NEWS

Prime Minister Pahor attends 2010 Hero of Slovenia Award Ceremony "Brave and noble acts my serve as inspiration and example to other people"

The Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor today hosted the reception for the finalists of the 2010 Hero of Slovenia project where he addressed the participants gathered for this occasion and presented the plaques and awarded Rok Vori the main prize, the 2010 Hero of Slovenia Prize.

  

In his address, Mr Pahor said that upon becoming acquainted with the purpose of the project, he gladly assumed the patronage, since this is an opportunity to make the society aware of individuals who at a certain moment are prepared to take a bold and noble action. He added that "such individuals may serve as an inspiration and example to other people". "This is an important initiative, which contributes to the much needed optimistic belief that we are living in a society still capable of offering help in critical circumstances. Quite often, though, we miss such a noble conduct, particularly with people in distress, whom we would like to help, but are not in a position to do so", said the Slovenian Prime Minister.

   

Mr Pahor concluded his address by summarizing that "there are still people who through their swift and brave action, have helped their fellow human beings, saved their lives or in any other way mitigated their problems. Such people deserve our special attention and awards."

  

After the award announcement, the 2010 Hero of Slovenia, the 16-year-old Rok Vori, who had incapacitated his neighbour who had attacked his partner and her daughter with an axe, said that the award meant a lot to him and that he was very proud of himself. The other finalists of the initiative were Aleš Hren for saving a child's life by applying the Heimlich manoeuvre, Katja Klinar for saving four boys from a heavy thunderstorm in the mountains, Mitja Perša for pulling a women, trying to commit suicide, out of a river, Uroš Šoštarič and Rado Pistor who had saved a woman from being raped, as well as Jože Glač and Horst Hafner for saving a young mother and her two children from the car in a river.