This year the Stele Award bestowed by the Slovenian Conservation Society goes to "the esteemed and active expert, who is setting an example to younger generations at comprehensive preservation of cultural heritage with his outstanding professional work, collaboration, and respect of high ethical principles".
Great connoisseur of the Upper Carniola heritage
Sagadin graduated in 1975 at the Ljubljana Faculty of Arts, and started working for the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments Kranj, and has been working there for four decades. Sagadin's archaeological field researches have resulted in a comprehensive and innovative presentation of the Mali grad (Small castle) in Kamnik, and a unique revival of the high-to-access mountain post Ajdna, for which he had received the Stele Award. He and his colleagues had also received the Valvazor Award for the exhibition A letter without writing.
His multi-layered research of the surroundings of Kranj made great impact. Thanks to Sagadin the town can be found on all the maps of Lombard settlements, and that s-fibulae and other finds are safely stored in a museum. The importance of the finds, and the manners of presentations are explained by the conservator in cultural guides, and other publications. Sagadin has also written a number of articles, and in his doctor's thesis From Carnium to Kranj he presented a wider background of his research of many years, and thus established himself among the few experts on early Middle ages in Slovenia.
A. J., MMC; translated by G. K.