Special recognitions for Slovenian alpinists

Yesterday, December 6, 2013, a ceremony was held at the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum to mark the diamond jubilee of the first ascent of Mt. Everest (1953–2013), during which 8 Slovenian alpinists who reached the summit of the world's highest mountain from the Nepalese side received special recognitions. The festive event was organized by the General Consulate of Nepal in Slovenia in collaboration with the Alpine Association of Slovenia, the Nepal Alpine Association, the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum, and the Gorenjski Museum.



On May 29 this year, exactly 60 years had passed since the first ascent to the world's highest mountain, Mt. Everest. The first to step on it were New Zealand alpinist Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. As the first Slovenians, Andrej Štremfelj and Nejc Zaplotnik succeeded on May 13, 1979. Reinhold Messner was the first to succeed in ascending the summit of Everest without supplemental oxygen on August 20, 1980; this achievement was first and so far only accomplished among Slovenians by the late Pavle Kozjek on May 23, 1997. Andrej and his wife Marija entered world alpinism on October 7, 1990, as the first married couple in the world on the summit of Everest. On October 7, 2000, Davo Karničar set a new record by performing the first uninterrupted ski descent from the summit to base camp.



Andrej Štremfelj presented his experience with Everest and the first ascent via the western ridge from 1979 at the ceremony marking the diamond anniversary of the first ascent of Everest; he, along with Nejc Zaplotnik, entered the history of Slovenian and world alpinism.



Today's ceremony at the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum (SEM), which "is becoming the home of friendship between Nepal and Slovenia and their mountains," as emphasized by SEM Director Bojana Rogelj Škafar, was attended by numerous alpinists, guests, mountain enthusiasts, and high representatives of Nepal and Slovenia, including Madhu Sudan Burlakoti, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal, Minister of Education, Science and Sport Dr. Jernej Pikalo, Ang Tshering Sherpa, former President of the Nepal Alpine Association, Honorary President of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation UIAA and former President of the Asia Mountaineering Association, Honorary General Consul of Nepal in Slovenia mag. Aswin K. Shrestha, Chargé d'Affaires of Nepal in Berlin Prakash Mani Paudel, President of PZS Bojan Rotovnik, alpinist, Himalayan climber and leader of numerous expeditions Tone Škarja …



Special recognitions – diamond medals – were received by 8 Slovenian alpinists who ascended to the summit of Everest or, as the Nepalese call it, Sagarmatha, from the Nepalese side, namely: Andrej Štremfelj – together with Nejc Zaplotnik they were the first Slovenians on the Roof of the World in 1979 via the first ascent route of the western ridge (Andrej is the only Slovenian with two ascents to the summit of Everest); Andrej's wife Marija Štremfelj (with her husband Andrej they stood on Everest as the first married couple in the world, ascent via the normal route), and also via the normal route Viki Grošelj, Davo Karničar, Tadej Golob, Matej Flis, Gregor Lačen, and Tomaž Jakofčič, who completed the first Slovenian guided ascent to the summit of Everest. Present at the ceremony were Andrej and Marija Štremfelj, Viki Grošelj, Davo Karničar, and Tadej Golob. The recognitions were presented by Secretary Madhu Sudan Burlakoti, former President of the Nepal Alpine Association Ang Tshering Sherpa accompanied by the Honorary General Consul of Nepal in Slovenia mag. Aswin K. Shrestha. Several other Slovenian alpinists ascended to the summit of Everest from the Nepalese side, but they have unfortunately passed away, and all were remembered at today's ceremony as well.



On behalf of the recipients of the special recognitions, Marija Štremfelj expressed thanks. "Thank you for the honor shown. The value of these recognitions is that we remember the events that were the roots and seeds of all new achievements, new alpinists. Every individual who has been to Nepal always assures me again that once you visit Nepal, it anchors itself in your heart. Nepal is a virus that infects everyone who visits it. I hope this virus never disappears."



Nepal, the land at the foot of the Himalayas, is characterized by numerous riches – ancient cultures, history, languages, traditions, and stunning nature with vast mountains encased in eternal ice, which are the desire and longing of alpinists, climbers, hikers … And all those who have visited this wonderful land and the highest mountains are messengers and promoters of Nepal and the Himalayas. Slovenia and Nepal are united by many things, most certainly the love of mountains and the landscape itself. All this was particularly emphasized by Prakash Mani Paudel, Chargé d'Affaires of Nepal in Berlin, while Secretary Madhu Sudan Burlakoti also highlighted the cooperation between the Alpine Associations of Nepal and Slovenia, which have greatly contributed to promotion and mountain tourism.



Honorary General Consul of Nepal in Slovenia mag. Aswin K. Shrestha as well as Ang Tshering Sherpa, former President of the Nepal Alpine Association, emphasized the great assistance from the Slovenian government and the Alpine Association of Slovenia to Nepal and its inhabitants, the mutual connection between the Alpine Associations of Slovenia and Nepal. They particularly highlighted the contribution of the Alpine Association of Slovenia to safer work of locals on high-altitude expeditions. This was primarily contributed by the Slovenian mountaineering school in Manang. They expressed great gratitude to the Alpine Association of Slovenia, as at the initiative of alpinist Aleš Kunaver it established a mountaineering school where courses for guides have been held since 1979. The Slovenian mountaineering school in Manang was the first school for guides built in Nepal, and the Alpine Association of Slovenia was the first alpine association to connect with the Nepal Alpine Association and wanted to enable locals better living opportunities and as few accidents as possible at work on expeditions through education. To the Alpine Association of Slovenia and its president Bojan Rotovnik, they awarded a special recognition from the Nepal Alpine Association for this cooperation, the mountaineering school, promotion, and all assistance.



Minister Dr. Jernej Pikalo highlighted the exceptional athletic preparedness, iron body, and great heart of all who ascended Everest. "We have experienced great successes as well as defeats, but all are bound by a great heart and strong spirit, with a desire for the world's highest mountains."



President of the Alpine Association of Slovenia Bojan Rotovnik emphasized that in 2013, when we celebrate the 120th anniversary of organized mountaineering in Slovenia, we also celebrate many other anniversaries and that "with the Trisul expedition in 1960 we boarded the train of world alpinism, where we are firmly on it today as well. In those years since then, there have been as many as 149 Slovenian expeditions – expeditions where Slovenians participated or purely Slovenian expeditions – which is a great success for a nation of 2 million people. In PZS we are especially proud that in Nepal we did not only climb, but also met as a nation with a nation and helped the people. Here is the 35-year cooperation with Nepal and the Nepal Alpine Association in the field of the Slovenian mountaineering school, as well as our cooperation with the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara, where Slovenian alpinism and Slovenia have their presentation section. Sincere thanks to all alpinists and others who have contributed in any way to this mosaic of mountaineering and cooperation. Also thanks to today's host mag. Aswin K. Shrestha with the entire team and collaborators for the wonderful event."



On this occasion, visitors could also view an exhibition of the Gorenjski Museum (GM) in the foyer of the venue, dedicated to the memory of Nejc Zaplotnik: MOGOČNE STENE, Vrhunski uspehi slovenskih alpinistov v Himalaji. The exhibition was presented by GM Director Marija Ogrin and GM curator Jelena Justin, who prepared the exhibition together with Monika Rogelj. The exhibition took us through expeditions with a selection of rich photographic material that not only marked the development of Slovenian alpinism but also left an eternal mark in world alpinism and placed us on its very throne.



In the cultural program, Dr. Lasanthi Manaranjanie with accompanying instrumentalists participated, as well as host and singer Branka Božič, Anita Prelovšek on transverse flute, and vocalist Kaja Vrokelja Ljuboja, who gave the solemn event a special Nepalese-Slovenian cultural experience.



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Slovenian alpinists who have ascended to the summit of Sagarmatha or Everest, as the British explorers named the world's highest mountain, are:

1. Jernej Zaplotnik, ascended Everest on May 13, 1979 (deceased)

2. Andrej Štremfelj, May 13, 1979, second time Oct 7, 1990

3. Stane Belak, May 15, 1979 (deceased)

4. Viki Grošelj, May 10, 1989

5. Marija Štremfelj, Oct 7, 1990

6. Janez Jeglič, Oct 7, 1990 (deceased)

7. Franc Pepevnik, May 22, 1997 (from Chinese side)

8. Pavle Kozjek, May 23, 1997 (deceased)

9. Davo Karničar, Oct 7, 2000

10. Franc Oderlap, Oct 7, 2000 (deceased)

11. Tadej Golob, Oct 9, 2000

12. Matej Flis, Oct 9, 2000

13. Gregor Lačen, Oct 9, 2000

14. Viki Mlinar, May 21, 2005 (from Chinese side)

15. Marko Lihteneker, May 21, 2005 (deceased)

16. Roman Benet (IT, born in Mojstrana), May 17, 2007 (from Chinese side)

17. Tomaž Jakofčič, May 19, 2009 (guided tour)