90th anniversary concert
As part of the celebrations for our 90th anniversary, a number of different projects and events have been planned so that this milestone can be marked in a range of ways. One of the highlights in our plans for the year took place on 14 November when a huge audience gathered in Cankarjev Dom, Slovenia’s main cultural centre, to enjoy a concert arranged to commemorate this very special occasion.
We were able to welcome an audience of past and current students, those who have been involved in numerous projects from other educational institutions, visitors from other countries who have also made their mark through cooperation with our school, current and previous generations of teachers, and representatives from Slovenian politics.
The show provided something for everyone to enjoy with music and dancing from the 1920s, grand movie soundtracks, jazz standards, and a range of other different styles of music and dance on show. The school choir, orchestra, and dance groups were all on top form as they put forward an evening of entertainment that had the audience roaring with applause.
It should be noted that the groups put together for the occasion all consisted of students from the current generations at our school alongside those who had attended Gimnazija Vic at some point through its history. This allowed current musicians and dancers to perform with those who have made their mark in the world of music at an international level.
There was also the opportunity to hear from those who wished to celebrate the occasion with us. The mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković, took to the stage to congratulate us on this anniversary and to pay tribute to our many achievements over the years.
The evening came to a close with the audience joining in with a rousing rendition of a well known Slovenian melody which had a new set of lyrics written to mark the special occasion. This moment which brought the performers on stage and those who were viewing the show together was a perfect end as it allowed everyone to share the sense of celebration.
In addition to the event but with the celebration in mind, we would like to thank those who sent words of congratulations to our school for our 90th anniversary. We were delighted to receive a message from Slovenia’s representative on the European Commission who offered her congratulations for our anniversary. Also, the messages from other schools and political figures were greatly appreciated.
One of the great things about the event was being joined in the hall by those who had travelled from other countries to be with us for our celebration. Teachers from Italy and Spain, and Mr Lennart Krantz, a former headmaster of Åva Gymnasium in Stockholm, a school with which we have had a partnership for almost twenty years joined us for the celebration.
In his words to the group of teachers who met before the event itself, Mr Krantz congratulated Gimnazija Vic for its values and ambitions in terms of international cooperation. His short speech contained this message:
The most important task for a school is to raise true democrats. Today, there are winds in the world blowing in a totally different direction. One way to stop these political ideas is to create possibilities for the better understanding of each other. Gimnazija Vič has, over the years, built a resistance movement by promoting international exchanges and contacts between schools in the world. I am happy and proud to be part of this network – where we create together a more tolerant and democratic world for everyone. The thing is not to be the best school in the world – it is to be the best school for the world. Thank you, Gimnazija Vič, for your valuable contribution and congratulations!
With all of this sense of pride and joy, special thanks must go to the team behind the concert which acted as such a focal point for the year’s celebrations. All of the presenters, performers, backstage crew, and technical team deserve our thanks, in particular Marija Mihevc, Jana Ozimek, and Tadeja Rudolf Vahtar, the team of teachers who worked so hard to make sure that the night was such an overwhelming success.