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.
This article appears in February 9 • 2007.