Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Labour and Sport Dr. Anže Logar |Author Klemen Golob

The one-day national conference, the Slovenian Global Forum, was opened today, 9 June 2026, by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Labour and Sport Anže Logar, who stated: "Slovenia lives globally. Last year, we exported more than 72 billion euros worth of goods to foreign markets. The data show that Slovenian expertise and products stand comparison with the very best in the world." At the same time, however, he cautioned: "In the structure of our exports, we must increase the share of products with higher added value and significantly expand the exports of services. The time has come for us to become an export-oriented economy driven by the development of our own solutions."

The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tone Kajzer, stressed: "Slovenia is a small country, yet our entrepreneurs, researchers, innovators and athletes prove every day that a country's size is no barrier to global ambition. Quite the contrary – the greatest achievements emerge where courage, knowledge and perseverance are present. This is why economic diplomacy is one of our key priorities, as we seek to align diplomacy even more closely with the needs of the economy and deliver tangible results in foreign markets." The event brought together more than 400 participants from the business community, diplomacy and business support institutions.

The success of Slovenian athletes strengthens the country's international visibility. Whether companies can leverage this visibility to expand into foreign markets was the central theme of this year's event.

Minister of the Economy, Labour and Sport Anže Logar stressed: "Reputation does not build itself, and this is precisely where sport can serve as a compelling ambassador." Sport is an instrument of soft power and economic diplomacy. At the same time, the achievements of top athletes can also serve as a model for us: "A top athlete is not someone who merely executes – they are a creator who pushes the boundaries of what is possible. This is also the path that the Slovenian economy must take: from a society of executors to a society of creators. What we need is the courage to aim higher and an environment that rewards this courage rather than hinders it. Our task is to remove obstacles to development and create a country where it is worth being the best in the world. Because Slovenia plays in the top league on the global stage.Today it is up to us to step onto that stage as competitors who have come to win," he concluded.

This year's keynote speaker, Dr J. Simon Rofe, Professor of Sports Diplomacy and Management (Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University), highlighted the importance of sport in the field of diplomacy. Sport is often precisely the element that can connect different countries, institutions and organisations. "Sport diplomacy enables countries, federations, regions, teams and individuals to showcase their values, capabilities and opportunities, including commercial aspects." It achieves this by harnessing the power of sport to communicate, represent and negotiate in both the sporting and diplomatic arenas." He also quoted Nelson Mandela: "Sport has the power to change the world."

In the panel discussion titled Slovenia's Winning Brand: Sport as a Platform for Global Expansion, featuring Alenka Potočnik Anžič (Hisense Europe), Leon Korošec (Elan Group) and Matej Avanzo (Sportanzo), speakers noted that sporting achievements are not always easy to capitalise on, but they bring significant benefits. Sport and the economy are connected primarily through shared values. Athletes as individuals represent exceptional marketing potential that products alone cannot surpass.

It does not matter that Slovenia is a small country; what matters is what it has to offer. Visibility is built through differentiation and authenticity. In sport, we are undoubtedly at the very top. Athletes and sporting events place Slovenia on the global map, both in formal and in more informal settings. It would, however, make sense to link this more purposefully into a coherent strategy, and there are also numerous opportunities for development in the field of sponsorship management.

With a strategic outlook to the future, two markets of opportunities were highlighted at the event: Sub-Saharan Africa, represented by the Ambassador in Addis Ababa, and Central Asia, which is covered from Moscow. The European Union's Global Gateway initiative was presented in more detail, which represents an opportunity for companies to participate in a wide range of development and infrastructure projects around the world. The initiative brings together instruments of development assistance, internationalisation, export support and development financing.

Two-time downhill world champion Ilka Štuhec inspired the audience with her story. Her decision to take up downhill skiing, which until then had not been considered a Slovenian strength, was driven by her love for the sport. She emphasised that behind every success there is a team, and she repaid their support in the best possible way through strong results. In the conversation, she touched not only on her victories but also on her setbacks, during which she received help from individuals in the business community. "In life, we are faced with exactly the challenges we are capable of overcoming," she believes. After her career, she will likely remain connected to sport, but is open to all opportunities. She believes that Slovenia could make even better use of its connection with sport, and that it has enormous potential.

Sara Vehovec (Zavarovalnica Triglav) spoke about building partnerships, which they see as the foundation of their communication strategy. Sport carries an emotional charge that helps tell stories. In this context, it is essential that they choose to cooperate only with partners with whom they share common values.

Dr Andraž Vehovar (Berk-Vehovar Composites) spoke about the company’s beginnings in the production of cycling saddles. The aim was to create ultra-light products that would stand out for their design while remaining affordable for customers. They sell their products in 70 countries around the world, with more than half of their sales going to Asia. In their work, they do not imitate others, but follow their own path.

Luka Železnik (KingsBox) argued that the Slovenian market is too small for a start-up business, which is why he chose Italy as the first market for his sports equipment. Even today, 60 per cent of their products are made in Slovenia. Along the way, they realised that it was not enough to sell a product – they needed to offer a complete gym-fit-out experience. They have expanded into 42 countries worldwide, where Slovenian athletes also help them build brand recognition.

The afternoon part of the event consisted of bilateral meetings. This year, entrepreneurs had the opportunity to meet with 42 economic advisers who work within Slovenia's diplomatic missions abroad and cover 82 foreign markets. Economic advisers from abroad, representatives of the SPIRIT Slovenia public agency, the Slovene Enterprise Fund, SID Bank, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia, and business clubs at home and abroad were available to provide information in their respective areas of work.

Tamara Zajec Balažič, Director of SPIRIT Slovenia, said: "Through its national campaignI feel Slovenia.Green.Creative.Smart. SPIRIT Slovenia has been promoting Slovenia and its businesses in foreign markets for many years. We see sport as an effective platform for strengthening international visibility and trust in Slovenia. This is why this year we entered into a partnership with our elite athlete Domen Prevc, as we believe that together we will further strengthen Slovenia's visibility as a country of knowledge, innovation, perseverance and outstanding achievements. In this context, the Slovenian Global Forum is an important event both for companies and for business support institutions, as it encourages networking, the exchange of knowledge and stronger cooperation in the internationalisation of the Slovenian economy."

The Slovenian Global Forum is a one-day national conference on the internationalisation of the Slovenian economy, designed to bring together entrepreneurs, business leaders, advisers, government representatives, and representatives of business support institutions to strengthen the presence of Slovenian businesses in global markets. Since 2018, the event has been organised by the Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Sport in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, the SPIRIT Slovenia public agency, the Slovene Enterprise Fund, SID Bank, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, and the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia.

Through the conference, we are building a strong business ecosystem for investment and strategic partnerships. On the one hand, we bring together leading business figures who have already achieved success on a global scale, and on the other, economic advisers who are closely linked to specific foreign markets. The Slovenian Global Forum offers companies a unique opportunity to network, receive practical advice on operating in foreign markets, and directly enter an ecosystem that enables them to expand globally.