The main purpose of World Bee Day is to raise awareness among the global public about the importance of bees and other pollinators for humanity, in light of food security, the global elimination of hunger, and care for the environment and biodiversity. The proclamation of World Bee Day is an achievement of Slovenia as a country, of several governmental and non-governmental organisations, and of diplomacy. Through the celebration of World Bee Day, the general public is informed about the fact that bees are extremely important for our survival on this planet. They are critically endangered in many countries and regions due to a variety of causes but particularly because of climate change. Bees need clean air, clean water and a clean environment in a broader sense, so we have to protect the environmentto ensure their survival. We need to be aware that every individual plays a vital role in the protection of bees and other pollinators.

The main event marking this year's World Bee Day was the virtual Bee Engaged international conference organised by FAO. The Slovenian representative at the conference was Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Aleksandra Pivec. In her address, Ms Pivec said that the theme of this year's conference, "Bee Engaged", carries an important message and encourages every one of us to turn our words into actions: "Every one of us can make a great contribution just by slightly changing our everyday habits."

The video of the event is available here.

In the afternoon, a formal meeting marking the third World Bee Day was held at the headquarters of the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association. In addition to Minister of Agriculture Aleksandra Pivec, the head of the World Bee Day project until its proclamation, Dejan Židan, and the head of the Trial Orchard in Brdo pri Lukovici, Roman Mavec, also participated in the meeting. The keynote speaker was Boštjan Noč, President of the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association. Ms Pivec addressed the meeting, highlighting: "Let World Bee Day also be a day to raise awareness about the working conditions of beekeepers and the issue of bee survival".

The video of the event is available here.

World Bee Day was celebrated throughout the world. The Embassies of the Republic of Slovenia were very active, each marking the day within its capabilities. In Slovenia, World Bee Day was celebrated wherever there is awareness of the importance of bees for nature and people. Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak, together with the President of the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association and the Mayor of Ljubljana, visited Tivoli Park to view a nest box for solitary bees near the greenhouse. The Slovenian Ethnographic Museum celebrated the day by staging an art performance entitled “Bee Sculpture”. Cankarjev Dom also held a virtual event, showing a documentary on beekeeping on the roof of the famous cultural centre. Meanwhile, in the Glass Atrium of Ljubljana Town Hall, an exhibition entitled “Beekeeping and Design Challenges” will be held until 29 May 2020. The exhibition was created within the UrbanBee, BeeKul, and Lace and Space projects.