At a ceremonial meeting of the City of Ljubljana City Council on Wednesday 9 May, Mayor Zoran Janković bestowed Ljubljana’s highest awards for 2012.

Honorary citizens

The honorary citizens of Ljubljana 2012 are academic Prof Dr Alenka Šelih and academic Prof Dr Matjaž Kmecl.

Prof Dr Alenka Šelih

The City of Ljubljana has awarded the title of honorary citizen of Ljubljana to Prof Dr Alenka Šelih, world-renowned lawyer, scientist, emeritus university professor, journalist and respected public figure, as a mark of deep respect and gratitude for her lifetime’s work that has set justice to work for a socially just society, advocating for the implementation of modern forms of criminal sanctions and strict adherence to the standards of the rule of law, protection of privacy and human rights, especially the rights of children, for pioneering research into violence against children and adolescents in Slovenia, for organising numerous professional consultations and her work in prestigious international associations, for her significant participation in the evaluation of the role of women in Slovenian history of the 19th and 20th centuries and the honourable execution of many management jobs at the University, in international professional associations and at the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Prof Dr Matjaž Kmecl

The City of Ljubljana has awarded the title of honorary citizen of the capital city Ljubljana to Prof Dr Matjaž Kmecl, literary historian and theorist, scientist, emeritus university professor, editor, essayist, writer and dramatist, politician, Deputy President of the Slovenian Union of Associations of War Veterans and Participants in the National Liberation Struggle and a key public figure in Slovenia, as a tribute to a rare contemporary figure, who with his knowledge of Slovenian history, culture and natural treasures and his role as founder and President of the ‘Jezikovno razsodišče’, a special linguistic group which dealt with issues of language usage, Culture Minister in the former Yugoslavia and a member of the Presidency at the time of Slovenian independence, his legitimacy derives from its acquisition during the Second World War struggle for national liberation. His commitment to historical tradition arose from his scientific papers on the greatest figures and events in Slovenian arts and culture, especially 19th century prose, his work at Ljubljana and European universities, criticism of contemporary Slovenia and monographic treatments of cultural and natural heritage, which have set a standard in contemporary Slovenia.

Winners of the City of Ljubljana Prize 2012

The winners of the City of Ljubljana Prize 2012 are higher state prosecutor Vlasta Nussdorfer and Doctor Primarius Boris Cibic.

Vlasta Nussdorfer

Higher state prosecutor, initiator and founder of the White Ring Society and writer Vlasta Nussdorfer for law enforcement to the benefit of young offenders, for which with personal nobility she achieved the implementation of proxy authorities for the whole period from the initiation of legal proceedings for offences of a sexual nature and crimes of parental neglect and mistreatment. For the White Ring of security, where her commitment to the protection of vulnerable groups of children and young people led her to help set it up as a shelter for victims of crime, and for books of essays that have broadened the spirit of volunteering, charitable work and mutual respect in the Slovenian public sphere.

Boris Cibic

A pioneer of Slovenian internal medicine and cardiology, founder of the Slovenian Society for Cardiovascular Health, lecturer and writer, Doctor Primarius Boris Cibic for his dedicated work in the treatment of others, awareness-raising on the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the importance of preventative medicine, who as a great specialist in internal medicine and educator devotes time daily to the Slovenian Society for Cardiovascular Health even in retirement. With tireless prizewinning energy, via numerous public campaigns, its magazine and literary collection ‘For the Heart’, the Society has become a national movement that broadens awareness on the importance of a healthy lifestyle among all generations of Slovenes.

Recipients of the City of Ljubljana Plaque for 2012

The City of Ljubljana Plaque for 2012 was awarded to Slovenian Philanthropy’s ‘Slovenian Carrier’ network of 789 voluntary organisations, the Slovene Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra Society and the National Gallery, the Society of the confidential telephone Samarijan (Samaritan) humanitarian organisation, Matjaž Špat and Viljem Klemenc.

Viljem Klemenc

Deputy President of the Council of Golovec District Authority, President of the Štepanjsko naselje Pensioners’ Association, President of the Local Organisation of the Red Cross and volunteer fire fighter Viljem Klemenc for invaluable energetic and noble work in all fields of life in his local area, from sport, culture, humanitarian work and voluntary work in the fire society, the Parents’ Council at Božidar Jakac Primary School, in the Red Cross, and with gratitude for his careful maintenance of the operation of the Union of Associations of War Veterans in Štepanjsko naselje.

Matjaž Špat

The respected social worker Matjaž Špat for active senior membership work with three local War Veterans’ Associations (Dravlje, Dolomitski odred and Bratov Babnik), membership of the Presidency and executive board of the Ljubljana Šiška Union of Associations of War Veterans and Participants in the National Liberation Struggle, membership of the General Board of the Slovenian Union of Associations of War Veterans and Participants in the National Liberation Struggle, President of the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp committee, which also assists with the work of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp committee, as well as central organiser of the commemorations on Holocaust Remembrance Day and the traditional pan-Slovenian meeting of camp survivors, political prisoners and stolen children from the former Nazi-fascist camp in Portorož.

The Society of the confidential telephone Samarijan (Samaritan)

The Society of the confidential telephone Samarijan (Samaritan) humanitarian organisation for its meritorious work on the 15th anniversary of its operations, that today unites 380 volunteers on two telephone lines 24-hours a day every day of the year, giving counselling thus far to more than 392,000 people in mental distress and trained more than 900 of its members, who provide assistance to callers offering valuable support as sympathetic and sentient listeners for so-called indirect counselling.

The Slovene Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra Society and the National Gallery

The Slovene Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra Society and the National Gallery for creating an exceptional cultural-artistic cycle entitled the Harmony of the Spheres, which has been originally linking musical and fine art ever since 2001, which by bringing together a rich treasure trove of domestic and foreign fine and musical arts produced by top musicians and speakers illuminates the stylistic, geographic and temporal parallels between them and is becoming a favourite Ljubljana season-ticket event by our central national artistic institutions.

Slovenian Philanthropy

Slovenian Philanthropy’s ‘Slovenian Carrier’ network of 789 voluntary organisations, The Association for the Promotion of Volunteering on the 20th operational anniversary of its numerous awareness-raising programmes to raise the quality of life in the community, for advocacy for socially vulnerable groups and linking volunteers, for inter-generational volunteering, which through the Fruits of Society project connects schools and pensioners’ associations, for its care for migrants, co-founding the clinic and advice bureau for people without proper health insurance and for promoting the importance of volunteering, which invites ever more people prepared to help others in distress into its circle.