Activities and Highlights

During the 2025/2026 school year, Slovenian schools actively participated in the UNESCO ASPnet project Gift a Poem, which promotes poetry as a means of encouraging friendship, kindness, and intercultural understanding. Approximately 364 students and teachers from nine Slovenian primary schools took part in the activities: Primary School Anton Majnik Volče (a branch of Primary School Franceta Bevka Tolmin), Primary School Franceta Bevka Tolmin, Primary School Franca Rozmana Staneta Ljubljana, Primary School Preserje pri Radomljah, Primary School Hinka Smrekarja, the Bilje Branch School of Primary School Miren, Primary School Žalec, IV Primary School Celje, and Primary School Dekani.

Students prepared handwritten and illustrated poems, posters, presentations, and other creative works inspired by Slovenian and international poetry. The poems were shared with classmates, teachers, parents, and members of the local community as symbolic gifts of friendship and respect. Several schools combined poetry with visual arts, creative workshops, and discussions on empathy, solidarity, and cultural diversity. Mentor Helena Sirotka explained that students selected their favourite poems and dedicated them to people they wished to make happy. She emphasized that the project promotes cultural participation, peace, hope, and support for others.

The activities were guided by dedicated mentors who encouraged students’ creativity and appreciation of literature. At IV Primary School Celje, the project was connected with the Kosovel Year 2026 and the poetry of the Slovenian poet Srečko Kosovel. Several schools also shared their activities online through presentations, articles, and photo galleries showcasing students’ artistic and literary work:

The project was very positively received by both students and teachers. Through creative work and cooperation, students strengthened their appreciation of literature, developed artistic expression, and promoted the values of peace, mutual respect, and intercultural dialogue.

Schools involved

  • Primary School Anton Majnik, Volče
  • Primary School Franceta Bevka, Tolmin
  • Primary School Franca Rozmana Staneta, Ljubljana
  • Primary School Preserje pri Radomljah
  • Primary School Hinka, Smrekarja
  • Bilje branch school of Primary School, Miren
  • Primary School, Žalec
  • IV Primary School, Celje
  • Primary School, Dekani