The Slovenia Times

An Attractive European Capital to Live and Work

Nekategorizirano

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The workshop organized by the director and editor of the magazine Podjetnik (The Entrepreneur), Joze Vilfan, was held on 23rd November at the Pri Zabarju restaurant. The event was a small part of a larger project "Ljubljana - an Attractive and Successful European Capital", which is attempting to produce a set of strategies for Ljubljana to make full use of its tourist, economic, social and urban potential. To this aim, the project intends to draw on the views of foreigners who live and work in Ljubljana and on a synthesis of Europe's best practices in the field. The finished product will then be submitted to the city's municipal administration. Among the participants who contributed to the debate were golf instructor Peter J. Waller and entrepreneur Robert Safaric from the UK, American Glenn Mosher - QSI director, Australians Louise Chatwood, financial advisor, and former businessman Rob Crawford. The non-English speaking world was represented by Chinese artist Huiqin Wang, Italian businessman Luca Mocenni, German healer Dominik Golenhofen, and the Slovenia Times' Brane Krajnik. The workshop was chaired by Joze Vilfan, the project creator. A set of very general questions started proceedings: why had the speakers come to live and work in Ljubljana and had their expectations been fulfilled?; what measures should be taken so that Ljubljana would truly become "an international city"?; and what urgent changes needed to be implemented in order for our capital to reveal its full potential to foreign investors and tourists? The participants' motivations for coming to Slovenia were quite similar: they were looking for a non-saturated market, where there was room for innovation and where they could share their Western experience with people willing to learn from foreigners. But more often than not unexpected obstacles made the realization of this vision problematic: a burdensome bureaucracy, the inertia of the official administrative system and, most surprisingly, people's fear of cooperation, exchange, assuming responsibility and taking on new challenges. This is what prevented Peter Waller from successfully carrying on his business, Glenn Mosher to get the QSI accredited by the Ministry of Education, in spite of QSI having moved its headquarters to Ljubljana, and Dominik Golenhofen to get his healing practice recognized by the medical authorities. At the beginning, the debate looked rather like a brainstorming of criticism about the average Slovenian's approach to foreigners, work and social change. Gradually, the focus of the discussion moved on to more burning issues such as the business opportunities Slovenia offers to creative entrepreneurs, strategies to develop tourism and the improvements that can be brought to Ljubljana's urban infrastructure and ambience. Speakers made noteworthy remarks about Slovenia as a gateway to the former Yugoslavian countries, a "wild west" for business enthusiasts and an exciting market, which needs to be well promoted. The organizer's proposal that tourism could be an important form of income generation met with general pessimism, motivated by poor services and the dearth of accommodation, quality bed and breakfasts and effective marketing. Peter Waller stressed that in order to become a tourist centre, Ljubljana would need a charismatic visionary to make it look attractive and unique. Suggestions were made about the improvements the city needs: trams, park&ride services, electronic information points for tourists, development of small shops, more colourful and cheerful looking buildings, better upkeep and utilisation of the river, "stop&shop" services. Last, but not least, Rob Crawford stated that a synagogue and a mosque would be a welcome addition for long-term residents and newer immigrants who, in one way or another, contribute to the society. The occasionally bitter tone of criticism that could be felt during the debate soothed towards the end of the discussion: speakers agreed that there was a general, indefinable and unquantifiable "feel good" factor about Ljubljana and Slovenia. It may be the variety of the cultural life, or the lack of truly problematic traffic jams, or the feeling of an unhurried life, or even all of these things combined that made Peter Waller say "I feel on holiday here". We hope that this workshop will generate further practical and concrete ideas, which will help Mr Vilfan's project resonate loudly in the urban strategies of the city's new mayor.

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