SLOVENIA'S 5 CORE VALUES

One Sunday morning when Maja was one year old, her parents dressed her in a blue dress and put her in her first sandals. The dress was a gift from her grandmother. They went to the village photographer, Mr Viktor, who had been recording important moments in village life for decades.

In our country, too, there was a belief that important events should be preserved in a dignified way, not only in memory but also in photographs.

Viktor's workshop always smelled of photographs. Old pictures of weddings, baptisms, anniversaries and group portraits of firefighters, choirs and school classes hung on its walls. Mr Viktor always had a variety of backdrops ready: a floral background for the children, darker fabric for the more serious portraits, plus a small wooden table and plush toys that could make even the most serious toddler smile. When he sat Maya down on the highchair and gently waved a colourful handkerchief at her, she laughed, and in that moment a photograph was taken that later became part of the family story.

This photo was important not just because it was beautiful or professional. It was part of a chain of memories that would not break. The family often sat on the wood stove at Grandma and Grandpa's house, flipping through old albums on Sundays. Grandma took each photograph in her hands with reverence. On the back of each one there were notes: the names of the people in the photograph, the years, the events, and sometimes even a short thought or a note next to it about who had taken the picture and why it was important.

»This is us on our wedding day,« she said. »This is your grandfather when he was a young boy. And here is his father.« The photographs were not only pictures of faces, but also bridges between generations. They taught us who we are and where we come from. They taught us to respect our heritage and the language in which the stories were written.

Even today, when Grandma and Grandpa are gone, these photos still live on. Family gathers around them, conversations flow and memories are intertwined with new stories. And just as my ancestors did, I am creating family albums today. On the back of each photo I write the details: who is in the picture, when and why it was taken. I believe that in doing so, I am not only preserving a memory, but also a sense of belonging to those who will come after us.

Belonging gives us roots, but it also teaches us to be open. When we respect our heritage, it is easier to learn about others. And that is where the greatest value lies.

The photo is me 44 years ago. Wow, how many memories this photo brings back. And how many new ones we have created in the meantime. The many events, turning points and beautiful and not so beautiful things that have crossed our paths in life, but are an important indicator of our common path and story. 

Maja Grošelj, 2. 1. 2026