Thirteen Recipients of the Slovenian Congress Ambassador Title 2023

This year, the title has been awarded to 13 individuals who through their professional engagement and dedicated work made a significant contribution to Slovenia’s hosting of international scientific, expert, business, cultural, sporting and other events. The Slovenian Ambassador Programme has been running since 2019 with the support of Ljubljana Tourism, Slovenian Convention Bureau and Slovenian Tourist Board, and 14 partners from 6 destination clubs. At the end of September 2023, the seven-member Slovenian Congress Ambassador Programme Committee, composed of representatives of destination clubs and the Slovenian Convention Bureau, confirmed this year’s 13 winners of the honorary title.

The ceremony of the honorary ambassador titles took place at Ljubljana’s multipurpose cultural venue Cukrarna (former Sugar Factory), where this year’s winners were presented with certificates of recognition, owing to their efforts in organising international events in Slovenia. The gala was attended by a number of esteemed guests, including past and this year’s recipients, supporters of the Slovenian Ambassador Programme, deans of faculties, and representatives of institutions, destination clubs, and project partners.

In his opening address, Fredi Fontanot, Director of the Slovenian Convention Bureau, welcomed the event host and thanked all the Congress Ambassadors for their efforts, stressing the vital importance of cooperation and networking: “Together, we are responsible for Slovenia’s growing reputation in the international environment. I am personally convinced that we are on the right path to success. This year has already proved to be a great one, and will continue to be so in the months ahead.”

The audience was also addressed by M. Sc. Petra Stušek, Managing Director of Tourism Ljubljana, Matevž Frangež, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport, and on behalf of the Slovenian Tourist Board, Martina Gojkošek, Head of Corporate Communications.

Prof. Dr Jadran Lenarčič was awarded for his long-standing work and efforts in the field of international event organisation, becoming an Honorary Congress Ambassador. Prof. Dr Lenarčič is known to the professional community for the elite international symposium Advances in Robot Kinematics. He devised the symposium as a young researcher and organised it for the first time in 1988 in Ljubljana. He has been a member and head of the programme committees of more than 150 international conferences and other events, most of them abroad, but some in Slovenia as well.

On behalf of the Slovenian Ambassador Program, Frendi Fontanot also thanked Tatjana Radovič, the former long-time head of the Ljubljana Convention Bureau, for her tireless dedication, great efforts and decades-long hard work in the field of Slovenian and international meeting industry.

Congress ambassadors of Slovenia of 2023 (in alphabetical order of their surnames)

Honorary Congress Ambassador of Slovenia 2023:

Prof. Jadran Lenarčič, PhD, Jožef Stefan Institute

Congress Ambassadors of Slovenia in the field of scientific and professional events:

Prof. Dr Saba Battelino, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana

Prof. Dr Andrej Bauer, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana

Prof. Dr Robert Dominko, Institute of Chemistry Ljubljana

Prof. Dr Iztok Grabnar, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana

Prof. Dr Mojca Juriševič, Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana

Prof. Tanja Kersnik Levart, MD, UKC Ljubljana, Paediatric Clinic, Department of Nephrology

Prof. Janez Koželj, Municipality of Ljubljana

Dr Andrijana Tivadar, Slovenian Pharmaceutical Association

Dr Irena Vovk, Ljubljana Chemical Institute

Marko Vrtovec, Remigo d.o.o.

Associate Prof. Dr Alenka Zvonar Pobirk, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana

Congress Ambassador of Slovenia in the field of sport events:

Barbara Železnik, Timing Ljubljana Association

Congratulations to all the honourable mentions!

Source: Slovenian Convention Bureau