A Toast as the inspiration for a video to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Slovenian statehood and the taking over of the presidency of the Council of the EU

A Toast as the inspiration for a video to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Slovenian statehood and the taking over of the presidency of the Council of the EU

On the 30th anniversary of Slovenian statehood and the second Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, A Toast has been brought to life in a video directed by Mitja Okorn.

A Toast brought directed by Mitja Okorn ©Government Communication Office

The renowned Slovenian director Mitja Okorn, who was entrusted with the task of producing a promotional video for the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, found inspiration in the poem A Toast (Zdravljica) from 1844 and its timeless message. Through a selection of archive footage the director presents the fundamental idea of European integration, which is living in peace or, as France Prešeren wrote: No more shall foes, but neighbours be (translated by Janko Lavrin).

A Toast consists of eight stanzas and the seventh forms the lyrics of the Slovenian national anthem. The author of A Toast is Romantic poet France Prešeren, whose outstanding opus put Slovenian poetry on the literary map of Europe. Today, Prešeren is considered one of the greatest Slovenian poets. In 2020, the European Commission awarded A Toast the European Heritage Label, thus including it among the most important monuments that tell the history of the European idea and integration.

Together we have achieved a lot, but nothing should be taken for granted

The main priority of the Slovenian Presidency is to, together with all EU member states, strengthen the resilience of European integration to crises and future challenges. The promotional video highlights the crises and challenges Europe has faced to date: from the post-war rebuilding, the beginnings of integration, first Western Europe then Eastern Europe, to the financial crisis, mass migrations, Brexit and the pandemic.

Steadfast cooperation despite these difficult times shows the greatness and the breadth of the European idea, which significantly affects day-to-day life in the European Union and beyond. The message of the promotional video is that we have achieved a lot, but nothing should be taken for granted. We must continue to strive for the preservation of our fundamental values and persevere in seeking peaceful resolutions to future challenges.

International cooperation of musicians

The music arrangement of A Toast was made by Polish composer Lukasz Targosz, who has collaborated with Okorn many times in the past and is internationally renowned for his film music. In the video, A Toast is performed by the Slovenian a cappella choir Perpetuum Jazzile.