Slovenia is pleased to welcome the seventh World Bee Day, which takes place on 20 May. Since the proclamation initiated by Slovenia in 2017, we have remained committed to international promotion and cooperation on the protection of bees and pollinators and their contribution to sustainable development, international stability and peace. It is with gratitude and a sense of great responsibility that we recall the strong global support for our idea to proclaim 20 May as World Bee Day to promote increased international engagement for the protection of pollinators," said Minister Fajon. On this day, more than 30 projects are carried out by Slovenian embassies around the world in cooperation with local partners. The Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs presented some of the best practices of Slovenian bee diplomacy in a new brochure published on the occasion of this year's World Bee Day.

To mark the occasion, the Ministry installed the first beehive in its garden, and Minister Fajon and FAO Director-General Dongyu symbolically announced its opening at the ceremony. "A beehive in the Ministry's garden symbolises the strengthening of Slovenia's bee diplomacy; it is also a tribute to the local ecosystem that provides for our health, nutrition and quality of life. It is a tribute to the dozens of international partnerships and projects dedicated to the caring for bees and thus caring for people, planet and peace," Minister Fajon underlined, adding that the focus of Slovenia's bee diplomacy is on caring for the environment and empowering vulnerable groups in society. In line with Slovenia's development cooperation strategy, its geographical priorities are the Western Balkans, the European neighbourhood and sub-Saharan Africa. We cooperate with international organisations - FAO, WFP, UNIDO - as well as with governments, experts and civil society.

The beehive is a work of art by the young people who participated in the designing and painting it. Minister Fajon was delighted with the creativity and artistic work of young Slovenians. "Beekeeping as a way of life in Slovenia was inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage two years ago, and I am truly proud that we are keeping this heritage alive both at home and around the world," Minister Fajon added. FAO Director-General Dongyu said he is always honoured to come to beautiful, green Slovenia, where bees abound, and welcomed the decision to hold the first beekeeping forum in Slovenia: "I wish you success and fruitful discussions. You are already making history by hosting the first international beekeeping forum. This is a small historic step, like a small bee with a big effect."

Dejan Židan, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, and Gorazd Trušnovec, an urban beekeeper, also attended the symbolic launch of the beehive.

As part of World Bee Day, an international forum "Bees for People, Planet and Peace" will be held in Ljubljana on 22 and 23 May, organised by FAO, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. It will bring together representatives of governments and international organisations, experts, businesspeople and civil society. The forum will review past experiences and explore new needs for international cooperation on bees and other pollinators. It also aims to formulate guidelines for further action. In the context of the environmental and food crises, there is a need to better harness the potential of pollinators to address food security, ecosystem restoration, empowerment of vulnerable groups in society and strengthening international stability and peace.

The forum will also be available via audio-video link. More information, programme and access to the forum webcast.