How to experience (feel) Slovenia?
Seeing such a title and calendar theme makes us wonder at first: what does it actually mean? To experience(feel) means living to see the material, social and spiritual discoveries upon making contact with Slovenia, a variegated, and in particular versatile, region and country at the meeting point between the European Alps, the Mediterranean and the Pannonian Plain. It also means discovering the turbulent past and the broad spectrum of cultural heritage, as well as the rich forms of contemporary creativity. It means breathtaking diversity of natural and urban areas, where the people of Slovenia live. It means encountering their cultural diversity and uniformity. The different natural environments offer a variety of man-friendly primary building materials, which also provide plenty of opportunity for the most varied forms of creativity. This strong link between nature, its materials and forms of creativity results in a perception of everything that can be most consistently experienced by our senses – everything that shapes the quality of our living, our ordinary days and holidays. The natural character of materials is the most basic authorial handwriting, a sign of recognition and identity, by which we not only co-shape our own image in the European and global family, but also enrich it with positive cultural and creative variety. Therefore, Slovenia is not only observed and visited, but truly experienced(felt)! (text Janez Bogataj, photography by Tomo Jeseničnik)
