Ljubljana, 18 December 2020 – At Slovenia’s initiative, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on 20 December 2017 declaring 20 May World Bee Day. On this day every year, the attention of the global public is particularly focused on the importance of the preservation of bees and other pollinators for all humankind. This occasion is also the opportunity to call for specific activities designed to help preserve them. Numerous activities to preserve bees and other pollinators have been implemented in Slovenia and the EU in the years since the declaration. Slovenia will carry out activities in 2021 as well. An interministerial working group met today to learn about the activities and achievements attained so far relating to World Bee Day, and define the starting points for celebrating World Bee Day in 2021 right before the start of Slovenia’s Presidency of the EU Council.
The initiator of the project to declare World Bee Day was the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association (ČZS) in 2014. After several years of hard work, lobbying for support and challenging official procedures to approve the initiative, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food (MKGP), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MZZ), the ČZS, other partners and state sectors succeeded in having the UN General Assembly declare 20 May World Bee Day three years ago, which represents one of Slovenia’s major diplomatic achievements. The MKGP is aware of the significance and responsibility of the declaration of World Bee Day, which is why we annually participate in, and organise, numerous events to raise awareness and highlight the preservation and importance of bees and other pollinators and implement other systemic activities relevant for beekeeping.
The interministerial working group met today to draft starting points and expert foundations and implement the activity plan for the World Bee Day project until 2022. The activities carried out in the previous period were examined at the meeting on the basis of the Government’s activity plan for the World Bee Day project until 2022 (adopted by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in May 2019) and future activities were discussed, especially in the light of Slovenia’s Presidency of the EU Council. The activities around promoting World Bee Day carried out in the previous three years took place in cooperation with the state and beekeepers and have contributed to the better visibility of Slovenia, Slovenian beekeeping, the Carniolan honeybee, bee products and apitourism on the international level. The embassies within the framework of the MZZ are also very active and successful in the annual promotion of World Bee Day around the world, informing and promoting the significance of World Bee Day in different ways and, consequently, Slovenia and all its potential.
World Bee Day contributed indirectly to the greater recognisability of Slovenian beekeeping equipment and the possibilities for exporting queen bees are also increasing. In general, World Bee Day provides an opportunity to enhance the recognisability of Slovenia and its tourism in the global market. Due to bees, Slovenia is becoming visible on the tourist map as a green, active and healthy destination. Apitourism has seen a great impetus since these major steps forward have been made. Within the procedures for the adoption of the national professional standard, apitherapy was discussed and confirmed by the Council for Occupational Standards and the Committee for Educational Programmes.
In 2021, the third celebration of World Bee Day is anticipated at the national level with an event organised by beekeepers (traditional Slovenian beekeeping holiday) and a central international event, i.e. an international conference scheduled to take place shortly before the start of Slovenia’s Presidency of the EU Council. The latest topics regarding beekeeping will be discussed at the international conference. The geographic celebration will focus on the European Union (Brussels and the trio) due to the Presidency of the EU Council. The substantive emphasis pursued at the international conference and numerous other events will be based on the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, where, among other subjects, the creativity of Slovenia, its economy and beekeeping will be promoted.
The Ministry is also drafting a Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2020, in which various interventions will be incorporated for beekeeping within the mandatory sectoral intervention for beekeeping and other types of interventions relating to specific objectives intended not only for the promotion and development of beekeeping, but also for the preservation of pollinators. The Ministry has also appointed a working group to draft an Operational Excellence Programme with the purpose of ensuring that Slovenia becomes a leading country in the development of knowledge and innovation in beekeeping, the preservation of the Carniolan honeybee diversity and the biodiversity of pollinators.
In the past year, the ČZS filed a proposal for the protection of origin of honey mixtures, which is very important for the protection of honey producers in individual Member States. Consumers must be informed accordingly about their choice of food. With the support of like-minded countries, Slovenia wishes to call on the European Commission to establish clearer labelling of the origin of honey mixtures. We must not forget that Slovenia was the first country to prohibit the use of neonicotinoids at the national level in order to protect bees and the environment and this initiative was later followed by the entire EU.
One of the important activities in 2021 will be the awarding of the Golden Bee Award. On Wednesday, 16 December 2020, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Golden Bee Award Act, which is the highest national award regarding the protection of bees and the recognition of the role of bees and other pollinators in the provision of food safety, sustainable agriculture, nature conservation, biodiversity and cultural heritage. The first presentation of the award is planned for 2021 when Slovenia will be presiding over the EU Council. The MKGP also plans to publish a public call for the selection of a creative design and plan for the making of a symbolic trophy for the Golden Bee Award.
More on the World Bee Day project can be found at World Bee Day website, FAO World Bee Day, and World Bee Day Facebook page.
