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Slovenia celebrates Reformation Day

On the last day of October, Slovenia celebrates Reformation Day, a public holiday and a work-free day, commemorating the religious, socio-political and cultural movement of the 16th century. At the same time, Slovenians commemorate the birth of the Slovenian literary language.

Reformation Day is an extremely important holiday for Slovenians, because the first books printed in Slovenian resulted in the Slovenian language finding its place among the great and influential languages of Europe, which is something that must be preserved in the modern world amidst the boom in new information technologies.

We find ourselves at a crucial time in which the use of the Slovenian language is facing new challenges. AI linguistic tools offer endless possibilities for its development and, above all, its accessibility, so special care must be taken to preserve the richness of the language even when transferring it into the virtual space of new technologies.

The Reformation paved the way for the Slovenian language, culture and national identity, said Prime Minister Robert Golob in his Reformation Day message. He wished Slovenians at home, in the neighbouring countries and around the world the time to spend this day in the company of a book and the idea that knowledge and culture are the pillars of national sovereignty and individual freedom.

The main national celebration of the holiday took place on Monday at the theatre and concert hall in Lendava. The keynote speaker was the President of the Republic, Nataša Pirc Musar.