As part of the visit, Žmavc met with representatives of the two umbrella Slovenian minority organisations, the Council of Slovenian Organisations and the Slovenian Cultural and Economic Association, and other cultural, economic and scientific institutions in the city.

Žmavc also toured several major media outlets in the city and met the councillor of the Friuli Venezia Giulia regional government Gianni Torrenti, who oversees regional cultural policy and contacts with the Slovenian minority.

In an interview with Primorski dnevnik, the Slovenian language paper based in Trieste, Žmavc said that there was important progress in ties between Slovenia and the minority in Italy in recent years.

The Slovenian minority deserves praise for being able to preserve strong cooperation with Slovenia and for integrating well in the life of Trieste.

Its contribution to protecting the Slovenian language, identity and culture are great, the minister assessed.

He also said that there was a lack of awareness of the situation of the minority in Slovenia and that improving awareness - along with working for better conditions for the minority in cooperation with all stakeholders - was a key priority for his office.