From today, Shopping Arena A in BTC City Ljubljana is home to an exhibition of winning works of the Encourage Friendship project, which has been carried out by the Society for Sustainable Development Sobivanje with the support of the BTC Company for already the 10^th consecutive year. This year’s edition of the project, which encourages kindergarten and primary school kids to create artworks on the topic of friendship, was a record-breaking one, as the tender attracted a whopping number of 35,118 kids from 436 kindergartens and primary schools from all across Slovenia. This year’s project will also include the publication of an electronic Encourage Friendship brochure.

With its tender, the Encourage Friendship project in which primary schools and kindergartens from all over Slovenia participate every year strengthens two important values among the youngest – creativity and friendship. By connecting both values, it raises awareness about the importance of nurturing interpersonal relationships. In this year’s 10^th celebratory edition, the project attracted a record-breaking number of participants: 35,118 kids from 436 primary schools and kindergartens from across Slovenia. In the scope of the project, kids created sketches, photos and other artworks on the topic of friendship. Best artworks were put on display for the public to enjoy until the end of May 2022 in BTC City Ljubljana on the underground floor of Shopping Arena A.

Upon the conclusion of the project, Miha Mermal, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer at BTC, said: “At the BTC Company, we have been happy to support the Encourage Friendship project for already the 10^th consecutive year, as this project paints smiles onto the faces of kids and fills them with the energy of friendship. It thrills us that this year’s project once again saw record-breaking participation by kids, kindergartens and primary schools, who altogether once again made new ties and discovered the importance of good interpersonal relationships and friendship.”

Borut Petelin, M.Sc., President of the Sobivanje Society, which organises the project and the tender, said upon the organisation of the exhibition: “The Sobivanje Society puts special focus on social relationships as an important component of sustainable development. This year marks already the 10^th consecutive year of implementing the Encourage Friendship project. The topic is spot on for the kids, as this year’s project saw the participation of 35,118 kids from 436 kindergartens and primary schools. As part of the project, we encourage kids, parents, mentors and coordinators of the project to think about and be actively involved in interpersonal relationships. We want to connect friendship with human kindness, love and helping each other.”

This year, part of the project will also be the electronic brochure Encourage Friendship in which experts will present their views on interpersonal relationships, prepare suggestions of activities for kids and also include some creative artworks the kids made as part of the Encourage Friendship tender.

The Encourage Friendship project is part of the broader programme School of Co-Existence (Šola sobivanja), which joins projects from various fields of sustainable development and strives towards a fair society and a higher quality of life for all. For a number of years, the BTC Company has focused its business operations on sustainable growth and social responsibility. Besides supporting the Encourage Friendship project, the BTC Company alongside with its partners has also supported several other projects with which it creates opportunities for a better tomorrow and a brighter future for us all.