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Youth makes music, researches and writes –

Sunday, 30.11.2025, Ljubljana: A day of research with the Slovenian Youth Orchestra; in talks with founder and director Živa Ploj Peršuh, with participation in the concert rehearsal (11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) with 35 young people, including ten from Ukraine, who are professionally trained and therefore relaxed when speaking in one language, including Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Strauss, Vivaldi and others. But also with musician and comedian Tilen Artac as conductor of the orchestra, with musical acrobatics to frozen food jingles, the ‘Anton von Tirol’ in a classical performance, and with Slavko Avsenik’s ‘Trumpet Echo’ (‘Na Golici’) as an unexpected, albeit inevitable, interlude.
A project research within the framework of ‘Jugend schreibt’ (Youth Writes) with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, with student journalists Milenca Obrul and Ajda Jakob, Celje. Under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje; Project management/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

Kickboxing, Motorcycling and Protestantism –
The Protestant Church in Slovenia represents about one percent of the population, yet Reformation Day is one of the country’s biggest holidays. Leon Novak, Protestant Bishop of Slovenia, in a talk at the Martin Luther Church in Murska Sobota on 24 November 2025:
About the clergyman’s youth, his family and studies in Vienna, about the bishop’s administration, the role of the church in the past and in the digital age, and about Primož Trubar, the Slovenian language and national identity. And what Tübingen-Derendingen in Baden-Württemberg has to do with it.
An interview as part of the ‘Jugend schreibt’ (Youth Writes) project with the  Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ, by Jure Fekonja and Mateja Petek, II. gimnazija Maribor. Coordination/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

Accordion world champion from Slovenia – Even a wasp sting can’t throw her off her rhythm. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ, 24.11.2025:
About Tjaša Lesjak, the first world champion on the diatonic accordion. Her career, the instrument created especially for her, her musical preferences, the role of Slovenian folk music, national and international awards, and the key to why music will always get under her skin.
A „Jugend schreibt“ (Youth writes) reportage by Urh Štrakl, Amaya Kragolnik, Julija Pungeršek and Evita Kranjec from Celje. Under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje, coordination/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

Discover Slovenia in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ
3.11.2025: with Slovenian contributions from the FAZ project ‘Jugend schreibt’ (Youth Writes) at the Osrednja knjižnica Celje, by Samo Seničar, Vice Mayor of Municipality of Celje.
All contributions to the Slovenian project are displayed on 40 DIN A1 boards on the day of the grand opening, which also marks an anniversary: the 50th contribution has been published in the FAZ, a report on the Celje actor Renato Jencek and his solo programme ‘KUD Mesarija Elvis’. Director Polonca Bajc Napret welcomed the guests in the foyer of the library, including school children, teachers, school administrators and other personalities from Slovenia who were featured in the FAZ. Rebeka K Bizjak, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board/STO for Germany and Switzerland, travelled from Munich especially for the exhibition opening in Celje.
At the event, which was moderated by Mojca Videmšek, Gerald Hühner, project manager, and Ema Holešek, representing the young journalists, presented the project’s history, objectives, experiences and future plans.
To all participants, sponsors and supporters: Thank you very much! We look forward to taking the next steps together. Gerald and Monica Hühner, INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB

Elvis lives, strangely enough in Slovenia, today, 3 November 2025, in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ:
About the programme ‘KUD Mesarija Elvis’ in the ‘Culture and Arts Department of Elvis Butchers Shop’ by the actor Renato Jenček from Celje; about the stage character in his solo comedy, his role models Elvis Presley and Oskar Trobec, and the power of parody and music: ‘A tragicomedy about people in the 21st century, designed to entertain, provoke thought and make people laugh. Even about ourselves, when the masks come off.’ Elvis is alive!
A reportage by student journalists Milenca Obrul, Ema Holešek, Nika Kroflič and Tjaša Pavc. As part of ‘Jugend schreibt’ (Youth Writes) with the FAZ, under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje, Project management/Photos ©: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB

Discover Slovenia in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ:
Kick-off for the new project year „Jugend schreibt“ (Youth Writes) at Hotel Celjska koča, 20. – 21.10.2025
At the invitation of the Municipality of Celje, city director Gregor Deleja, 28 students and teachers from a total of 8 schools in Celje, Maribor, Velenje and Videm pri Ptuju attended the third introductory event at Celjska koča.
A presentation of the FAZ and the Jugend schreibt project is followed by workshops on finding topics, research, interviewing, documentation and writing, fact checking and authorisation. In the practical part, a student from Videm pri Ptuju presents the Pokač tradition of whip cracking, which is supposed to drive away winter during the carnival season. This is followed by an interview and the structuring of a report on this topic.
This is followed by a joint editing exercise on reportage texts that have already been completed, as well as planning researches and reportages for the coming project year.
Many thanks to all participants and supporters in Maribor, Velenje, Videm pri Ptuju and especially in Celje! We look forward to the next steps together. Gerald and Monica Hühner, INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB, Project management/Photos.

Robotics – Language Acquisition – CLIL – International Cooperation:
Rhineland-Palatinate/RLP in Slovenia – Continuation of educational cooperation in the context of CLIL Robotics with funding from Erasmus+.
Organised by the Rhineland-Palatinate State Institute of Education (organisation: Kristina Fischer) nehmen unter Leitung von Christian Hennicke and Axel Karger 13 teachers from primary, secondary and grammar schools participate in job shadowing programmes at the Gymnasium Celje Center (Head: Marjana Turnšek) and the First Primary School (I. OS) Celje (Head: Žan Močivnik) under the coordination of Christian Hennicke and Axel Karger. A two-day workshop by INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB introduces the theory and practice of the CLIL Robotics concept, including a workshop with Slovenian German as a foreign language and STEM teachers on the 5th Slovenian CLILiG Robotics Championship.
The supporting programme for the delegation from Rhineland-Palatinate included a presentation of the Celje school system by the city director of the Municipality of Celje, Gregor Deleja, a guided tour of Celje Castle by Metka Krajnc Sevšek (in the role of Barbara of Cilli) and, to conclude, a guided tour of Tehno park Celje.
Many thanks to all those involved for their active participation and support! The cooperation is to be continued in future with other areas of focus.
Organisation of the programme/Photos: Gerald and Monica Hühner, INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB

‘When the trumpet found its echo’ – With the Oberkrainers in Begunje, Slovenia.
How their international musical career began in the 1950s in a small Alpine village, gained momentum in Germany, and continues successfully today.
A Reportage in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ, 22.09.2025.
By Urh Štrakl, Amaya Kragolnik and Julija Pungeršek. As part of the ‘Jugend schreibt’ (Youth Writes) project, following research and interviews in Begunje: with Sašo Avsenik, who is continuing the Oberkrainer tradition in its third generation, and with German, American, Canadian and other international guests at the ancestral home of the Avsenik family of musicians.
A project supported by the Municipality of Celje and the Slovenian Tourist Board/STO. Project management/Photos: Gerald and Monica Hühner, INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

Discover Pippi Longstocking-Festival in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ:
She has a house, a monkey and a horse, and held her 36th festival in Slovenia from 6 to 12 September 2025: Pippi Longstocking lifts horses, takes on police officers and pirates, and has already thrilled well over a million visitors – especially children and young people, to whom the freely accessible festival in Velenje is dedicated, with more than 10 locations in the city, around 25 themed huts and tents, and over 75 workshops.
A “Jugend schreibt”(Youth writes) research on 9. 9. 2025 in the city center of  Velenje: With the phantastic Ema Kač as Pippi Longstocking, with Jona Zamrnik, one of well over a hundred volunteers, with visitors young and old, and the festival director, Barbara Pokorny.
Preparation of a reportage by the student journalists Lan Jerič, Lucian Lovrenčič und Anja Oblak/OŠ Frana Roša. Under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje; Coordination/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB, Monica and Gerald Hühner.

Adria, Action, Adrenaline – Kitesurfing in Koper/Slovenia –
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ, 25.8.2025:
„Wind in your hair, speed on the water, the danger that constantly surrounds you and reminds you how alive you are, pure adrenaline: that’s kitesurfing. This is my life“, says Toni Vodisek from Koper. About the silver medalist at the 2024 Olympic Games, how it all began, how he almost flew over his parents’ hotel, escaped a shark, and his Plan B for life after his active career: https://lnkd.in/d3XRubuX
A reportage in the context of „Jugend schreibt“ (Youth writes) with the FAZ, by the student journalists Vika Viktorija Starman, Mana Rampini Florjančič, Emma Pančevska Dakič and Gaja Kejžar; Gimnazija Koper. With the support of ZRS Koper; Project management/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.