SIAE Awards for Outstanding Achievements in Lifelong Learning

We want to encourage participation in learning, as only empowered individuals can change themselves and the world for the better. Learning has an important effect on personal and social life of individuals. It influences their health, employability, the learning ability of their children, their savings at the end of their life and the development of their environment. Through their endeavours, they change themselves, their closest relatives and friends, their neighbourhood, their community and the society in general.

For the second year in a row, we are presenting awards in each statistical region — that is, to twelve individuals and groups selected by expert committees from each region. From among them, the general public selects the BEST Lifelong Learning Story for each year through an online vote.

Through 2028, the Awards are part of the project Raising awareness, communicating with different audiences and encouraging greater involvement in lifelong learning (shortened to Awareness-raising for Lifelong Learning). The investment is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). The initiative is governed by the SIAE Rules for Awarding Recognitions.

In January, we hold our first meeting with the award recipients and conduct interviews to gather their life stories. In March, we film videos with them; in April, we prepare them for release so that we can premiere them to the public in May — at the LLW national opening. During the LLW, the general public votes online to select the BEST Lifelong Learning Story of the current year from among all Award recipients.

We invite Award recipients to participate in various events (conferences, study visits, Festival of the third age, etc.), offering them the opportunity to share their learning experiences with others.