We celebrated the day of the Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve at Jestival
Yesterday, at Jestival – the festival of flavors and arts in Kobarid, we celebrated the day
of the Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve. We appointed Martin Šolar as the new ambassador of the Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve. We awarded certificates of the Triglav National Park Quality Label to providers of products and services that respect tradition, protect nature, and demonstrate high quality. We also highlighted this year's 20th anniversary of the declaration of this UNESCO biosphere reserve, which was the first declared in Slovenia and is still the largest. The event was prepared together with the Municipality of Kobarid and the Public Institute Tourism Dolina Soče.
Kobarid, October 1, 2023. The Julian Alps Biosphere Area, whose heart is formed by the Triglav National Park, the only national park in our country, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its declaration this year. Yesterday, we marked this important anniversary in Kobarid at the 10th Jestival – festival of flavors and arts with the day of the Julian Alps Biosphere Area.
The gathered were first greeted by the deputy mayor of the Municipality of Kobarid Urška Miklavič. The director of the Public Institute Triglav National Park Dr. Tit Potočnik, as co-host, emphasized that the identity of the residents of this area is strengthening. »In 20 years, there has been considerable progress in finding balance between man and nature, which is the goal of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere program, under which biosphere areas operate. This means that people do what is sustainable for nature, that they seek advantages offered by nature. They engage in activities related to nature and tradition. People who identify with this environment are aware that it is precisely this environment that attracts people and can provide higher quality to products and services. This is the purpose of certifying products and services with the Triglav National Park Quality Label, which brings benefits to both holders and consumers seeking quality products.«
Martin Šolar became the Ambassador of the Julian Alps Biosphere Area 2023
Gašper Hrastelj, director of the UNESCO Office and general secretary of the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, described the history and significance of UNESCO's activities in Slovenia and awarded the plaque to this year's ambassador of the Julian Alps Biosphere Area. This title is awarded to individuals or groups who, through their work and example, spread the idea of biosphere areas at home and in the world, and for 2023 it was received by Martin Šolar from Bled. Master of nature protection and graduate engineer of forestry, he is one of the few individuals who embody the UNESCO definition of the Man and the Biosphere program, which mentions preserving biological diversity, promoting the development of human resources, and maintaining cultural values. He is a mountaineer, member of numerous domestic and international non-governmental organizations, he also led the Public Institute Triglav National Park, and currently he is the vice-president of the Alpine Association of Slovenia and director of the Kobarid Museum. Martin Šolar is not just a person who admires the Julian Alps, he is a man who lives the Julian Alps.
Martin Šolar is very happy with the title of ambassador of the Julian Alps Biosphere Area, but he emphasized that it also means a great responsibility for him. »We will all be happy if this space remains as beautiful as it is and we manage to preserve it. And also if the people who work and live in it are successful, and the visitors who come here know how to respect it and behave in it as we wish.«
So far, this title has been received by Janez Bizjak, former director of the Public Institute Triglav National Park, who is credited with the fact that exactly two decades ago the declaration of the Julian Alps Biosphere Area happened at all; Klemen Langus, coordinator of the Julian Alps Community; Polona Kenda, principal of Podbrdo Elementary School; Marija Bončina from the ecological farm Pri Lovrču from Čadrg; and Matjaž Podlipnik, tourist guide and head of the mountain museum in Mojstrana.
This year's Triglav National Park Quality Label certificates awarded
This was followed by the awarding of the Triglav National Park Quality Label certificates. Among the new holders of this prestigious label this year is beekeeper Albin Kranjc from Log pod Mangartom.
Certificates for the field of mountain pasture were received by Kamnek Farm from Zgornje Gorje, Sovdat Farm from Smast near Kobarid, and Ušin Farm from Studor in Bohinj. Among the active alpine pastures, the new recipients of the label are Klek Alpine Pasture, managed by the Podhom Agrarian Community, and Zaslap Alpine Pasture, managed by the Zaslap Pasture Community. Recipients of the Triglav National Park Quality Label are also farms included in the environmental schemes of the strategic plan of the Common Agricultural Policy for Slovenia, this year they are Pr Klemenak Farm from Radovna and Silan Farm from Tolminske Ravne.
In the category of handicraft and artistic products, the Triglav National Park Quality Label was received by Vesna Nemec from Jesenice for products made from linden wood and sheep wool, in the category of preserving tangible and intangible cultural heritage, Kekec's Homestead from Trenta. For wood products, the label was received by Ovsenik Carpentry. Among the educational institutions, this year's recipients of the certificate for 2023 and 2024, to whom we will award the certificates separately, are: Simon Kos Elementary School Podbrdo, Dušan Munih Elementary School Most na Soči, Žirovnica Elementary School, Dr. Janez Mencinger Elementary School Bohinjska Bistrica, Prof. Dr. Josip Plemlj Elementary School Bled, Koroška Bela Elementary School, Gorje Elementary School, Polde Stražišar Elementary School Jesenice, and Fran Saleški Finžgar Elementary School Lesce.
The day of the Julian Alps Biosphere Area joined Jestival – the festival of flavors and arts this year. Within the festival, they also opened an exhibition on cheesemaking titled Latterie Turnarie, which you can view until October 27 in the Green House in Kobarid. The event dedicated to the day of the Julian Alps Biosphere Area was enlivened with music by the vocal group Gadičke.
This was followed by a musical performance by Lukavi Luka and Šmentane muhe, and an evening concert by musicians Hamo & Tribute 2 Love.
About the global holiday – day of biosphere reserves
We celebrate the global holiday, the day of biosphere reserves, in all four UNESCO biosphere areas in Slovenia (Julian Alps, Karst, Kozjansko and Obsotelje, and Mura). UNESCO declared it on its 50th anniversary and set November 3 for it. Last year, all four areas celebrated it, each with its own event, on October 22, this year the celebrations will take place over a longer period, from the end of September to mid-November. Each biosphere area wants to bring the celebration as close as possible to its residents and also visitors.
In the Karst Biosphere Area, the day of biosphere reserves will be celebrated on Saturday, October 7.
The day will be eventful, with as many as three different hikes, guided tours of museum collections, exhibitions, stall offers from local producers, and creative workshops for all generations.
The event will also be connected with the Karst Common Festival, within which a mushroom day will also take place. In case of bad weather, the event is canceled, so follow the website
https://www.park-skocjanske-jame.si/. In the Kozjansko and Obsotelje Biosphere Area, they will celebrate the day of biosphere reserves on November 3.
They will invite all 11 representatives of local communities in the biosphere area and inform them about the progress that has happened in recent years. They will especially emphasize the desire to proceed with the designation of the biosphere area as soon as possible.
In the Mura Biosphere Area, they will celebrate the day of biosphere reserves as part of
the traditional event Martinovanje in Velika Polana, which will take place over two days this year,
November 10 and 11. At the market, there will be a tasting and blessing of several samples of young
wines from members of the Velika Polana Winegrowers Association. The two-day event will be enlivened with
musical performances and local cuisine. A more detailed program will be published on the website of
the municipality of Velika Polana www.velika-polana.si.
About Slovenian UNESCO biosphere areas
Biosphere is the term for the entire space on Earth where organisms live; biotic
diversity or biodiversity means that a large number of plant and animal species occur in a certain area. In biosphere areas, the emphasis is on coexistence between people
and their environment. This means that protected nature is not more important than balanced
economic development and quality of living. That's why they establish a positive relationship and
equal partnership between man and nature.
They are intended for preserving the diversity of animal and plant species, ensuring sustainable
development and sustainable use of natural resources. All Slovenian UNESCO biosphere areas in
protected nature areas are reviving cooperation anew and giving greater importance to solidarity,
reviving traditions that open new paths in food production, caring for sustainable supply with
water and energy, and in the broadest sense building foundations for a new quality of living.
Education, research, and innovation have an exceptionally important role in these efforts. At the center of everything is man, his current life, and future perspectives.
About the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere program
UNESCO, the United Nations Organization for Education, Science, and Culture, established
the interdisciplinary Man and the Biosphere program (Man and the Biosphere Programme or with
the acronym MAB) in 1971. It is an intergovernmental research program that establishes
a global network of biosphere areas. Currently, more than 700 biosphere areas in more than 120 countries around the world are included in it.