It has become a tradition for our September issue to draw attention to topics related to Slovenian literature and themes associated with the Bled Strategic Forum. These two areas are a platform for presenting Slovenia's art, cultural heritage, successful projects in science and business, tourism, cuisine, and more. When a successful project or an interesting person captures our attention, we always feel an urge to share the story with you.

The first year of the current government’s term of office is ending with stable and strong public support. Since we follow the vision of Prime Minister Marjan Šarec that “our main duty is to work for the people”, increased trust in the work of the government team comes as no surprise. On the anniversary of the election of the government, we are aware of the responsibility that such support entails, and we are once again committed to working in the interest of Slovenia and all of its inhabitants.

On the last day of her visit to Canada, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Aleksandra Pivec attended Slovenia's promotional event presenting Slovenian businesses to potential business partners and the media. Ms Pivec met today with the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the Province of Ontario, Ernie Hardman, and representatives of Slovenians living in Canada.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Aleksandra Pivec spent the second day of her Canadian visit in Ottawa. Ms Pivec met with Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Chris Forbes at the Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food. She also attended the ceremonial handover of a photograph featuring the image of a bee to the Canadian Museum of Nature and visited a research institution – an experimental farm.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, the Managing Authority for ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund, has issued a grant decision for the Integrated Territorial Investment ‘’ITI Velenje cycle network – west’’. The project funding amounts to a total of EUR 2.6 million, of which nearly EUR 1.4 million comes from ERDF.

Between 13 and 15 September 2019, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) will host the NATO Military Committee Conference in Chiefs of Defence session with the participation of all allied armed forces and the highest NATO military representatives. The aim of the conference is to enable Chiefs of Defence and strategic commanders to exchange views on topical defence and security matters important for the Alliance as part of its peacekeeping and security efforts.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Aleksandra Pivec is on a three-day visit to Canada, where she is attending the 56th Apimondia International Apicultural Congress. During her visit she met with several apiculture representatives from all over the world, and at the fair she presented Slovenia as a beekeeping country.

As part of Slovenian prime minister Marjan Šarec’s official visit to Russia, a reception was held this evening for Slovenian and Russian business leaders. It was attended by the prime minister, foreign minister Dr Miro Cerar, minister of economic development and technology Zdravko Počivalšek, and minister of labour, family, social affairs and equal opportunities Ksenija Klampfer. The Russian Federation was represented at the event by Russian minister of digital development, communications and mass media Konstantin Noskov.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Miro Cerar met Russian Minister for Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Konstantin Noskov today as part of Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Šarec’s official visit to Russia. As co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Slovenian-Russian Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which held its last session at Bled on 14 June, Ministers Cerar and Noskov noted that progress has been achieved in numerous joint projects. They reaffirmed that economic cooperation between their two countries was rewarded today with the signing of two business agreements between a Slovenian company and two Russian companies, paving the way for cooperation on third markets. 　

During his official visit, Slovenian prime minister Marjan Šarec unveiled a memorial to Slovenian victims of both world wars on the territory of today’s Russian Federation alongside Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Aleksandra Pivec has begun her visit to Canada today. On the first day of her visit, Ms Pivec attended the Apimondia International Apicultural Congress that also featured a Slovenian Day. This year, Slovenia has its own exhibition area at the Apimondia Congress where it is represented by the Slovenian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Slovenian Beekeeper’s Association (SBA), and by the institutions and companies associated with beekeeping. The Slovenian Agriculture Minister also met with the representative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the Province of Quebec Sylvain Lacombe with whom she discussed cooperation between the two countries and the areas and products that are of interest to consumers in the two countries.

Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Šarec is on an official visit to Russia on 10 and 11 September 2019, at the invitation of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Janez Lenarčič, the Slovenian EU commissioner-designate, has been assigned the portfolio of crisis management in the next European Commission, as President-elect Ursula von der Leyen announced the distribution of posts.

Ambassador Iztok Mirošič took part in the debate titled “Crisis or the end of the international system as we know it”, which addressed the transition from multilateralism to a multipolar or even a new bipolar international system, including the return of geopolitics to the Western Balkans. Therefore, underlined Ambassador Mirošič, the EU enlargement process is exceptionally important

The Slovenian government has adopted the draft priorities of Slovenia’s presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2021, and they will now be presented to the Slovenian National Assembly.

Slovenia is up five spots in the latest biannual global Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, standing at 36th place among the 140 countries surveyed by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek commented on the improvement by saying that Slovenia was on the right track in the field of tourism.

On Tuesday, the European Research Council (ERC) published the results of a call for proposals from researchers who are just beginning their research careers. Among the 3062 project proposals submitted, 408 were selected for funding, including two Slovenian projects.

State Secretary Simona Leskovar and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held political consultations in Ljubljana today as part of the regular political dialogue between the two countries.

As part of the 14th Bled Strategic Forum, State Secretary Božič met with Scottish Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development Ben Machperson. They discussed the challenges posed by Brexit and possibilities of strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in the economy, tourism and sustainable development.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is hosting the second seminar for young diplomats from the Eastern Partnership, which is being attended by representatives of the Armenian, Azerbaijani, Belarus, Georgian, Moldovan and Ukrainian foreign ministries.