The organizers tried their best to introduce people to the world of bees, says Marko Cafnik, a producer of virtual and augmented reality elements incorporated into the bee pavilion.

"With virtual reality, visitors can experience conditions in a beehive or in front of a beehive, and they can even fly like bees. We also prepared an augmented reality section, which allows us to study Slovenian bees in detail," explains Cafnik.

The bee pavilion, which weighs 2.5 metric tons and measures 6 meters in diameter, is also a showcase of Slovenian knowledge, technology, materials, and hard work. However, it is intended primarily to gain support for the initiative of the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association to get May 20 recognized as the International Say of Bees by the United Nations. The head of the association, Boštjan Noč, hopes also to get bees recognized as an endangered species.

"The Slovenian initiative to create an International Day of Bees is a good one and it's very much alive; it has our support," says the Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella, who says he is in favor of wide-ranging measures to protect bees. Some species are already on the EU's endangered species lists, he added.

The presentation, which unfortunately took place in a part of the building that is not open the public, was prepared by Slovenian Commissioner Violeta Bulc, who also came up with a unique comparison: "The world of bees is like the Commission – we all act in a coordinated way," she said.

The initiative to establish an International Day of Bees was also officially endorsed by Slovenia. What still needs to be done for the day to be recognized and celebrated for the first time? Agriculture Minister Dejan Židan responds: "Two more steps. Next year."

Erika Štular (RA Slovenija)
Translated by J. B.