Since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a deterioration of living conditions around the world, in particular in developing countries, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted a decision today to provide humanitarian assistance for those worst affected, this through the World Food Programme, the International Committe of the Red Cross and Caritas Internationalis.

Hiša Franko is gaining visibility not only due to its excellent two-Michelin-starred restaurant where chef Ana Roš is creating top dishes, but also because of its superior hospitality and accommodation that graced the pages of Conde Nast Traveller.

The US media outlet Forbes has ranked Slovenia among the twenty best travel destinations in 2021, while the print edition of the popular gastronomic magazine Food and Travel from the UK published a photograph of the picturesque Bled island with its church.

Slovenians take pride in the fact that not many other countries have such a high proportion of volunteer firefighters, charitable foundations or charitable donations. The coronavirus epidemic has severely affected volunteering, but it has also stimulated the development of new programmes.

The promotional film for the Walk of Peace project idea, presented by the Walks of Peace in the Soča Region Foundation in collaboration with its partners, has been chosen the best EU Interreg project of the year among 150 applications.

On Monday, the Minister of the Economy, Zdravko Počivalšek, signed amendments to the association agreement between Slovenia and the European Space Agency (ESA). This is an important step for our country towards becoming a full member of this international organisation and the Minister expects such cooperation to strengthen even further.

This year's World Food Day under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) revolves around the slogan: »Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together. Our Actions Are Our Future.«

The Minister of Infrastructure Jernej Vrtovec planted the first shovel in the ground for the third development axis in Gaberke in the company of the President of the Management Board of the Motorway Company of the Republic of Slovenia (DARS), Valentin Hajdinjak, the President of the Committee for the Construction of the Third Development Axis, Matic Tasič, and a representative of the contractor.

Construction of the 2x400 kV Cirkovce–Pince transmission line began on 14 October 2020 with a ceremony in Kidričevo, where Prime Minister Janez Janša, joined by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman, addressed the audience.

At virtual event, the launch of satellites in Vitanje, the Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek described the launch of Slovenian satellites Trisat and Nemo-HD into space as a supreme and historic achievement for Slovenia's space industry and science. The Minister emphasised in Vitanje that this marked a significant step forward for Slovenia in conquering new dimensions and pushing its limits.

The Government Office for Slovenians Abroad was very pleased to learn of the decision of the Austrian Federal Government to double the funds for the ethnic communities in the country.

Travel guide Lonely Planet has released the second edition of its Ultimate Travel List, and has included Bled in its top ten destinations offering unique, compelling experiences.

Today was the first in a series of virtual events that represent an introduction to the themes of the upcoming World Expo 2020 in Dubai.

We are marking Week of the child between 5 and 11 October.

The International Day of Older Persons, 1 October, has been highlighting the challenges of the elderly for the past 30 years. This year, it brings to the fore the problems faced by the elderly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The disease affects elderly citizens the most, and the pandemic also puts them at greater risk of poverty.

Today, Slovenia and the rest of the world celebrate the first ever International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, which was designated by the UN General Assembly with the support of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). FAO stresses increasing levels of hunger, recalls the consequences of food waste for the environment and calls for action on all levels.

On 23 September, Slovenia is celebrating its first Day of Sports, thus joining seven other countries with a holiday dedicated to sport.

The United Nations recommend that this year, when the world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, we celebrate International Peace Day by spreading hope, compassion and kindness. “Stand together with the UN against attempts to use the virus to promote discrimination or hatred,” is written on the websites of the global organisation.

The European Mobility Week ended on Tuesday with a traditional car-free day which is also observed by several Slovenian municipalities. On that day, public transport in and around the capital city of Ljubljana, and the Park + Ride were free-of-charge.

The European Mobility Week, which is marked between 16 and 22 September this year, aims to reduce road motor traffic, which is also one of the largest polluters of the environment in Slovenia. "This year, too, full of challenges, has shown that together we can reduce the emissions of motorised traffic through walking, cycling and the use of public transport," Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said ahead of the start of mobility week.