Matica Slovenská (en. Slovak Matica) is the oldest a Slovak national, cultural and scientific organization headquartered in Martin, Slovakia. The organisation has facilities in the Slovak Republic as well as abroad. The headquarters of Slovak Matica is the town of Martin as the center of the national culture of Slovaks, where it was founded in 1863 and revived in 1919. Slovak Matica is a public institution that operates as a national scientific and cultural centre. Slovak Matica works to develop and protect the national rights, identity, and development of Slovak culture and the Slovak nation. Slovak Matica is a legal entity. It establishes its organizational units on the territory of the Slovak Republic as well as abroad. The position and activity of Slovak Matica is regulated by Act no. 68/1997 Coll. on the Slovak Matica as amended and the Statutes of Slovak Matica. Focus and mission of Slovak Matica Slovak Matica is a public institution. It operates as a national, independent non-partisanship, supra-confessional, supra-departmental, scientific and cultural institution. Slovak Matica played an irreplaceable role in the process of national self-determination and protection of national rights, preservation of identity and development of the culture of the Slovak nation. The mission of Slovak Matica in the 21st century is to systematically develop the spiritual, national, cultural and social life of all members of the Slovak nation, as well as other fellow citizens living in the Slovak Republic. Slovak Matica develops and consolidates the national cultural life of the Slovak nation, its national awareness and educational level, while ensuring the creation and protection of cultural heritage and traditions. It establishes cooperation with members of nationalities living in the territory of the Slovak Republic, as well as with other nations abroad with the aim of learning about and exchanging cultural values. Slovak Matic also participates in the development of Slovak science, culture, art and education and all forms of spiritual and social life that strengthen national self-awareness, especially in the ranks of the Slovak intelligents´, students and youth. It maintains and develops special cooperation with maticas of Slavic nations and Slovak Maticas operating outside the territory of Slovakia. Objectives of the Slovak Matica The main tasks entrusted to the Slovak Matica by the state and defined in the Act on the Slovak Matica include in particular: consolidating Slovak patriotism; to deepen the relationship of citizens to the Slovak statehood; to do basic Slovak research;