News

Green is the colour of the Slovenian DNA – in many ways.

In the Bloomberg Innovation Index, measured by the United States Bloomberg Agency, Slovenia took 21st place this year.

Since 2000, 21 February marks International Mother Language Day.

The wandering kurent figures rank among the more visible traditional Shrovetide Carnival customs in Slovenia, and the kurent is the most recognisable Carnival character, with records of his appearance dating back to 1880. The kurent is also one of the symbols of the Slovenian identity.

This year is the International Year of Plant Health.

Adventurers enjoying a descend into the wonders of Slovenia's underground cave system will soon be able to walk a reconstructed trail through the Hanke Canal in the Škocjan Caves. The narrow and rocky path runs high above the river Reka and gives adrenaline junkies something to look forward to.

On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly for 11 February, the Minister of Education, Science and Sport, Jernej Pikalo, drew attention to the important contribution of Slovenian female researchers in the field of research and development.

At the end of January, the permanent representative of Slovenia to Unesco presented the World Heritage Centre in Paris with the Nomination File entitled "Ljubljana: The Timeless, Human Capital Designed by Jože Plečnik" for inclusion in Unesco’s World Heritage List. According to the Ministry of Culture, the Nomination File is formally included in the 2020-2021 evaluation cycle.

The preparations for Slovenia’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2021 are in full swing.

On the eve of Prešeren Day, the Slovenian Cultural Holiday, a state ceremony will be held during which the Prešeren Prize and Prešeren Fund Prizes will be awarded as the highest recognition in the Republic of Slovenia for achievements in the field of artistic creation.

Slovenia has welcomed a European Commission proposal for a reform of the EU membership process that provides stronger sanctioning of aspiring EU members if they backslide on their reform efforts.

This year’s focus of 2 February, World Wetlands Day, annually celebrated in the framework of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, is on the role of wetlands in preserving biodiversity. Despite the growing awareness of the importance of wetlands, they are still being changed or even destroyed.

4 February marks World Cancer Day. On this occasion, the European Commission presented its initiative for Europe’s new Beating Cancer Plan.

Slovenia can be justly proud of its successful initiative to declare 20 May World Bee Day.

Slovenia and Portugal have urged the European Commission to introduce a clearer system of labelling the origin of honey to give consumers more comprehensive and reliable information.

Just before new year, Slovenia was given an excellent opportunity for cooperation: to partner with the American NBA Dallas Mavericks where Luka Dončić currently plays. The effects of this partnership will be multi-layered and visible in several fields: tourism, economy, mobility. Six partners saw this great opportunity for a better recognition of Slovenia in the American market: the Sport Media Focus Agency, the Government Communication Office (UKOM), the Slovenian Tourist Board (STO), AmCham Slovenia, SPIRIT Slovenia, and Ljubljana Tourism. It has quite often been proven that we achieve greater success and recognition if we collaborate.

Prime Minister Marjan Šarec was a attending the 50th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos at the invitation of its founder and Executive Chairman, prof. Klaus Schwab, on 21 and 22 January 2020.

A larger group of Slovenians from Venezuela who applied for repatriation have already arrived in Slovenia, told State Secretary Olga Belec at the press conference held at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad. The repatriation is still open and the Office is accepting new applications. So far, repatriation has been approved to 29 persons of which 21 are already in Slovenia. All those who arrived in Slovenia are feeling well and relieved to live in peace and freedom.

Tamburitzas in an opera? Some people may find this unusual or say that it cannot be done, but composer Gregor Zagorc and his excellent team have managed to prove them wrong, surprising the audience with a beautiful opera. Ambrož and Katarina, a saga of forbidden love, is the world's first opera written for a tamburitza orchestra.

Slovenia and Portugal announced at the January meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council their joint initiative for marking the exact geographical origin of honey.