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16 seconds to the Olympics …
…and 3 years to do it. Slovenian high school student Tia Tanja Živko from Celje won a bronze medal at the 2023 European Youth Olympics in the 1,500 metre race and is preparing for Los Angeles.
Medium distance, marathon and A-levels – how does a teenager manage this workload? And several national records in one season? What role do parents, friends and teachers play? What role do talent, discipline and sacrifice play? What role does competition play?
A talk in the framework of ‘Jugend schreibt’ (Youth writes) with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ; with Tjaša Pavc, Amaya Kragolnik, Evita Kranjec and Julija Pungeršek at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics and Media in Celje. A project under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje, Coordination/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

Very big cinema in Slovenia!

Before the film starts, a conversation in the Union cinema in Celje: with Samo Seničar, cinema manager in the Municipality of Celje, with director Sonja Prosenc and actor Marko Mandić. About the Slovenian film landscape, how to successfully produce and act in films, about the Slovenian Film Festival, about Oscars, the future of cinema and what role Gold, Naked Among Wolves and Alarm for Cobra 11 play in it. And also about the best way to pass the time while watching less exciting films.
A project within the framework of ‘Jugend schreibt’ (Youth writes) with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ, with the student journalists Ema Holešek, Maša Pušnik, Milenca Obrul and Zoja Klara Hrup from Celje. Coordination/photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

Award ceremony of the IV Slovenian CLILiG Robotics Championship (SCRM) in Narodni dom, Celje.
‘Why should robots be used in language education (DaF)?’ was the task set in the fourth round of the Slovenian robotics project in German, designed and organised by INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

After the anthem of EUROPE, performed by pupils of the Celje School Centre, Gregor Deleja welcomed the guests from primary and secondary schools between Bistrica (Črenšovci), Videm pri Ptuju, Solkan and Bovec on behalf of the host, the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje.
Following a presentation by the I. Primary School Celje, the prizes were presented by Louis M. on behalf of the German Embassy in Ljubljana, Brigita Kacjan/SDUNJ and Monica Hühner. The main prize for the first winners, a LEGO robot, was presented by Alix Landgrebe on behalf of the Goethe-Institut Ljubljana to Radovljica Primary School and VEGOVA Gymnasium/Ljubljana.

The first three primary and secondary schools in the competition qualified for the I. International CLILiG Robotics Championship, which will be held on 24 April 2025 in Tehno park Celje with winning teams from the Croatian CLILiG Robotics project. There are long-term plans to expand the project into the international region.

Discimus Lab would like to thank all participating school groups and supporters, the German-Slovene Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Slovenia), Mladinska knjiga and Hueber Verlag for another year of excellent contributions. We are very much looking forward to the next steps together.

Slovenia’s Hidden Gems in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ:
Where and how are traditional, high-quality shoes still made? Who can still do it? Where does the material come from? What machines and tools are needed? Which manufacturing steps are necessary? How long does it take to make a pair of shoes? And who still manages to successfully combine shoe craftsmanship with art and design today?
Hidden away in the north-east of Slovenia is Lake Blaguš, where Mario Herzog’s studio is integrated into the natural surroundings. This is where ‘Handmade Shoes Only’ are made. Franja Kos, Zoja Štancar and Leon Romih did some research on 25 February 2025. Another project within the framework of ‘Jugend schreibt’ with the FAZ, under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje: Coordination/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

Primož Roglič and the Goldene Circle:
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ, 17.02.2025: About the Slovenian world star Primož Roglič in the German cycling team Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, about his social commitment, the ‘Zlati Krog’ (Golden circle), the role of his family, and how he acts as a role model for the youngest and young cyclists. For example, Sven Mernik, a high school graduate from the Gimnazija Celje Centre, who is already successfully riding the roads of the world in the Slovenian junior team in the footsteps of Roglič.
A report by Nika Rezman and Anže Štukovnik as part of the project “Jugend schreibt” (Youth writes). With the support of the Slovenian Tourist Board/STO, Rebeka K Bizjak und Vesna Verlak. Under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje; Coordination/Photos ©: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

Discover Slovenia in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ – 3.2.2025:
– About Nika Kovač: “A Global Voice from a Small Country”. How commitment begins and what challenges and opportunities are associated with it.
– And about Radio SI/RTV Slovenija and its German voice Tatjana Dolanc, who won the Frankfurt and Hessian reading competitions as a child of migrant workers.
Two reports, written as part of the project ‘Jugend schreibt’ (Youth writes) with the FAZ in Slovenia; by Doroteja Drevensek, Ela Falež, Ema Holešek and Tin Šoškič. Under the auspices of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje, with the support of II. gimnazija Maribor; Coordination/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

‘Once upon a time in Slovenia’ –
How do you actually make shoes? What do you do when your shoe pinches? What tools do you use? And who (still) knows how to use them?
The shoemaking trade has also become a case for history and museums. So it’s a good thing that the Museum of Contemporary History in Celje (www.muzej-nz-ce.si) has a craftsmen’s street where you can also visit a historic cobbler’s shop.
Sebastjan Weber, curator, explains to student journalists Franja Kos, Zoja Štancar and Leon Romih on 29 January 2025 the story behind the exhibition, the idea behind it, its aims, where the exhibits come from and which workshops in the museum make the craft visible. In February, research will follow in the studio of a Slovenian shoemaker who produces high-quality shoes ‘hand made only’ with highly qualified employees and traditional tools.
A further project as part of the ‘Jugend schreibt’ programme with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ: consistently at authentic ‘learning locations’ with authentic conversations, careful research, multilingual and with added journalistic value. Educational work with immediately recognisable relevance. Under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje; coordination/photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

European champion, world champion and Olympic champion all at the same time:
Tina Trstenjak, the most successful Slovenian judoka and one of the most successful in the world.
A meeting at Marjan Fabjan’s judo centre in Celje/Lopata, with student journalists Anja Oblak and Zoja Štancar and an interview:
On the history and success of judo in Celje; how to start a successful judo career; the sacrifice and joy involved; how the desire for an Olympic victory motivates and how different a gold and a silver medal feel; what role opponents play; how to find your way back to everyday life after a world career, and what role a sports museum, a chapel, a red double-decker bus and a pinball machine from London play in all of this.
Project work as part of ‘Jugend schreibt’ with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ, under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje.

Coordination/photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

Jewish life in Slovenia –
In-depth research at the Mini Teater/Jewish Cultural Centre Ljubljana:
with Robert Waltl, the founder and director, a detailed guided tour also in the synagogue, with an insight into the history of Jewish culture in Slovenia in the past and today, a visit to the exhibition on Renia Spiegel, the ‘Polish Anne Frank’, organised by the Polish Embassy in Ljubljana, with participation in a ‘Virtual guided tour of Auschwitz’, together with international ambassadors and diplomats, and with detailed discussions about the support of the German Embassy in Ljubljana, the cooperation with the two-time Oscar winner Branko Lustig, and about ‘Stolpersteine’, which will be cleaned by international diplomats on 27 January 2025. January 2025 by international diplomats.
A project day as part of the “Jugend schreibt” (Youth Writes) programme with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ. With student journalists Urh Štrakl and Blaž Klinar, under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje, coordination/photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB, Dr Gerald Hühner and Dr Monica Hühner.

‘’Youth writes‘’ about the Young Researchers programme in Slovenia –
The Slovenian ‘Jugend schreibt’ (Youth writes) team of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ has been joined by six schoolgirls from Gimnazija Koper for the 2025 project year.
Their practical journalistic work began on 21 January 2025 with two interviews at the Centre for Science and Research ZRS Koper. They dealt with the history, tasks and goals of the ZRS, the concept of the ‘Young Researchers’ programme, research priorities and international cooperation – especially in Germany.
One focus of the interview relates to the early integration of children and young people in questions of scientific research, also through support and contributions to the magazine ‘SVETILNIK’ – ‘Cultural Lighthouse’, which is aimed at primary school children and to which the ZRS Koper contributes as one of nine institutions in the Slovenian coastal region.
The team of student journalists Vika Viktorija Starman, Emma Pančevska Dakič, Mana Rampini Florjančič, which also includes Gaja Kejžar, spoke at length with the director of the ZRS, Rado Pišot, and the young researcher Manca Peskar, who is preparing a doctorate at the Technical University of Berlin/TU in parallel to her work in Koper, and reported in detail about her life and research in Slovenia and Germany.

Coordination/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB Lab