The Slovenian Development Days event will commence on 15 October with the national consultation on development cooperation and humanitarian aid (please register here - in Slovene language), organised in collaboration with the National Assembly. Over the past 20 years, Slovenia has emerged as a significant donor of Official Development Assistance (ODA), reflecting its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and to eradicating global poverty. This event will review achievements to date and consider the OECD DAC recommendations aimed at enhancing Slovenia's effectiveness in addressing exceptional development and humanitarian needs worldwide. On the same day, an exhibition will open at the National Assembly, showcasing photographs of projects undertaken by partner institutions and NGOs focused on reducing global hunger and improving people's lives.

The programme of the 12th Slovenian Development Days has been co-created with our partners, including the SLOGA Platform, the CEF, the CEP, the ITF, the CMSR, various NGOs and the professional and academic community, along with other relevant stakeholders. We have engaged primary school pupils, secondary school and university students, writers, professionals and the general public. Through a diverse array of events – ranging from round tables, workshops and lectures to travelling exhibitions, concerts and outdoor awareness-raising campaigns - we will demonstrate how to link mine action with food security efforts, and how to encourage Slovenian businesses to contribute to the food security of the most vulnerable. On Wednesday, 17 October, we will distribute the Slovenian edition of the World's Best News together with the Diplomatic Corps and partner organisations in Prešeren Square in the morning. In the afternoon, events will take place in Ljubljana's central square, featuring workshops, NGO presentations, quizzes, a concert and discussions on food security. Maribor will host a workshop on food self-sufficiency within the context of housing cooperatives, while Novo Mesto will present a travelling exhibition showcasing best practices from Slovenian NGOs that address the challenges of sustainable development, accompanied by a debate in honour of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Ensuring the availability of high-quality food in sufficient quantities is becoming one of the most critical issues for the future of humanity. At Friday's Open Kitchen (Odprta kuhna) event in Ljubljana, renowned chefs will conduct cooking workshops demonstrating how to create delicious meals from leftover food. The Living Library initiative will promote responsible food waste management and raise awareness that everyone can make a difference in reducing hunger globally.

The Slovenian Development Days will conclude on 22 October with an international conference and the second Slovenian Humanitarian Forum (please register here - in Slovene language), held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Nataša Pirc Musar. The morning panel, titled "The Vicious Circle between Armed Conflict and the Food Crisis", will feature panellists including Carl Skau, WFP Deputy Executive Director, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, and Chimwemwe Nyambose Ndhlovu, National Coordinator of Caritas Malawi. They will discuss pressing issues, including how to better integrate food security into conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts. The distinguished guests will also address topics such as ensuring safe and unhindered humanitarian access in crisis situations, protecting critical civilian infrastructure and creating safe conditions for food production, including through humanitarian demining and effective management of arable land and water resources.

The afternoon session will commence with the presentation of the Peer Review Report on Slovenia's Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, led by Carsten Staur, Chair of the OECD DAC. This will be followed by a panel discussion on "Food Security and Building Sustainable Food Systems", which will outline best practices for ensuring food security, the main challenges in transforming food systems and the role of UN agencies in this endeavour. The panel will also explore how to achieve a hunger-free world and whether Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2), which aims to eliminate hunger, can be attained. Participants will include Carsten Staur, Chair of the OECD DAC, Tatiana Molcean, UNECE Executive Secretary, Anxious Jongwe Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of Zimbabwe, and Rilli Lappalainen, President of CONCORD, the European Confederation of NGOs working on sustainable development.

You are cordially invited to join us at the events of the 12th Slovenian Development Days. By attending, you will contribute to the discussion on one of the most significant global challenges of our time and support efforts towards a better, fairer world.

Please ensure you register for the events on 15 October and 22 October using the online form below: 

15 October 2024:

National Consultation on Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid: 20 Years of Building Partnerships (vlada.si, in Slovene language)

22 October 2024:

High-level International Conference and 2nd Slovenian Humanitarian Forum: For a World Without Hunger (vlada.si, in Slovene language)