The Ministers of the EU Member States responsible for culture and the media met during the Slovenia’s Presidency at the Education, Youth and Culture Council in Brussels on 21-22 May 2008. Dr Vasko Simoniti, Minister of Culture presided over the Council in its culture and audiovisual configuration.

A debate on a new work plan took place during Slovenia’s presidency. The plan set out the priorities for the Council's further work in the cultural and audiovisual field. It followed on from the existing work plan and was supposed to include a limited number of priority actions of member states and modus operandi for their implementation.

Priorities of Slovenia’s EU Council Presidency in the field of culture were: adoption of the new work plan in the cultural and audiovisual field; education for creativity as a means of intercultural dialogue; and the inclusion of the culture and the creative sector in the Lisbon strategy.

One priority of the Slovenia’s EU Presidency was the contribution of culture and the creative sector to growth and employment within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy. The European Union aims to improve the basic conditions of the cultural economy, so that this can realise its potential in terms of employment, competitiveness and growth. Culture, cultural heritage and cultural industries in the EU - cinema and audiovisual, publishing, music and crafts - are important sources of revenue and of jobs, employing about seven million people.

The field of audiovisual media is largely the responsibility of the individual Member States. Community regulations and guidelines are intended to aid the common internal market and ensure fair competition.

A debate on the Commission's Communication on Media Literacy took place during Slovenia’s presidency. This is linked to the provisions of the Television without Frontiers Directive.

A debate on the Commission's Communication on Cultural Contents Online took place during Slovenia’s presidency.

The Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue was adopted on 18 December 2006 and published in the Official Journal of the EU on 30 December 2006.

The year 2008 was dedicated to the implementation of the adopted act (the implementation of campaigns) by Member States at community and national levels and will begin with the opening event at community level in January in Ljubljana.

The Slovene presidency used emblematic campaigns at community level to support the promotion of multicultural dialogue at all levels of public life. Examples of good practice in intercultural dialogue were promoted amongst the wider domestic and international public through an extensive media campaign, while attempts were also be made to attract a wide cross-section of civil society to participate in intercultural dialogue campaigns, with a focus on cultural and educational contents that are targeted at the younger generation.

The central event celebrating the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 was the international conference ‘Europe, the World and Humanity in the 21st Century’ from 10-13 April 2008 in Ljubljana (see below).

A series of meetings and events were held under the Slovenia’s EU Presidency. These focused in particular on intercultural dialogue, cultural identity, digitisation of cultural heritage and long-term archiving.

● DLM Forum meeting, 8-9 April 2008, Ljubljana

● EBNA meeting (a meeting of directors of the National Archives of the Members States and of the Candidate Countries), 10-11 April 2008, Ljubljana

● International conference ‘Europe, the World and Humanity in the 21st Century’, 10-13 April 2008, Ljubljana (see below)

● Informal meeting of the Cultural Affairs Committee, 20-21 April 2008, Brdo

● International conference ‘Cultural Content Online’, 5-6 June 2008, Brdo

● Informal meeting of European Cultural Contact Points, 12-13 June 2008, Ljubljana

Event: Presentation of Slovenia as Principal Guest at the MIDEM World Music Market in Cannes

Dates: 28-29 January 2008

Venue: Festival Palace and other venues in Cannes

At MIDEM, the international trade show for all music genre professionals in Cannes, Slovenia were present prominent high-quality representatives of Slovene music, including concerts by the Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra, the RTV Slovenia Big Band and pianist Bojan Gorišek.

Event: Slovene Philharmonic in Brussels - official celebration of the Slovene EU presidency

Date: 12 March 2008

Venue: BOZAR Palace, Henry Le Boeuf Hall

The Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra and its chief conductor George Pehlivanian performed the 2nd Symphony by Gustav Mahler, who began his artistic career in Ljubljana as a conductor with the Philharmonic Society Orchestra (1811-1812). The concert featured world-famous mezzo-soprano Marjana Lipovšek and rising star soprano Sabina Cvilak. The concert took place on the eve of the meeting of European Council.

Event: Donation of Slovene Government at the occasion of EU Presidency

Dates: 14 March 2008

Venue: The square in front of Justus Lipsius Palace, Brussels

To mark the Slovene EU Presidency in 2008, a sculpture of symbolic shape and meaning was installed at the square in front of the Justus Lipsius Palace. Inside the Palace a replica of a clock designed by Jože Plečnik was installed after the European Council's meeting there on 14 December 2007, a gift donated by the Government of Slovenia.

Event: Jože Plečnik Exhibition in Brussels

Dates: Mid May-end of August 2008

Venue: Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels

An exhibition on the world famous architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957), prepared by the National Gallery and renowned contemporary architect Boris Podrecca. Plečnik is considered to be the founder of Slovene architectural school and his major works transformed Ljubljana's urbanism and architectural image. Plečnik's work, which was characterised by iconic, classical forms used in surprising, often unconventional ways, includes street furniture and objects of applied arts, from chairs to lamps, chalices and typography. Plečnik's extensive opus was presented through original sketches, models, film clips and notes.

Event: Touring Exhibition The Grand War in the Krn Mountains

Dates: February-August 2008

Venue: Vienna, Rome, Yper, Paris, Brdo pri Kranju

Prepared by Kobarid Museum, this exhibition narrates the events that took place in the Krn Mountains during the First World War – from the moment when the Kingdom of Italy entered the war up to the Battle at Kobarid (Caporetto, Karfreit) in October 1917, following which the front line moved to the Piave River near Venice. The exhibition was launched at Brdo pri Kranju on the occasion of the Non-formal Meeting of EU Ministers of Defence on 21 and 22 February, subsequently being displayed in February-March at the Arsenal Museum in Vienna, in March-April at the Flandres Fields Museum in Ypres, Belgium, in April-May at the Altare della Patria Museum in Rome, and in June-August at the National Military Museum of France in the Dôme des Invalides in Paris.

Event: Opening Event of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue

Date: 7 and 8 January 2008

Venue: Cankarjev dom Culture and Congress Centre, Ljubljana

Slovenia and the European Commission jointly organised the opening of European Year of Intercultural Dialogue at the level of all EU Member States. The two-day programme under the title ‘Intercultural Dialogue as a Basic EU Value’ featured a panel discussion with four sections on intercultural dialogue in arts, education and science, media and economy, an exhibition on media, and screenings of short films related to intercultural dialogue in culture, media, education and economy. The event was highlighted by an artistic event in the Gallus Hall of the Cankarjev dom Culture and Congress Centre, attended by important guests from the European Union, Slovenia and EU member states.

Event: Primož Trubar Exhibition

Date: 6 March 2008

Venue: National Museum of Slovenia, Ljubljana (new premises at Metelkova)

Held in celebration of the 500th anniversary of his birth, this exhibition outlined the main stages in the life and work of Primož Trubar (1508-1586), author of the first book in the Slovene language, examining his personality as well as mentality of the milieux that stimulated and supported his work. The exhibition also presented the context of the 16th century and various Protestant phenomena of the epoch.

Event: International Conference ‘Europe, World and Humanity in the 21st Century’

Date: 10-13 April 2008

Venue: Hotel Union, Ljubljana

Organised by the Nova Revija Institute, the International Conference ‘Europe, World and Humanity in the 21st Century’ was the central event to promote the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. This three-day meeting searched for answers to two basic questions: What can Europe, with its humanistic tradition, contribute to an understanding of the basic problems of the globalising world? And what can globalisation, which we do not yet fully understand, tell Europe?

Event: Slovenska Moderna (1890-1920) Exhibition

Date: 23 April 2008

Venue: National Gallery of Slovenia, Ljubljana

This exhibition focused on the period from 1890 to 1920 in Slovene art history (the so-called 'Moderna'), presenting a vivid image of the time and events when Slovene Impressionism and other forms of art helped shape the Slovenes as self-confident Europeans.

Event: Jazz Goes Ahead (Germany/Portugal/Slovenia)

Dates: 10-20 May

Venue: Cerkno

This third phase of a joint project involving musicians from Germany, Portugal and Slovenia took place within the framework of the Jazz Cerkno Festival. Participating jazz musicians staged a workshop and subsequently undertake a performance tour around Slovenia.

Event: Informal European Theatre Meeting (IETM) Plenary Meeting

Dates: 15-18 May 2008

Venue: TBA

The Plenary Meeting of IETM, which seeks to stimulate the quality, development and conditions for performing arts globally through networking, dynamic information exchange and artists presentations. In addition to presentations, panel discussions and working meetings, the event featured some current Slovene productions.

Event: Performance of the Lipizzaner Horses

Dates: 18-20 May 2008

Venue: Brdo pri Kranju

A performance by the famous Lipizzaner horses was organised to coincide with the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries at Brdo. The Lipizzaner breed was established in Lipica, a small village in the Karst region of Slovenia, and developed by crossbreeding autochthonous Karst mares with Andalusian, Neapolitan, Danish and Arab stallions. Lipica Horse Stud is one of the oldest studs in the world, and the Lipizzaner horses have been successfully and systematically presented in the international sports arena where they have received several medals in World Cups, European competitions and Olympics events.

Event: International Symposium on Primož Trubar

Dates: 5-7 June 2008

Venue: Slovene Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU), Ljubljana

International Symposium on languages and identities was organised to coincide with the birth of Primož Trubar (1508-1586). The Symposium will tackle the basic existential questions relating to individuals, nations and language groups in the past, present and future. In the light of experience the visions that have shaped the strategies of survival and development throughout the ages were identified and discussed.

Event: International Festival of Slovene Choirs

Date: 22 June 2008

Venue: Šentvid pri Stični

The traditional annual meeting of choirs from Slovenia and neighbouring countries - Slovene Choirs Meeting in Šentvid - was one of the largest singing events in Europe, involving the participation of up to 250 choirs and around 5,000 vocalists. Choirs from all the EU countries which had collaborated with Slovene choirs were invited to the 39th Meeting in 2008.