Initiative of the President of the Republic of Slovenia for a Chinese garden in Ljubljana

Ljubljana, 21.6.2010  |  press release

Barbara Mikliè Türk, wife of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, received a six-member delegation of experts from the city of Chengdu, the capital of the Chinese province Sichuan, who took part in discussions held over the past few days with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Urban Municipality of Ljubljana on preparations for setting up a Chinese garden in Ljubljana. The Chinese garden is intended to be an additional expression of friendship and close cooperation between the twinned cities of Ljubljana and Chengdu.

The initiative for the project was provided by the Slovenian President, Dr. Danilo Türk, when he received the Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China, Hui Liangyu, on 27 August 2009. The Chinese side gladly supported the proposal and the cities of Chengdu and Ljubljana organised appropriate contacts for the preparation of plans and implementation of the project.
The delegation visited a potential location for the garden and carried out a number of expert consultations relating to urban planning, botanic and other issues. The project is planned to be completed by the end of 2011, which will coincide with the celebration of the 30th anniversary of twinning between the cities of Chengdu and Ljubljana (in October 2011), and 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Slovenia and the People's Republic of China (in May 2012).

In discussion with the Slovenian President’s wife, members of the Chinese delegation presented details of the project and a list of issues to be resolved during the implementation process.

A traditional Chinese garden, with its interaction among various elements, such as water, plants, stones and architecture, establishes a space that is intended for the contemplation of nature. In addition to the enjoyment of nature, a Chinese garden in Ljubljana will provide visitors with a better understanding of Chinese culture and will contribute to the strengthening of cultural and economic ties between Slovenia and China.