Events 2024

At the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the Municipality of Tolmin organized a memorial in Javorca on October 10 where the main role was played by the young generation which will – based also on the experience of our ancestors – shape the future of this society. All schools in the municipality were invited to reflect on the Great War and the role of Javorca at that time and its message today. Ninth graders of the Primary School France Bevk from Tolmin and Primary School Dušan Munih from Most na Soči, and students of Grammar School Tolmin were preparing for the discussion under the mentorship of Mrs. Denisa Šuler Rutar and Mrs. Vesna Taljat, whilst the professional perspective of the discussion was contributed by the Tolmin parish  priest Mr. Damijan Bajec and the Director of the Tolmin Museum Mrs. Damjana Fortunat Černilogar M.Sc. who is also the author of the monographic publication and the exhibition about the memorial church in Javorca. The event entitled “Kraj evropskega spomina – 100 let kasneje” (Place of European memory – 100 years later) was organized under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Borut Pahor. The participants were addressed by the Mayor of the Municipality of Tolmin, Mr. Uroš Brežan, with the following words: »One hundred years ago the conditions in our region were very different from today. The history should be the teacher of life, but looking back, this cannot always be confirmed. Therefore, it is good to be aware of what happened in the past and to know and feel what is happening today. We have to be aware that the actions and the decisions we make today are the seeds of what will happen in the future we are creating ourselves.«

Young speakers – Zarja Vitez, Anton Kovačič and Vid Eržen from Primary School Most na Soči, Živa Obolnar, Timotej Herman and Žiga Makovec from Primary School Tolmin and Eva Zarli, Jon Pentek, Jure Manfreda, Vitan Bor Gorjan, Tadej Rovšček and Domen Uršič from Grammar School Tolmin – proved themselves as great connoisseurs of Javorca as the place of cohabitation of different nations, cultures and religions during World War I, the Secession architecture of the church and of the universal message of the church. In the end, the speakers draw parallels with the present time and presented their perspectives of the current conditions in Europe and in the world. Javorca, which last December received the prestigious European Heritage Label by the European Commission , does not only represent a memory of World War I, but also a reminder of the senseless military conflicts which are still raging one hundred years from the end of World War I. In spite of different opinions, the young speakers showed empathy for the numerous refugees and also economic migrants, and the desires and appeals for help and resolution of this situation by the international community.

Source: Municipality of Tolmin, www.tolmin.si