August 23, 2025
Križanke, Ljubljana
Representatives of the Association EPEKA, a social enterprise, will attend a business forum – Culture as an inspiration for the economy, which will highlight the importance of connecting entrepreneurship with culture, sustainability and human rights.
As part of the international initiative SIT DOWN 2025, SPIRIT Slovenia and the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport invite to a business forum. The focus will be on inspiring conversations with leading businesspeople, artists, and diplomats who believe in the power of collaboration for a better future for humanity.
The highlight of the evening: the world premiere of the musical Peace Child
On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the founding of the United Nations, the premiere performance of the musical Peace Child will bring together more than 150 young musicians,, singers, soloists, and narrators from over 25 countries, including conflict-affected regions. The musical, created by David Gordon and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is based on David Woollcomb’s original screenplay and tells a story of courage, collaboration, and creativity in a world of division. Inspired by a story from Papua New Guinea, where reconciliation between tribes was sealed by exchanging children – the so-called Child of Peace – this musical invites us to reflect on the world we are creating and the role of young people as bearers of peace.
The event will also be broadcast at the Expo Osaka World Exhibition in the United Nations Pavilion under Slovenian patronage. The project will culminate on the 23rd. October with the Economic Forum in Vienna organized by SPIRIT Slovenia, Advantage Austria, and WKO, and concluded with a musical performance at the Vienna Konzerthaus.
PROGRAMME:
- 16:00 Arrival and registration
- 16:30 Opening remarks (Minister Matjaž Han and other distinguished guests)
- 16:45 Lecture: Art in Leadership (Bernhard Kerres, consultant and former director of the Konzerthaus Vienna)
- 17:00 Panel 1: Partnering with Culture
- 17:45 Artistic segment: presentation of the project The [Uncertain] Four Seasons – reconstruction of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons based on climate predictions up to 2050
- 18:00 Panel 2: Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability: The Impact of Technology on the Economy and Society
- 18:45 Informal networking with diplomats
- 20:30 Premiere of the musical Peace Child
