World Bee Day 2026

As a pioneer of urban beekeeping in Slovenia, Cankarjev dom joins in the celebrations of the 9th World Bee Day (20 May), whose main purpose is to raise awareness of the importance of bees and other pollinators for humanity, food security, elimination of global hunger, environmental protection and biodiversity. Bees are pollinators of most plants and an important link to the natural balance and existence of life on Earth. Slovenia has exceptionally high bee diversity, with as many as 564 bee species recorded to date. In Slovenia, legislation permits beekeeping exclusively with the native Carniolan honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica).

Urban beekeeping at Cankarjev dom was launched fifteen years ago, on 1 April 2011 when so-called stacked beehives were first installed on one of the cultural centre’s roof terraces on the initiative of Cankarjev dom’s employee Franc Petrovčič, a recipient of the Anton Janša Decoration (III and II Order). The quality of the honey made by bees on Cankarjev dom’s roof for over a decade is assessed and validated by a reference laboratory in Bremen where the honey is sent for an annual analysis. Cankarjev dom holds the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association Certificate of Entry into the Register of Producers of Slovenian Honey with a Protected Designation of Origin (SMGO). 

The annual honey harvest at CD depends on the number of bee families and the weather conditions when the flowers are in full bloom. Nevertheless, CD tends to produce 20 kilograms of honey per bee family each year. This spring, six families of Carniolan bees are buzzing in their beehives on our roof. While this year’s unpredictable spring weather, from severe heat to prolonged rain and lower temperatures, has impacted the development and yield of bee families, climate change has been radically affecting the development of bee families over a period of several years. 

In 2025, the rooftop apiary at Cankarjev dom was awarded the “Child-Friendly Apiary” designation. We are proud that our apiary has been recognized as a safe and welcoming environment for children, enabling us to contribute to educating and raising awareness among younger generations about beekeeping and the vital role bees play in the environment.

Educating young people is one of the key missions of Cankarjev dom. Through its programmes, the institution offers high-quality cultural and artistic content alongside educational activities, while also promoting awareness of the importance of living in harmony with nature, environmental and nature conservation, sustainable development, and the reduction of harmful environmental impacts through exhibitions and other events.

Cankarjev dom’s Programme on 9th World Bee Day and 15th anniversary of beekeeping at Cankarjev dom, on Wednesday, 20 May 2026
 

For CD employees
9:00 am
Cankarjev dom’s Slovenian Breakfast in the Grand Reception Hall. We will serve the honey harvested by Cankarjev dom, bread, and honey lemonade. 

10:00 am
Grand Reception Hall – a speech by Director General Jure Novak marking the 15th anniversary of beekeeping at Cankarjev dom, followed by a brief presentation by our beekeeper Franci Petrovčič on urban beekeeping, the hives on the CD rooftop terrace, challenges, results, and more.

For CD employees and the general public

11:00 am and 17:00 pm
Guided Tour of Beehives on the Roof of Cankarjev dom 
Conducted by Franci Petrovčič, CD beekeeper 
Meeting point CD reception desk, entrance from Prešernova Street
Applications: zvezdana.lazar@cd-cc.si

Bees have been coexisting with culture on the roof of Cankarjev dom for fifteen years, making CD one of the first urban beekeepers in Slovenia. Cankarjev dom's honey is of high quality and has been certified as Slovenian honey with a protected geographical indication.
Cankarjev dom is a member of Ljubljana’s Bee Path, a project launched in 2015 and run by the Municipality of Ljubljana.   
 

Urbani Čebelar Society and Ljubljana’s Bee Path

Cankarjev dom is a co-initiator of Urbani Čebelar (Urban Beekeeper), a society dedicated to raising awareness about bees, fostering apiculture and responsible urban beekeeping. Cankarjev dom is also a member of Ljubljana’s Bee Path, a project launched in 2015 by the Municipality of Ljubljana. The Path is managed by the City of Ljubljana through various activities (postponing mowing; planting aromatic plants and herbs and native honey plants and trees; monitoring of wild pollinators; Swarm Shelter; the API Preschool Educational Programme) and the active involvement of its members. It is dedicated to the well-being of urban bees and raising awareness about the importance of bees in our ecosystem.

About the World Bee Day 

In December 2017, the UN General Assembly accepted Slovenia’s proposal and declared 20 May as World Bee Day. 
In 2014, the President of the Beekeeping Association of Slovenia, Boštjan Noč, proposed that the United Nations proclaim 20 May as World Bee Day.
On 20 December 2017, following three years of international efforts, the UN Member States unanimously approved Slovenia’s proposal and 20 May was proclaimed World Bee Day. In 2015, the initiative was unanimously supported in South Korea by the world beekeeping organisation Apimondia (International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations). 
20 May is also the birthday of Anton Janša (1734–73), the most outstanding figure of Slovenian beekeeping and the pioneer of modern beekeeping. Anton Janša was the first beekeeping teacher at the Viennese imperial court of the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa. In the 18th century, he completely revised the theretofore beekeeping methods based on his findings and laid the foundations of modern beekeeping. He gained renown for his work already during his lifetime. After 1775, all national beekeeping teachers had to employ his teaching methods. 

Population of Bees and Other Pollinators Declining Drastically

Scientific studies conducted by United Nations and the International Union for Conservation of Nature have shown that bees are increasingly threatened by the growing number of negative impacts on their health. Many of these harmful effects result from human activities, including intensive agriculture, the widespread use of pesticides, and environmental pollution. Bees are continually exposed to new diseases and pests, and their natural habitat has been shrinking due to the growing human population. Furthermore, the survival and development of bees and other pollinators are also increasingly affected by climate change. Bees need clean air, water and a clean environment. 
The Čmrljica Association is a Slovenian organization dedicated to the protection of pollinators. Its main goal is to raise awareness of their importance, diversity, endangerment, and conservation. It focuses primarily on wild pollinators, including bumblebees, solitary bees, hoverflies, butterflies, certain beetles, and wasps.
These pollinators are responsible for more than half of all pollination, yet they are increasingly threatened by food shortages, loss of nesting sites, pesticide use, and climate change. Their protection is crucial for preserving biodiversity and ensuring human food security.

Slovenia at the Top of the World in Number of Beekeepers per Capita

With one in every five residents involved in beekeeping, Slovenia ranks among the leading European Union Member States in terms of the number of beekeepers per capita. For tens of thousands of Slovenians, beekeeping is a way of life with a long tradition, and the bee, especially the autochthonous Carniolan bee, is part of the Slovenian national identity. As many as three percent of all Slovenian beekeepers, with more than 4500 hives, are located in the area of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. Slovenia is the first EU Member State that provided legal protection to bees. In 2011, Slovenia was one of the first countries in the EU to prohibit the use of certain pesticides most harmful to bees.

On 22 April 2024, at the European Beekeepers' Association EBA's Elective Assembly, the President of the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association, Boštjan Noč, was elected as the first President of the Slovenia-based European Beekeepers' Association. One of the objectives of European Beekeeping Association (EBA) is to develop effective measures to completely eliminate counterfeit honey from the European market.

Bees play an important role in nature, ensuring the existence of humanity. Slovenians are well aware of their exceptional mission, which is why beekeeping is so strongly grounded in our tradition.

Cankarjev dom’s Sustainable Goals 

Cankarjev dom is committed to the United Nations’ 11th Sustainable Development Goal. Through the planting of honey-producing plants, urban beekeeping, and the maintenance of the park areas in the Council of Europe Park, which is home to 200-year-old trees, we promote the concept of sustainable cities and communities. As pollinators of three-quarters of the world’s crops, bees have several characteristics in common with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which envisions a world free of hunger and an end to environmental degradation. The contribution of bee pollination in promoting sustainable development goals through food security and biodiversity is widely acknowledged.

Sustainability also at Micro Level

Striving to operate sustainably, we believe that important common goals can be achieved by taking small steps, which is why this year, for the second time, Cankarjev dom joined in the celebrations of World Earth Day, the largest global event aimed at raising awareness and taking action on key environmental issues, held this year under the slogan "Our Planet, Our Power". This year's topic was the Global Call for Climate Action. To mark this occasion, we held a plant exchange event for employees and distributed 1000 litres of compost to employees and visitors. We held a presentation on tree species in the Council of Europe Park with Dr. Blanka Ravnjak from the University Botanic Gardens Ljubljana, and screened the film Agatha’s Almanac. The screening was followed by a discussion with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Primož Simončič from the Slovenian Forestry Institute, Department of Forest Ecology.

Cankarjev dom regularly organises a sustainable event for its employees, Cankarjeva izmenjevalnica (“Cankarjev dom Exchange Point”), where employees exchange useful old items, bit and pieces. Cankarjeva izmenjevalnica is a project based on fair exchange, promoting solidarity and respect for nature; it is a space for raising awareness about the importance of reuse, responsibility towards fellow human beings and the environment. Items that do not find a new owner are taken to the local reuse centre. 

Cankarjev dom employees are encouraged to cycle to work. Cankarjev dom, alongside its employee cycling team “Cankar je zakon,” has joined the national initiative “Polni zagona,” launched by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy of Slovenia, the IPoP – Institute for Spatial Policies, and the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia. Seeking to reduce the percentage of food waste, Cankarjev dom has come to an arrangement with its outsourced caterers, Jezeršek and Vivo catering, regarding leftover food at events. Leftovers are distributed among employees, guests and charity organisations (Karitas Ljubljana). Together, we are proving that events can also be organised in a "food conscious" way. 

The use of promotional materials, such as banners, has been reduced by half over the past six years, and the materials currently in use are recycled. Old posters are repurposed into cushions and other products under the label “New Life for Old Posters,” which has become a recognizable feature of events held in the park. In our shop, we sell unique products created in collaboration with local businesses and artisans, reflecting the quality and tradition of Slovenian craftsmanship.

Cankarjev dom has been entrusted with the management of the Council of Europe Park, whose protected trees form part of Slovenia’s natural heritage and serve as a valuable “oxygen factory” in a densely populated urban environment. The park is home to ten tree species, with nearly half of its trees being over 230 years old. We integrate the park’s green setting into our programming, as it serves as a venue for outdoor events ranging from lectures and concerts to receptions. It is also one of the venues for the Children’s Book Festival and the Jazz Festival Ljubljana.

This year, Cankarjev dom joined the group of companies, institutions, and organizations that, by obtaining the “Tap Water” certification, promote the protection of water resources and environmental stewardship. With this certification, Cankarjev dom has committed to offering tap water instead of bottled or plastic-bottled water across its premises and at events, wherever possible. Given that Cankarjev dom welcomes nearly half a million visitors annually and hosts more than 2,500 events per year (an average of six per day), this represents a significant and necessary step.

A public drinking fountain has been installed in Cankarjev dom’s Grand Reception Hall with the aim of reducing the consumption of bottled water, which creates waste and consumes energy for production and transport. We promote the use of personal reusable bottles and thus a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.