Minister Arčon visits the Slovenian minority in Porabje
The Minister with Children | Author Government Office for Slovenes Abroad
During his visit, he toured the House of Culture in Gornji Senik and met with local business leaders and the mayors of Porabje's municipalities. He marked the upcoming World Bee Day at the Slovenian model farm with the youngest members of the community and joined primary school pupils for Birds and Trees Day. He also held meetings with representatives of umbrella organisations, the principal of the bilingual school, and an educational advisor. Throughout his visit, Minister Arčon was accompanied by State Secretary Vesna Humar, the Consul General of the Republic of Slovenia in Szentgotthárd, Dubravka Šekoranja, and representatives of the Slovenian minority.
In a statement to the media, the Minister stressed: "Porabje has a future. Support the economy is the right thing to do, as this strengthens both culture and the Slovenian language. It is our duty to pass the Slovenian language on to the youngest generations." The Government Office for Slovenians Abroad has allocated a total of EUR 605,500 in funding through its call for proposals to support the activities of the Slovenian community in Hungary in 2025.
Minister Arčon began his visit to the autochthonous Slovenian minority in Hungary at the House of Culture in Gornji Senik, where he listened to a rehearsal of the Seniške sinice choir, a vocal ensemble belonging to the Union of Slovenians in Hungary. He also met with the Mayor of Gornji Senik, Andrejek Szabolcs, who gave him a tour of the House of Culture and introduced him to the cultural activities taking place in the municipality. Led by Julija Fajhtinger, the choir comprises female primary and secondary school pupils from Gornji Senik.
Next, the Minister visited the Slovenian model farm in Gornji Senik. There, he met with local entrepreneurs who had applied for projects under the programme to strengthen the economic foundation of the autochthonous Slovenian national community in Hungary, as well as mayors from the Porabje municipalities. Those in attendance included mayors or representatives from the municipalities of Szakonyfalu (Sakalovci), Apátistvánfalva (Števanovci), Orfalu (Andovci), Szentgotthárd (Monošter), Felsőszölnök (Gornji Senik) and Alsószölnök (Dolnji Senik). A strong and active economic base in border and cross-border areas is essential for preserving identity, language and culture. In line with this objective, several positive steps have recently been taken. As well as constructing the Slovenian model farm and establishing the MURABA European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), support was provided from the Slovenian budget, in cooperation with Hungarian authorities, for a joint economic development fund for ethnically mixed areas along the Slovenian–Hungarian border. Furthermore, Slovenia has financed an economic development programme worth over EUR 2 million, which will continue over the next four years. Projects applied for and carried out under this initiative play a vital role in strengthening the region's development potential and promoting effective cross-border cooperation in agriculture and tourism.
On the second day of his visit, the Minister celebrated World Bee Day with the youngest members of the Slovenian community in Monošter and Sakalovci at the Slovenian model farm. Although World Bee Day is officially marked on 20 May, this event was held in advance and featured a heartwarming programme for children. The children performed a play about a bear and the bees, and sang and danced to the song 'Čebelice, Čebelice' (Little Bees). They then learnt about beekeeping, planted nectar-producing plants and visited the farm animals. Before the activities began, they enjoyed a honey-themed breakfast. The Minister greeted the children warmly and handed out Slovenian flag-bearing cheer gear.
Later in the day, the Minister joined pupils from the Bilingual Primary School in Števanovci at the Bird and Tree Day event held at the Őrség National Park Adventure House in Števanovci. This was followed by discussions with members of staff from both the Őrség National Park and the Goričko Landscape Park. They explored ways to strengthen cooperation between the two parks and encourage participation in joint projects, emphasising the importance of promoting visible bilingualism in the region.
The Minister concluded his visit to Porabje at the Slovenian Lipa Cultural and Information Centre in Monošter. There, he met with the presidents of the two umbrella organisations: Andrea Kovács of the Union of Slovenians in Hungary, Karel Holec of the National Slovene Self-Government. He also met with Erika Köleš Kiss, the advocate for the Slovenian community in the Hungarian parliament; educational advisor Valentina Novak; and Agica Holecz, the principal of the Bilingual Primary School and Kindergarten in Števanovci. The discussions covered the community's current situation, completed projects, ongoing challenges and future plans.