president Vera Čok, secretary Silva Gasperi, treasurer Jole Zudetič, and members Veronika Gerdol, Matejka Gruden, Mateja Počkaj, Sara Superina, and Eva Vesel. The society remains a vital part of the Slovenian community in Italy, providing charitable support and fostering cultural and educational development.

• 2021

  New administrative board formed with Ivo Jevnikar as president.

• 2015

  Ivo Jevnikar becomes president.

• 1999

  Aljoša Vesel becomes president.

• 1987

  Ivan Artač becomes president.

• 1978

  Stanislav Pavlica becomes president; Ignacij Marc, treasurer since 1948, dies.

• 1977

  End of Rudolf Marc's presidency.

• 1951

  Annual Slavic Ball events begin, continuing until 1969.

• 1950

  Rudolf Marc becomes president.

• 1949

  Stanislav Flego becomes president.

• 1948

  Founded on 14 April in Trieste; Slavko Tuta elected president.

Non-profit, non-political charitable association supporting the Slovenian national community in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

1. 1Slovensko dobrodelno društvo – 1948 – 2023dobrodelno.it
2. 2Slovensko Dobrodelno Društvowikidata.org
3. 3Slovensko dobrodelno društvosl.wikipedia.org