Government Communications Office events in Planica

The Government Communications Office (UKOM) has also organised six panels for journalists in the Media Centre on a variety of topics. The first panel will be held on 23 February and will be entitled "Slovenia's sport successes are not a coincidence". Guests Petra Majdič, Slovenian cross-country skier and Olympic bronze medallist; Andrej Hauptman, former selector of the Slovenian national cycling team and sports director of the UAE Team Emirates; and Jernej Slivnik, Slovenian para-skier, participant in the Para-Olympic Games, will talk about their successes.

A day later, on 24 February, UKOM will hold a panel entitled "Quality Life in the Alps for All", with speakers Dr Matej Ogrin, President of the NGO CIPRA Slovenia, and Eva Štravs Podlogar, Director of the Development agency for Upper Gorenjska. They will try to provide answers to the questions on how to keep young people in the region, what the opportunities are for people in the Alps, on sustainable tourism that does not compromise values, local food and more.

"Sport is power, knowledge is in the book" is the title of the topic to be discussed on 26 February, in which the guests Katja Stergar, Acting Director of the Slovenian Book Agency; Tadej Golob, writer, mountaineer, columnist, and journalist; Klemen Bauer, biathlete; and Sara Isaković, swimmer and Olympic silver medallist, will discuss the Slovenian reading promotion campaign in relation to sport.

In recent years, Slovenia has also put itself on the global map as an excellent organiser of major sports events. We can boast an excellent infrastructure that follows sustainable principles. In a panel discussion on 28 February, Matjaž Han, Minister of Economy, Tourism and Sport; Metod Ropret, Vice President of the Slovenian Olympic Committee and President of the Slovenian Volleyball Federation; and Franci Petek will discuss the impact of such events on the economy and promotion, as well as sustainable infrastructure, using Planica as an example.

Slovenia presents itself at home and abroad with the national brand I Feel Slovenia, which goes beyond mere tourist attributes and natural beauty. It tells the story of Slovenia and Slovenians, our DNA, Slovenian breakthrough solutions, our care for the environment and coexistence with nature, and our desire to overcome the impossible. The presentation of the I feel Slovenia brand will take place on 1 March and will be discussed by Petra Bezjak Cirman, Acting Director of the Government Communications Office of the Republic of Slovenia, custodians of the I feel Slovenia brand; Rok Capl, Acting Director of SPIRIT Slovenia, the public agency for the promotion of entrepreneurship, internationalisation, foreign investment and technology; and Maša Puklavec, Head of Content Digital Marketing at the Slovenian Tourist Board.

In Slovenia, sport is with us from early childhood. Slovenian children are involved in a wide variety of sports activities as early as kindergarten, and the majority of children in educational institutions are involved in sports programmes (swimming, mountaineering, running, dancing). On 3 March, Dr Gregor Jurak, Full Professor at the University of Ljubljana – Faculty of Sport, Head of the SLOfit Research Group; Mirjam Bizjak, Headmistress of the France Prešeren Grammar School in Kranj, where students can also study in the sports department of the Grammar School; and Cene Prevc, former ski jumper, silver medal winner in the team competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and SLOfit ambassador, will speak about sports education for young people.

The organisers promise an unprecedented sports spectacle and the main commitment is sustainable – green Planica.