1. PRIME MINISTER SPEECH
I'm very pleased to be here. And for one very simple reason.
This is where people do more than talk; here they build the
future.
The old saying that the world rests on the youth must once
again be brought to the fore. Young people with courage,
entrepreneurial spirit and creativity can match all their peers
around the globe.
While many indicators suggest our decline in a number of
areas, it is thanks to you, the headmasters, teachers and all
those working in schools that we still rank very highly on the
European scale when it comes to the knowledge gained by our
young people in primary and secondary schools.
However, we now face the challenges of the future. The world
around us has changed. Today, we are looking at new ways of
communicating, new ways of learning, new ways of working.
We compete and work in a different environment where value is
placed on being open, thinking outside the box, innovation,
connecting, interaction, courage, action and tenacity. Mere
knowledge is unfortunately no longer enough for the success
and future of individuals and society. Neither are knowledge
and hard work alone enough for young people to find jobs.

2. We need a new generation that will be creative, that knows how
to access information and link their knowledge. We need self-
confident individuals who can think, make decisions and be
proactive.
The future of Slovenia rests on our common ability to form open
individuals with the social skills of connecting and
communicating who can build international links, see
opportunities, seize them and follow them through. They are
focused on finding solutions, dare to take risks and accept
responsibility for their own future. At the same time, they have
tenacity and the ability to learn from their failures. This is being
entrepreneurial.
Our school system, which you are a part of, plays a key role in
this. The educational process must help young people improve
their social skills, make them open to the environment and able
to integrate with the so-called real world so that they can enter it
fully prepared as soon as they finish their schooling. We should
support the uniqueness of individuals, seek out and encourage
new talents. We should look for the good in young people rather
than build around the bad. They should be supplied with more
tools and fewer facts. Young people are preoccupied with areas

3. they are not good at whereas schools should be helping them
on their educational path to recognise and shine with their own
talents. We need independent individuals who can take care of
their future and cope and compete successfully in the new
world.
In order for change to happen, we first need to change
ourselves. That’s why we need to change our working methods
and values. If we want our school system to produce open, self-
confident individuals who are able to integrate with the real
world they are going to enter, the first step is to change the
system itself. Schools should open up to and integrate with the
local and international community.
I support initiatives such as "Centres". This project embodies
everything that the future requires of us. Integration with the
wider geographic region involving 8 countries. Its key aim is to
connect students, teachers and schools with businesses and
the local community. It is about building social skills as a
prerequisite for interaction with others, observing the
environment and looking for ideas and opportunities. I firmly
believe the supply of such opportunities is vast.

4. As for myself, I have fought for one thing only since taking office
as Prime Minister: to optimistically embrace everything that will
make our lives better.
I would like us to work together to create a new generation of
individuals who will be courageous, creative and
entrepreneurial; focused on looking for opportunities and
solutions. This is how we can provide them as well as Slovenia
with a better future.