Slovenian Ambassador to U.S. Running in Austin Marathon

The ambassador of Slovenia to the United States, His Excellency Samuel Zbogar, will lace up his running shoes for the Austin Marathon, Sunday, Feb. 18, as part of a four-city running tour he is doing to raise funds and awareness for the rehabilitation of child victims of landmines and other explosive devices in Southeast Europe. Following his half-marathon outing in Austin, Zbogar will run another half-marathon in Knoxville, Tenn., in April; a full marathon in Cleveland in May; and another full marathon in Washington, D.C., in October. Organizations benefiting from his efforts are the Marshall Legacy Institute (www.marshall-legacy.org) and the Slovenia-based International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (www.itf-fund.si), established in 1998 to help solve their tragic landmine problem and to provide landmine survivors with physical and socio-economic rehabilitation. The U.S. Department of State is doing their part by supporting Zbogar's project with matching funds.