Without the Planinski Vestnik there would be no...

Without the Planinski Vestnik, there would be no mountaineering as it is.

At the event marking the 120th anniversary of the Planinski Vestnik in the Slovenian Mountaineering Museum in Mojstrana, on Saturday, 18 April 2015, Tomaž Banovec, Danilo Cedilnik - Den, Stanko Klinar and France Malešič shed light on the role and significance of the Planinski Vestnik in a dynamic conversation with Marjan Bradeško; the magazine has been delighting Slovenian mountain lovers since 1895. Many visitors also viewed the exhibition on the history, mission and activities of the oldest still-publishing Slovenian magazine, which has been our indispensable companion on mountaineering paths for 120 years.

The women's choir DU Javornik – Koroška Bela led through rocks and hills with mountaineering songs to celebrate the venerable jubilee in the Slovenian Mountaineering Museum. President of the Alpine Association of Slovenia Bojan Rotovnik said in his introduction that respect for tradition holds a special place in the Slovenian mountaineering organisation, which this year celebrates the 120th anniversary of the Planinski Vestnik and the erection of the Aljaž Tower on Triglav. "The Planinski Vestnik is the central Slovenian mountaineering magazine, of which we are exceptionally proud," he emphasised, recalling that this magazine too faces the challenges of print media, thanking all those who have contributed to its mosaic over its long history, and wishing that as many mountain lovers, connoisseurs of fine writing and beautiful photography as possible would be its readers.

The first issue of the Planinski Vestnik was published on 8 February 1895 as the newsletter of the Slovenian Mountaineering Society in Ljubljana, and its existence was influenced by the strong attachment of the Slovenian nation to the mountains or their role in national and patriotic consciousness, which is why linguist, mountaineering publicist, alpinist and mountain guide Stanko Klinar described it as a kind of patriotic manifestation and placed it on the pedestal of the Slovenian mountaineering language guide: "The Planinski Vestnik plays a central role in mountaineering language norms and nomenclature." The Planinski Vestnik has always proudly reported on the pioneering successes of Slovenian alpinists, both at home and abroad, including on the world's highest peaks. "There were many media reports on Himalayan expeditions, but the publications in the Planinski Vestnik – in-depth, personal and emotional articles by expedition members – were the cream of the reporting from expeditions," emphasised alpinist and painter Danilo Cedilnik - Den, and praised the exceptional artistic and design progress of the magazine in the last decade.

The Planinski Vestnik has been a mirror of the mountaineering organisation's work, mountaineering culture, a reflection of general conditions and the spiritual experience of the mountains by Slovenians throughout all periods of its publication, and today it represents the most complete historical archive of Slovenian mountaineering and its umbrella organisation, the Alpine Association of Slovenia. "The Planinski Vestnik is our silent, faithful companion and educator; without it, there would be no mountaineering as it is – conscious, confident and voluntary," highlighted doctor and mountain rescuer France Malešič on the significance of the oldest Slovenian magazine still in publication, also emphasising the importance of its education through stories, the valuable passing on of experiences and knowledge. It is also credited with efforts for cleaner mountains and nature conservation, which Tomaž Banovec in a way encouraged with a story about rubbish on the path to Triglav alongside numerous other publications. The former president of the Alpine Association of Slovenia had already innovatively – by issuing a mountaineering calendar – solved the financial woes of the monthly in the early eighties, which for 120 years with its rich content informs readers about mountaineering,

alpinism and related activities at home and abroad, delights them, educates them, culturally enriches them and informs them about the activities of the PZS.

As Marjan Bradeško emphasised, it is precisely the political neutrality that has enabled the Planinski Vestnik to survive for 120 years among Slovenian readers, who have been delighted by more than 1300 issues of the magazine, steered by eight editors throughout its history. "In the Slovenian media space, the Planinski Vestnik has important cultural and professional value that attracts a wide range of readers, including those not from mountaineering circles. If we look broader, today's magazine is comparable in form and content to a number of the finest foreign mountaineering and alpinism magazines," emphasised Vladimir Habjan, editor of the Planinski Vestnik since 2001, on the jubilee, and benevolently accepted the ideas from participants of the round table on the future and enhancement of the magazine. As it is, it has a future, emphasised Klinar; Cedilnik mentioned cartoons of current mountaineering events and occasional illustrated stories as potential added value; Banovec is convinced it would be even more interesting with more controversial writing and wished for it also in electronic form; Malešič highlighted the favourable attitude of the mountaineering organisation's leadership, as every president has made it clear that the Planinski Vestnik will be the last to go from the house.

At the end of the event, Habjan awarded prizes to the winners of the Planinski Vestnik competition for the best mountaineering story: Vidi Voglar for the story Jaz grem, Marjeta Štrukelj for Pesem dobrih ljudi and Slavko Prezl for the story titled Koča.

At the headquarters of the Alpine Association of Slovenia in Ljubljana, we will pay tribute to the jubilee of the Planinski Vestnik in a conversation with editorial board members Vladimir Habjan, Irena Mušič Habjan, Dušan Škodič and Emil Pevc on Thursday, 23 April 2015, at the Mountaineering Book Night. The exhibition on the history, mission and activities of the Planinski Vestnik magazine – 120 years with us on mountaineering paths – will be hosted from 4 to 15 May in the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia, on 16 and 17 May at the Slovenian Mountaineering Orienteering Competition on Rakitna, at the 6th Day of the Alpine Convention from 29 to 31 May it will again be on display in the Slovenian Mountaineering Museum in Mojstrana, and on 13 June at the day of Slovenian mountaineering experiences on Krvavec.