The first congress ambassadors of Slovenia inaugurated at Ljubljana Castle

The main goal of the initiative is to acknowledge and honor the individuals who have successfully hosted many international congresses or other business events and have been largely contributing to the promotion and development of Slovenia as a congress destination.

This year's main event of the Slovenian Ambassador Program was held at the Ljubljana Castle, where the first 25 Congress Ambassadors of Slovenia were awarded. The patron of the event was the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Borut Pahor.

The national program is based on local ambassador clubs, which connect selected providers with local congress ambassadors and further contributing to the promotion of a specific destination, a more efficient event acquisition and stronger support for professional institutions.

The Ljubljana Ambassador Club, coordinated by the Ljubljana Convention Bureau, was created with the close support of the University of Ljubljana, which is the oldest and largest institution of higher education and research in the country and is celebrating its centenary this year. We would therefore like to kindly thank all individual faculties for their precious assistance in nominating candidates for the ambassadors in Ljubljana.

This year's congress ambassadors are doctors, scientists, professors, researchers and other experts in various fields who have contributed to the internationalization of Slovenia on the meeting's industry stage. The criteria for being nominated for the Congress Ambassador of Slovenia 2019 title was the organization of scientific-professional or business event with a minimum of 100 attendees (where at least a half of participation is international). The events taken into account were those that took place in the period between 2014 and 2018. Priority was given to meetings of regional, European and international associations or was of exceptional international importance.

THE FIRST CONGRESS AMBASSADORS OF SLOVENIA for 2019 ARE (in the alphabetical order of their last names):

• Prof. dr. Marko Anderluh, M.Sc. Pharm., University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy
• Monika Ažman, BSc, Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia – Association of Professional Associations of Nurses, Midwives and Health Technicians of Slovenia (Chamber – Union)
• Prof. dr. Marija Bešter-Rogač, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Andrej Bibič, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning
• Ass. prof. dr. Alenka Fikfak, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture
• Peter Grk, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
• Prof. dr. Marko Hawlina, M.D. spec. opthalmologist, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Eye Hospital
• Prof. dr., Sandi Klavžar, University of Maribor, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Prof. dr. Radko Komadina, M.D., President of the Slovenian Medical Association
• Prof. dr. Janez Kovač, Jožef Stefan Institute / Slovenian Society for Vacuum Technique
• Assoc. prof. dr. Samo Kropivnik, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences
• Assoc. prof. dr., Aleš Kuhar, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty
• Prof. dr. Klavdija Kutnar, University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies
• Štefanija Lukič Zlobec, BsC Economy, Spominčica – Alzheimer Slovenia – Slovenian Association for Dementia Assistance
• Prof. dr., Mojca Matičič, M.D. spec. infectologist, University Hospital Center Ljubljana, Clinic for infectious diseases and febrile conditions
• Prof. dr., Nives Ogrinc, Jožef Štefan Institute
• Sabina Otoničar, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences
• Dr. Rado Pišot, Science and Research Center of Koper
• Prof. dr Iztok Podbregar, University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
• Assoc. prof. dr. Anja Podlesek, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts
• Prof. dr. Danica Purg, IEDC-Bled Business School
• Prof. dr. Maja Rupnik, National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food (NLZOH)
• Assoc. prof. dr. ., Vasilka Sancin, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law
• Prof. dr., Nataša Tul-Mandić, Maternity Hospital Postojna
• Prof. dr., Tatjana Welzer Družovec, University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science (FERI), Institute of Informatics

Mag. Petra Stušek, Managing director of Ljubljana Tourism, emphasized the importance of international scientific and professional meetings for Ljubljana as the leading Slovenian congress destination:
"Ljubljana's strong scientific and research potential, which is also reflected in the organization of numerous congresses and professional events, will gain additional momentum through the Slovenian Ambassador program. We are proud to collaborate with the Slovenian Convention Bureau from the very beginning, while at the same time establishing closer cooperation with the University of Ljubljana and its members - the crucial partners of the Ljubljana Ambassador Club, especially during 2019 which marks the centenary of this prestigious institution."

Director of the Slovenian Convention Bureau, Miha Kovačič, MBA, says: “We are extremely pleased and proud to have successfully presented the first Slovenian Congress Ambassadors. We want to establish a platform of Slovenian ambassadors covering various scientific, professional, business and other fields that work closely with the Slovenian Convention Bureau and local ambassador clubs. It is only through creative cooperation that we can be successful in a very competitive international market."

More information on the Ambassador program is available on http://www.congress-ambassador.si