President of the Republic of Slovenia visiting LifeClass hotels

The President of the Republic, Dr Danilo Türk attended the XIV. scientific conference on Management in Education and Schooling – Challenges of Management for Diversity, which was held on Monday, 29 March 2010 at the Slovenija hotel. In his opening speech he said that diversity is important for the pedagogical process and for society as a whole. He emphasised that in its organisation and processes, each community faces diversity as well as searching for common points, which are required for its progress. He mentioned the European Union and other examples of communities which are based on diversity, and added that management of diversity can be a demanding process.

The President then emphasised the necessity of optimism, without which he believes there can be no progress. He illustrated this with the examples of adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which among other acknowledges the children the right to freedom of expression. He pointed out that these important documents would not have been adopted without an optimistic attitude, which prevailed in the discussion.

The President welcomed the decision of the conference organisers, who stressed fairness as the central value for assessing the respect for diversity. The President indicated fairness as the basic value in the pedagogical process. One of the most practical and most important methods in ensuring fairness and adequate management of diversity is, according to the President, the prevention of stigmatisation. Namely, in a socially stratified, and culturally and linguistically diversified society, stigmatisation quickly arises. It can be very obstinate and needs to be persistently abolished, warned the