President addresses participants of the International Rescue Dogs Symposium

Ljubljana, 15.4.2009  |  press release

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, attended the opening of the 12th International IRO Rescue Dogs Symposium entitled “Methods in Rescue Dog Training” and gave an opening address.

President Türk began by saying that the recent devastating earthquake in neighbouring Italy again showed that natural disasters are unforeseeable, sudden and unpredictable. In rescue procedures, the training of rescue dogs becomes especially evident, as these dogs are indispensable in saving people's lives. The work of the rescue crews and dogs is essential not only in earthquakes but also in searches for missing persons.

The President of the Republic emphasised the value of voluntary work; as a rule, members of rescue crews are volunteers and, at the same time, highly professional. The President stressed that readiness to help others spoke about a special culture and attitude to the world, adding that accepting help was an important starting point for strengthening mutual respect. Hence, refusals of help, at times inconsiderate, do not diminish the nobility nor the professionalism of rescue missions.

According to President Türk, the current symposium reveals unselfish cooperation and exchanges of views and knowledge between people all over the world, which become fully evident at difficult moments when people are in great, sometimes even insurmountable distress. The symposium also shows that distress and humanity know no borders.

Dr Türk concluded by commending the work of the Slovenian rescue dog handlers, who by no means lag behind others in knowledge or organisation, and are often called on to participate in international earthquake rescue missions.