New Year Message from the President of the Republic of Slovenia

Dear Slovenians in our country, across its borders and around the world,
Dear Citizens and Residents,

What does it mean to be part of a community?

It means trusting and respecting – our fellow human beings, society and its institutions, ourselves, our environment. It means being fair and helping one another. It means being part of something greater than ourselves. It means belonging to a society that is stronger than the sum of its members. Ultimately, it means moderation, which brings all of the above into civilisational balance and shields us from the deviations that have tragically marked our past.

We, people, are a community.  We are families, friends, neighbours, locals, citizens and Europeans. For almost eighty years, we have been the united nations of the world because, despite our differences, we feel and understand that we are not and cannot be alone.  

We bid farewell to 2024 as part of a community. Different as we may be, we all belong to Slovenia – a country which we can proudly and lovingly call our own. We are mindful and understand that being part of the community, both domestic and international, means being accountable to others. For all our actions and for the well-being of others. On these festive evenings, filled with optimism and anticipation, let us join hands and show what it means to be part of our community. A community that is only as strong, influential and compassionate as its members are courageous and mature.

Dear Slovenians, Citizens and Residents,

I wish the year that will mark eighty years since the end of the Second World War to be a year of peace and life. This would honour the millions of people who, even today, continue to lose their lives in the shadows of humanity because of indifference to what it means to be part of a community. To trust and respect. To be fair. To help each other. To feel a sense of belonging. To be moderate.  "All of these values give pearls back to society," said our cherished Anita Ogulin. These are the values that connect us – from people, for people – creating an environment where we live well and progress towards a better tomorrow. They create brave pearls, like her, who make communities stronger. Slovenia has many such pearls. And each of us can be one. 

Happy New Year Slovenia – a land of beauty, solidarity and courage.