In mid-January, the Central Slovenia Region impressed visitors to the Slovenian pavilion at the World Exhibition EXPO with an innovative and attractive presentation on Europe Square prepared by the Ljubljana Tourism and the Regional Development Agency of Ljubljana UrbanRegion in cooperation with SPIRIT Slovenia and the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association.

The Ljubljana Urban Region, together with Kočevje and Bela krajina, presents itself through many appealing stories. A replica of the oldest wheel, about 5200 years old, found in the Ljubljana Marshes, is on display. Visitors to the pavilion can pour a glass of water with their thoughts at a neuro drinking fountain and view Plečnik's heritage with the help of VR animation. With the use of the Simathlon cycling simulation on the Ljubljana BicikeLJ, those who want to move can ride through the streets of Ljubljana or all 25 municipalities of the Ljubljana Urban Region, as well as through Kočevsko and Bela krajina. In the centre of attention is the biggest Slovenian autochthonous bee in the world – the Carniolan bee, in 90% morphologically corresponding to a real bee. The bee is a replica of the 3D Carniolan bee, located in front of the Slovenian Beekeeping Centre in Lukovica, and it is accompanied by a joint video of the region, which illustrates the extremely rich beekeeping history and knowledge and the many opportunities it offers.

Deputy Mayor of the City of Ljubljana, Tjaša Ficko, addressed those present, welcomed them to Ljubljana, the European Green Capital 2016, and expressed her belief that Ljubljana, together with the Central Slovenia Region, would exceed their expectations when they came to visit.

As pointed out by the director of the Regional Development Agency of Ljubljana UrbanRegion, Lilijana Madjar, MSc, good results can only be achieved with networking and cooperation, especially when it comes to such a diverse region. »We are glad that the neighbouring regions also took part in the joint promotion. In the circle of the most developed and the best, we have successfully presented both the macro-region and Slovenia as innovative and advanced, with their work and attainment of goals based on preserving natural and cultural heritage. I believe that this is an excellent start of long-term cooperation and the preparation of new integrated tourism products, especially in the field of beekeeping, for which a lot of interest was expressed,« she said, thanking all members of the delegation, who further highlighted the cohesion and cooperation of municipalities with their presence.

The Director of Ljubljana Tourism, Petra Stušek. MA, said at the presentation: »Ljubljana is presenting itself for the second time at this year's EXPO Dubai 2020, the world's largest exhibition to date, which has extraordinary promotional potential after years that have severely affected tourism, and our presence also opens the doors to new business partnerships and opportunities. Through our activities, we want to show visitors to Dubai the beauties of Ljubljana, emphasizing respect for nature, people and cultural heritage. After all, Ljubljana is the holder of the prestigious title European Green Capital 2016 and was also declared the best green capital in Europe, which makes us incredibly proud.«