Bee engaged in pollinator-friendly agricultural production

On Saturday, 20 May 2023, we will celebrate World Bee Day for the sixth consecutive year. World Bee Day is the result of cooperation between the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association as the initiator, the Republic of Slovenia and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and the result of the widespread European and wider international support of countries and organisations, including Apimondia (International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations). The annual marking of World Bee Day is an important national and international priority for Slovenia that put forward this initiative to promote the importance of bees and wild pollinators, raise awareness and call for increased activities for their preservation.

With this year's World Bee Day, we want to draw attention of the general public to the fact that bees are extremely important for our survival on this planet and that they are critically endangered in many countries and regions because of a variety of reasons (in particular due to climate change). Bees need clean air, clean water and a clean environment in a broader sense. If we preserve the environment and enable the bees to survive, people will also live in a nicer and healthier environment. But most importantly, we must all become aware, once again, that the role of every individual is crucial for the preservation of bees and other pollinators.

At the national level, this year's World Bee Day will be celebrated on 20 May 2023 in Celje as part of the Beekeeping Holiday. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food will participate in the event held by the Slovenian Beekeeper's Association. The main international event will be organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Experts from across the globe will participate in a round table entitled Bee engaged in pollinator-friendly agricultural production, where they will present different beekeeping methods and the diversity of bees and wild pollinators. This year's topic explores the contribution of beekeepers and the role of bees and other wild pollinators in increasing food safety, improving the quality of life and ensuring ecosystem services for agriculture. The Golden Bee Award will be awarded on 24 May in the presidential palace as part of commemorating World Bee Day. The award will be given out for the third consecutive year, marking the end of the first three-year period. Each year, the Republic of Slovenia awards projects in one of three fields, which succeed each other every three years. This year's Golden Bee Award rewards research on bees and other pollinators. The previous two awards were given out for the promotion and awareness raising of the importance of bees and other pollinators (the first award went to Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi from Argentina) and for the preservation of bees and other pollinators (the last year's award went to Boštjan Noč from Slovenia).

In addition to the main celebration, numerous events will be held all over the world. They will be organised by Slovenian diplomatic and consular representations with the participation of representatives of Slovenian governmental and non-governmental institutions.