Twenty years are passing on Tuesday since Slovenia became a member of the United Nations (UN). The anniversary will be marked at a number of events, including a special session of the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee.

Slovenia observes its membership of the UN with Diplomacy Day. While not a public holiday, it is celebrated by Slovenian diplomats as a day when the country became a full-fledged member of the international community.

Along with the session of the Foreign Policy Committee, the day will be observed with an Open Day at the Foreign Ministry and a presentation of a new primary school textbook on the role of the United Nations.

In New York, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, who were admitted to the UN on the same day, will mark the anniversary of this milestone with a joint reception and an exhibition at the UN headquarters.

Slovenia joined the UN less than a year after the Ten-Day War, marking the final step in efforts to win recognition on the international stage.

Slovenia's membership has mostly been a story of success. Initially with little influence, the country has enhanced its global role by focusing on human rights, the rights of children, development issues, the environment, health care and cultural cooperation.

Its biggest achievement in the UN to date came on 14 October 1997, when the first Slovenian ambassador to the organisation, the country's current President Danilo Türk, and his team helped win the country a seat on the UN Security Council for the 1998-1999 term.

 

Source: STA

 

Read more » Slovenia’s membership of the United Nations: Marking two decades of success and looking ahead