The traditional spring cleaning campaign Za Lepšo Ljubljano 2015 (For a More Beautiful Ljubljana 2015) is taking place between 22 March, the World Water Day, and 22 April, the World Earth Day.

This year's campaign is very special as we will organise additional greening of Ljubljana due to the European Green Capital 2016 title.

Colleagues at the city administration, public companies and institutions of the City of Ljubljana will also this year strive for a more beautiful city at the cleaning campaigns, and this year our endeavours will continue. Special attention will be put on precious water and greening of the city. We are organising two large events – the VODA (WATER) project and a large tree-planting campaign!

22 March – World Water Day

For a More Beautiful Ljubljana 2015 campaign has traditionally begun on the World Water Day. This year's theme is "Water and Sustainable Development" and it focuses on the effects of water on sustainable and secure future of everyone, as well as the sustainable development of the entire society. The VODA project also refers to the communicativeness of the World Water Day. The project is organised in collaboration with the City of Ljubljana, Museums and Galleries of Ljubljana and the VO-KA public company. The project will present the element of water through past, present and future with an exhibition and numerous accompanying events and activities. The introductory activities will take place with the opening of the central exhibition at the end of June at the City Museum Ljubljana, and the activities will continue to 2016, the year Ljubljana becomes the European Green Capital.

The traditional VO-KA public company message: "Water is our responsibility." The company commits to act responsibly in handling the environment and encourage the public, including the youngest members. They will organise even more Cevko's workshops in spring at the day-care centres and elementary schools in Ljubljana, and the day-care centres will be equipped with Cevko's tape measures. Citizens will also have an opportunity to attend activities – guided tours of the Kleče Water Company and the Ljubljana's Central Cleaning Device. And in the spring they will open the Ljubljana's drinking fountains. There are 22 drinking fountains in Ljubljana, and you can locate the nearest to you with the Tap Water Ljubljana application or the website.

Ljubljana, European Green Capital 2016

Ljubljana received the flattering title of the European Green Capital 2016 in Copenhagen in 2014. The jury of experts believes we have introduced most alterations in the shortest period of time for the city's sustainable development and are successful in the following two aspects: preserving the city's green identity and implementing sustainable projects to improve the quality of life in the city. Recognition from the European Commission is not merely a confirmation of our work so far, it also serves as motivation for new challenges.

The traditional For a More Beautiful Ljubljana campaign is one of the opportunities for the colleagues at the City Administration, public companies and institutions under the City of Ljubljana to actively contribute to the more beautiful and greener Ljubljana. This year's campaign will be marked by the European Green Capital 2016 title – this year and the following one we plan on planting as many as 12.089 trees, which is also the number of colleagues in this large city family.

There will be several planting campaigns; the first will take place on Saturday, 11 April 2015. Detailed information of the event will be available soon.

Cleaning Campaign For a More Beautiful Ljubljana 2015

The Snaga public company will organise a permanent on-call team in 22 April, which will respond to the participants of the cleaning campaigns in person or via phone. The campaign will have 8 thousand plastic bags and 8 thousand disposable gloves, which will be available for the cleaning campaign operators to pick up at the Snaga company seat.

The City of Ljubljana City Administration Board for Economic Public Companies and Traffic will continue with their regular maintenance programmes parallel to the campaigns, and mostly strengthen the cleaning and arranging the city and its green surfaces, as well as repair damages of the winter service.

The City of Ljubljana City Administration Board for Local Self-Government will hand out bags and gloves at the seats of local communities to societies and organised groups, which will organise cleaning campaigns.

The Tourism Ljubljana public institute will coordinate the tourist society cleaning campaigns in the City of Ljubljana, as all active tourist association in Ljubljana will participate in the campaigns this year as well. There are about 100 cleaning campaigns planned.

Tourism Ljubljana and the Vivera Society for Underwater Activities are organising a central event on Saturday, 18 April 2015 – the traditional cleaning of the Ljubljanica River, which has become a highly popular tourist event alongside its ecological mission. The campaign will see participation from divers, members of the Vivera society for underwater activities, members of other diving clubs affiliated to the Slovenian Diving Association as well as other societies: for environmental protection, fishing, fire brigades, boatmen and rescue among others.

Cleaning campaigns are a pleasant and healthy form of socialising, as well as raising awareness on waste management and encouraging a positive attitude towards environment.