Category Archives: Updates

A Global Voice from a Small Country: Nika Kovač/Slowenien
How does activism begin? How does someone become an activist? What opportunities, challenges and effort are involved?
And what do the ‘8 March Institute’, Barack Obama and Luisa Neubauer have to do with it?
What does it mean to be honoured as a ‘Global Voice’?
A conversation with Nika Kovač, Ljubljana, July 24 2024, – as part of ‘Jugend schreibt’ with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ. With the student journalists Ela Falež and Doroteja Drevenšek (Maribor) as well as Ema Holešek (Celje). A project under the auspices of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje; Management/Photos (c): INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB, Gerald and Monica Hühner, PhD.

Thank you very much to the Municipality of Videm with Mayor Brane Koldenik, for the award “for an outstanding contribution to the promotion of the Municipality of Videm on an international level”.
As guests in the municipality, we feel very honored by this public recognition. At the same time, we see it as a mandate to continue working with young people, colleagues, partners and friends to make the municipality of Videm, the Haloze region and topics from all over Slovenia even better known internationally.
We therefore look forward to continuing our cooperation and would like to thank you for your support.

Croatian robotics project in German-
Award ceremony of the VI CLILiG Robotics Championship at the Bernardin Frankopan Grammar School/Gymnasium in Ogulin, 21 May 2024. 32 primary and secondary schools in 14 teams from NAŠICE, POŽEGA and OGULIN took part in the annual project. The 1st winner was the team from TRNSKO Primary School and the Old Town Grammar School from ZAGREB. The prizes were handed over by Marko Javorina, counsellor of the Agency for Education / Azoo, and Katja Kuceja, Head of the Cultural Department of the German Embassy in Zagreb. Among the guests of honour was Dr Vesna Hajsan Dolinar, Deputy Director of Karlovačke županije. The official ceremony was followed by a relaxed round of talks between pupils, teachers and guests over an excellent buffet hosted by headmaster Hrvoje Magdić. Many thanks to all sponsors and supporters, especially Team Ogulin with Sunčica Sabljak. In future, the Croatian project is to be combined with the Slovenian national project to form an international CLILiG robotics championship. We cordially invite interested participants and supporters to join us. Coordination/Info: INSTITUTE DISCIMUS LAB, Dr. Gerald & Dr. Monica R. Hühner.

“Everything is under one hat in Celje” –
Continuation of the research on hat design in Špela Strašek workroom in Celje, 7. Mai 2024. Demonstration of working processes: Taking measurements, processing the brute/blank, moulding, fitting. The designer’s craft, whose fashions are also worn in Ascot, has since been recognised as part of Slovenia’s national cultural heritage.
A project within the framework of “Jugend schreibt” with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ in Slovenia. Wit student journalists Larisa Špur and Loti Lajevec. Under the auspices of Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje; Coordination/Photos (c): INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB, Dr. Gerald und Dr. Monica R. Hühner

Natalie Kauther and Adrian Pollmann, the German ambassador couple in Slovenia, visiting Občina Videm on 24 April 2024. The reception by Mayor Brane Kolednik in the meeting room of the municipality and a tour of the exhibition of Slovenian publications from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ project “Jugend schreibt”, is followed by an open public discussion, moderated and translated by Matija Brodnjak and Saša Ljubec; – with questions about the ambassadors’ life and work with their families in Ljubljana, German-Slovenian relations, the role of the German language in the country and also why it is so difficult to get tickets for Bundesliga football matches. The discussion, which was also attended by Sebastian Toplak, Mayor of Podlehnik, and a good 50 guests, was followed by a tasting in the neighbouring wine cellar, where both ambassadors also stored a bottle of wine in the cellar’s vault as a memento of their visit. The event was organised by the German Embassy in Ljubljana in cooperation with Občina Videm and INSTITUTE DISCIMUS LAB, Gerald Hühner and Monica R. Hühner.

A team of teacher trainers from the Rhineland-Palatinate State Pedagogical Institute, with coordinator Christian Hennicke, in Celje; with working visits to the Gimnazija Celje Centre, I. Osnovna Šola, ŠOLSKI CENTER and Tehno park Celje. In Focus: Suggestions for problem-solving orientated teaching concepts with the use of robotics and languages. Outlook: Establishment of a long-term co-operation, also with integration of CLIL robotics. Special thanks to the committed schools involved, enthusiastic pupils and tireless teachers, especially to Marjana Turnšek, Žan Močivnik, Matic Holobar and Maša Jazbec.
Coordination/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB, Dr. Gerald Hühner, Dr. Monica R. Hühner and Etjan Kiralj.

Discover Tehno park Celje in FAZ:
About the history, concept, current programmes, staff and visitors to Slovenia’s most popular technology project – with lots of STE(A)M and good entertainment.
A reseach and interviews with Director Andreja Erjavec, Robotics Expert Maša Jazbec and Marketing Manager Marjeta Gmajner. By Urh Štrakl, Janez Petriček (Gimn. Celje Centre) and Jure Skrbinšek (Ptuj). Project “Jugend schreibt” with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ. With the support of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje, Coordination/Photos: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB; GeMo.

After Ljubljana, Celje and Maribor – the fourth exhibition of the Slovenian pages of the “Youth Writes” project, now at the Discimus Lab Institute in Videm pri Ptuju. Discover Slovenia in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ. Opening on 16. 4. 2024, with Brane Kolednik, Mayor of the Municipality Videm, with Robert Murko, Headmaster of the Primary School of the village, with project teacher and moderator of the event, Damjana Hliš, with schoolgirls, people portrayed in the FAZ, and with citizens of the large municipality of Videm. An event organised with the support of the Slovenian Tourist Board/STO; Projekt Management, -Presentation and Photos: Dr. Monica R. Hühner and Dr. Gerald Hühner, INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB.

A day of research at HIŠA FRANKO in Kobarid, – where, according to legend, Ernest Hemingway wrote his novel “A Farewell to Arms” and where Ana Roš Stojan,has been writing a new culinary chapter in Slovenia with 3 Michelin stars since 2023.
Mit Einblicken in ihre Küche, und mit Gesprächen mit Head-Chef Yvonne Simon. Mit einer Präsentation von frischen Produkten und von ausgefeilter Küchentechnik von Sous-Chef Jure Ramšak. Mit Informationen zu Geschichte und Arbeitsalltag durch Executiv Assistant Manca Istinic. With a look into the wine cellar, organised by Anja Skrbinek/Beverage Manager and sommelier Lukasz Mielnicki. And with a guided tour of the house and garden by Service Manager Tilen Jurič, who also introduces the tradition of cheese making at HIŠA FRANKO.
A project day as part of the “Youth writes” projecte with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ, with student journalists Viktoria Navodnik, Urh Štrakl (Celje) and Tin Šoškič (Maribor). Under the patronage of the Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje; Concept/Coordination and Photos ©: INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB, GeMo Hühner.

Discover Slovenia in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung/FAZ:
Reception of the Slovenian “Jugend schreibt” (Youth writes) working group at the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport in Ljubljana. State Secretary Dejan Židan welcomes the pupils and teachers from Celje, Maribor and Videm pri Ptuju. Then Dubravka Kalin,Head of the Department of Tourism, Rebeka K Bizjak, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board/STO in Germany, and Karmen Grebenc Burger, Managing Director of the Slovenian Tourism Association/TZS inform the working group about their area of responsibility.
Pupils/Students present their Jugend schreibt projects. The project day was organised by Gregor Deleja for the patron of the Slovenian FAZ project Municipality of Celje / Mestna Občina Celje. Concept/Coordination and Photos (c): INSTITUT DISCIMUS LAB; GeMo.