The United Nations Association for Slovenia was established in 1951 as an organization that supports the United Nations (UN) in its role as guardian of world peace and stability. Following the declaration of independence on the 25th of June 1991, Slovenia was admitted to the UN on the 22nd of May 1992. Shortly afterward, on the 6th of November 1992, the United Nations Association for Slovenia was admitted to the circle of members of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA). Our organization also enjoys the status of an association operating in the public interest within the field of foreign affairs, as granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The main goals of the association were formed at the time of its establishment, namely to inform the public about the ideas, goals, and activities of the UN. We can proudly say that we have met these goals, with many achievements and successes showing that we have even exceeded them.
Today, the UN Association for Slovenia is a vital civil society organization that promotes the ideals and goals of the UN in Slovenia. Its central task remains to collect and provide information on the role and activities of the UN; for this purpose, we maintain a library with a large number of informative and specialized publications of the UN and its agencies, as well as other literature with related topics.
Cooperation with the UN Information Service in Vienna also plays a vital role in our efforts to inform the public about the UN.
We collaborate with the Institute of International Law and International Relations of the Faculty of Law in Ljubljana in the collection and translation of various international documents, books, and other publications regarding the UN and international relations.
An important aspect of our work is also active participation in public debates focusing on important UN-related issues. We are trying to create a forum where individuals meet with government representatives. In this way, we can solve problems using the UN model – through dialogue.
Important issues on the UN agenda are also the subject of regular lectures organized by the association. These are well attended, as we have managed to attract quite a few Slovenian experts with an international reputation. These lectures are also an important part of the education of university students. We also provide information and conduct workshops on internships and employment within the UN system.
The association is also an important body promoting research in themes related to the UN. To this end, we annually award prizes on UN Day for the best dissertations, doctoral or master’s theses relating UN themes to ten graduate and postgraduate students.
As the UN Association for Slovenia is a movement of people for the UN, an important part of our activities is also dedicated to people related to the UN and the association. Formal and informal meetings show that the UN supports a large number of individuals. Awareness is thus centered amongst people, given that UN ideas and principles are part of our lives and not something remote or insignificant.
Additionally, part of our mission is to bring the UN closer to the people, encouraging us to organize events that in one way or another shed light on the impact of the UN on our lives. One such important event is, for example, the celebration of Human Rights Day. Here we also present awards to primary and secondary school students for essays, photographs, and artwork on the topic of human rights.
Excursions to various UN institutions in Geneva and Vienna further provide insight into the functioning of the UN system to our members and other stakeholders.
We have adopted the principle of the “people’s movement”, thus it is appropriate to point out that most of the work at the association is done by a group of volunteers. The main support of the society, of course, are our members; many of them are important representatives of public life and academic circles. They play an active role in social life, which gives our efforts additional impetus.
You are all welcome in the association’s premises. We strive to cultivate an atmosphere that gives a sense of belonging within the large United Nations family.
