DELEGATION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SLOVENIANS OF RS "TRIGLAV " AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN GREECE

A nine-member delegation of the Association of Slovenians of the Republika Srpska "Triglav" Banja Luka participated in a two-day conference held as part of the EU project "EUNITY - European United Cities Creating and Nurturing the Desired European Future", which was held from 18 to 20 May 2026 in the picturesque towns of Kastoria and Siatisti, in northern Greece, in the province of Western Macedonia.

The project brought together representatives from several European countries with the aim of strengthening dialogue, solidarity and cooperation among local communities. It was implemented with the support of the Association for the Development of Voluntary Work Novo Mesto, our long-standing partners and collaborators on numerous projects.

We travelled together with participants from Slovenia – Municipality of Mengeš, and Croatia – Association “Starinski žmaki” from Breznički Hum and agency “Brzi mediji” from Varaždin. The organizer of the trip was Aleksandar Saša Grabarić, who successfully coordinated our trip.

We started our journey in the early hours of the morning from Nova Varoš in Croatia, where we joined the other participants in the tourist bus. The road took us through Croatia, Serbia and North Macedonia, and not far from Bitola we entered the territory of Greece.

The province of Western Macedonia delighted us with its magnificent mountain landscapes and fertile valleys. The idyllic image of this region has occasionally been marred by the sight of numerous solar, thermal and hydroelectric power plants. No wonder, since this province produces around 80 percent of Greece's electricity.

At the main conference, in front of more than 200 participants from seven European countries, our delegation presented the activities of the Association in the local community, as well as the City of Laktaši, which provided official support for our participation in the project. The presentation was prepared and successfully presented in English by Marija Budiša and Katja Lunić from Slatina. English was the official language of the conference.

Despite the rainy weather, our delegation, thanks to perseverance and good spirits, managed to discover at least some of the magic and hidden secrets hidden by the beautiful Kastoria, located on a peninsula that extends deep into the lake of the same name. This once fashionable city, known for its leather and fur processing and trade, is adorned with more than fifty churches and church buildings, some of which were built by members of the Nemanjić dynasty. The rich cultural and historical heritage, as well as the natural beauties of this region, certainly deserve a return visit and a more detailed exploration.

On Wednesday, 20 May in the morning, we set off for home. On the way back, we passed Thessaloniki and entered North Macedonia at the Gevgelija border crossing. This was a great opportunity to stop by nearby Mrzenci and treat ourselves to a hearty and extremely delicious lunch at the famous restaurant "Javor Džoka", located in the shade of a centuries-old maple tree.

After a well-deserved rest and refreshment, we recharged our batteries for the journey home. We really needed this, as we had almost twenty hours of travel ahead of us, with inevitable delays at border crossings.

Attached is more information about the event itself.

Mladen Lunić