President of the Republic visits Anton Martin Slomšek Primary School
Vrhnika, 10/26/2006 | press release, speech, statement
President of the Republic Dr. Janez Drnovšek today visited Vrhnika primary school, which supports with its activities the project »Fruits of Society«. The young people put on a cultural programme for him and he sat with them among the school desks and got to know a modern classroom. At the end, he planted the 33rd tree in the school arboretum.
President of the Republic Dr. Janez Drnovšek today visited Anton Martin Slomšek Primary School in Vrhnika, which, under the headmaster mag. Ljubomir Mohorič, was among the first to support the project »Fruits of Society«, a project for creating and strengthening bonds between the young and old. The pupils welcomed the President with loud applause and presented some activities in which they take part at school. They began with a youth choir, continued with a recital »Zakaj?/Why?« and concluded the cultural performance with a musical item by a young violinist.
In the introductory part of the programme, the presenter said: »Let me mention that Dr. Janez Drnovšek is a citizen of our town of Vrhnika. Even more important, he is an advocate of a natural life and warm inter-personal relations. And that is what our school strives for, too." The school councillor, Nives Škrlj, continued: "I think that our life is beautiful, rich, interesting and sensible, if we live it as a jigsaw and create it together. In this jigsaw, there are the youngest, the young and, of course, the older and eldest. Precisely the last are those that we do not want to forget, we need them and they are important in our lives. So we visit them in Old People's Homes, we put on concerts and plays for them, talk to them and get to know them. Last year we enlarged cooperation with the voluntary work of nine pupils. Thirteen of the pupils of our school, in agreement with the social worker of the Old People's Home, visited elderly people who want to mix with the young. We are continuing cooperation this year under the auspices of the project »Fruits of Society«. Your visit, Mr. President, will be encouragement for us and confirmation that our efforts are important and worthwhile."
After the completion of the cultural programme, before the headmaster, mag. Ljubomir Mohorič, invited him to a presentation of a modern classroom and to plant the 33rd tree in the arboretum, President of the Republic Dr. Janez Drnovšek addressed all those present:
"Pupils, teachers, headmaster, I am delighted to be here with you today. Your school seems at first sight very friendly, very sympathetic and happy, and that is how it should be. I hope that it is always like that. I am particularly delighted to be among you today as your new citizen, as a new citizen of Vrhnika, and I am delighted that Vrhnika has such a fine school, a new modern school.
I am especially pleased, as we have just heard, that you pay great attention to the themes that I also see as the most important in life: nature, protecting nature. We must protect it, because it is the only one that we have. You also pay great attention to charitable activities and cooperating with the old, inter-generational cooperation.
The young and the old must cooperate as much as possible. The old can transfer their experience, can tell you quite a lot of useful things, and you can help them. You can help them with various tasks or just by your company, since old age brings with it many difficulties that you can alleviate. And you will all gain that way, both young and old.
As President of the country I would like our schools to nurture young people to become, as I would say, integral personalities. Thus pupils equipped not just with the knowledge that they need for their life, for their career, but also with an approach to life, with values, as we sometimes say, that they will be the best possible people, that they will be good, honest people, both in being able to recognise the truth in themselves, and also honest to all other people. To feel together with other people, who are just like us, have the same difficulties, who struggle through life, able to help themselves. Sometimes we will help others, at other times others will help us. If you can be such people, then your life will flow peacefully, balanced, it will not sweep you here and there, you will not compete for senseless things in this life, but will always know how to distinguish right from wrong. I hope that this school will create such good people, integral people, and that the future that we create, first together, and then you on your own, that this future will be as good as possible, as fine as possible, finer than the present, and finer than the past.
I wish you all, pupils and teachers, every success on this path, I wish you all well and hope that your life will really be as pleasant and peaceful as is possible. Thank you very much."
After the conclusion of the event, President of the Republic Dr. Janez Drnovšek also answered journalists' questions:
How do you feel among the children?
Dr. Janez Drnovšek: "Excellent, a pleasant event and a real refresher after some others."
Your new book comes out, I think, on Monday. Could you say something about the contents? What will be new?
Dr. Janez Drnovšek: "This is a small book One Hundred Thoughts, collected thoughts that I have edited, mainly from the first book, which I have subsequently rearranged a little, added something new. So it's a sort of pocket booklet contained a core of collected thoughts which can be looked at a little at any time. My second book, entitle Bistveno svet/Essence of the World, will soon be published, but first in German."
How is it that it is being published first in German?
Dr. Janez Drnovšek: "Because, as you see, one book is already out. This small book One Hundred Thoughts is coming out today. It seemed to me sensible, therefore, to wait a bit with the publication of this new book."