The City of Ljubljana received the “Volunteer-Friendly City” award. The award ceremony was organised in the scope of the 15th Volunteer Festival at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture.

The City of Ljubljana is a great supporter of volunteerism and promotes development, organisation and quality implementation of the volunteer work in various ways. This is also evident from its long-standing financial support for numerous volunteer organisations and its free-of-charge rental of facilities. The Health and Social Care Department of the City of Ljubljana also contributed its publication in the series entitled “Ljubljana – A Healthy City” “Prostovoljna Ljubljana – prijaznejša Ljubljana”.

The volunteerism in Ljubljana is present in various fields; volunteers are active in volunteer fire departments, the protection and rescue system, different cultural and sport events and in protection of environment and animals. Their activities contribute to better welfare of the local population on one hand, while on the other they also help the young and the elderly and offer support to the most vulnerable groups.

Association SOS helpline for women and children – victims of violence, also a volunteer organisation, recognised the City of Ljubljana as the municipality which gives the volunteerism a special place. In the light of this, it put forward the City of Ljubljana as the candidate for the “2014 Volunteer-Friendly City” award of Slovenian Philanthropy – Association for promotion of voluntary work.

The aim of the “Volunteer-Friendly City” award is to highlight those municipalities that recognise the importance of volunteer work of their citizens for the life in their community, appreciate their work, support volunteer organisations and assign a part of municipal funds to the development of volunteerism in their area.

After a detailed review of all applications, the panel of experts took the decision and awarded the City of Ljubljana the complimentary title »Volunteer-Friendly City« in 2014.