Sport brings people together

Speaking at the Forum, Minister Han said: "Sport brings people together. It does not divide us into left or right, but unites all of us who love our country. It is a cornerstone of a healthy and cohesive society and a significant driver of economic development, tourism growth and an improved quality of life. Our responsibility is to create an environment where sport can thrive, supported by a funding system grounded in long-term sustainability.

At a meeting with the leaders of the handball federations of Slovenia and Croatia and the chambers of commerce and industry of both countries, Minister Han emphasised the importance of state support to ensure sustainable growth, equality and accessibility of sport for everyone. "Without the talents that will develop with such an environment, there will be no professional athletes, no national teams. Slovenia cannot afford to lose talent because parents do not have the money to send their children to a gym or sports club. In the future, we will strive to assist parents with vouchers to help them enrol their children in clubs," said Minister Han.

Minister Han also participated in the podcast Duel of Guests, speaking on the topic "How to Stimulate Investment in Sport in Slovenia and Croatia: The Role of the State, Businesses and Sports Organisations." He was joined by Deja Doler Ivanović, Vice-President of the Handball Federation of Slovenia, and Klaudia Bubalo, chosen as Croatia's best female handball player of 1994. The event was also attended by Goran Romek, State Secretary of the Croatian Ministry of the Economy, with Croatian handball legend Igor Vori making a surprise appearance.

Minister Han shared Slovenia's experience of integrating sport, tourism and business, noting that the results and synergies of these efforts are already evident after three years. He stressed that sport has contributed significantly to Slovenia's visibility over the past 30 years, and the need to recognise and reward this. The Ministry has already increased funding for sport, particularly for investment in sports infrastructure. He also highlighted support for major events, such as the World Handball Championship in Zagreb. Minister Han pointed out that while sports federations play a key role in all this, the state must assist through co-funding and focus more on supporting sports clubs alongside federations. Tomislav Radoš, Vice-President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) for Industry and Sustainable Development, echoed Minister Han's views, advocating for tax incentives to encourage businesses to invest in sport. Tomislav Grahovac, President of the Croatian Handball Federation (HRS), emphasised the importance of long-term investment in young people, and simplifying the process for businesses to invest in sport. Bor Rozman, President of the Handball Federation of Slovenia (RZS), highlighted the popularisation of handball as a shared goal for the Slovenian and Croatian federations, adding that sport not only brings people together but also helps divert young people from the distractions of technology.

Minister Han concluded his visit to Zagreb by attending a handball match between Slovenia and Iceland, accompanied by Minister Arčon and Icelandic Foreign Minister Gunnarsdóttir.

Linking sport, tourism and businesses

International sporting events present a unique opportunity to engage with a global audience and establish new business connections among participating businesses. For this reason, SPIRIT Slovenia is a partner of the Inspiration Knows No Borders event, which highlights Slovenia not only as a country of top athletes but also as an innovative, technologically advanced, and sustainable economic and tourism destination.

On the second day of the event, discussions centred on the role of sport in promoting sustainable development and broader social responsibility. During the roundtable entitled "Sustainability and Ensuring Mass Participation for the Development of World-Class Sport: The Responsibility of The State and the Business Community", participants explored how digitalisation and sedentary lifestyles negatively impact the development of young people and examined the role of sports participation in counteracting these trends.

The Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB), Maja Pak Olaj, along with Kristjan Staničić, Director of the Croatian Tourist Board, and Suzana Šop, Secretary General of the City of Zagreb Sports Association, participated in the roundtable entitled "Sport and Tourism in the Role of Year-Round and Regionally Balanced Development of the Tourism Offer and the Sports Community in Croatia and Slovenia". Maja Pak Olaj highlighted several projects where the STB leverages synergies between sport and tourism. These include collaborations with top athletes serving as ambassadors for Slovenian tourism and the promotional campaign entitled "It's All in Our Nature", jointly implemented by the STB and the Olympic Committee of Slovenia – Association of Sports Federations during last year's Olympic Games in Paris.

Maja Pak Olaj added: "Sport is an essential partner in promoting Slovenia as a green and active destination. At the Slovenian Tourist Board, we integrate Slovenia's rich sporting tradition and top athletes with its unique tourism offer. By supporting over 60 international sporting events hosted in Slovenia each year, showcasing the "I feel Slovenia" brand at globally recognised sporting events, and launching initiatives such as the "Slovenia, a Sports Destination" online platform, we inspire athletes, their teams, and sports enthusiasts worldwide. At the same time, these efforts strengthen Slovenian pride and reinforce Slovenia's reputation as a top-tier sports nation and an outstanding tourist destination. To put it in sports terms, sport and tourism are truly a winning team. I would like to thank all our athletes, sports federations, clubs and other stakeholders in the world of sport for their invaluable contributions to this success story."

As part of the event, the STB also held a workshop, where 15 Slovenian tourism companies presented some of Slovenia's outstanding tourism offerings to numerous Croatian tour operators and travel agencies in bilateral meetings. Following the success of last year's workshops in Rijeka and Zagreb, the STB is planning an additional business event in Split this year to further strengthen ties and cooperation with Croatian partners.

The events, which took place at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, were organised by the Handball Federation of Slovenia in cooperation with the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, SPIRIT Slovenia, the Slovenian Tourist Board and the Croatian Handball Federation.