Parliaments look at harmonising friendship
9 December 2021
Top singers in the UK Parliament are hoping to be exchanging vocal tips with their counterparts in the Slovenian Parliament next year.
Her Excellency Simona Leskovar, Slovenia’s Ambassador to the UK, said Covid had scuppered plans to create a choir driven friendship group this year, but she hoped the exchange could proceed in 2022.
The Ambassador, who was appointed to her current role in September 2020, said she also hoped to visit British-Slovenian twin towns and cities during her four-year posting.
The topics came up during a meeting hosted by Sir Lindsay as part of his Speaker-led diplomacy to establish enduring ties between countries and parliamentarians.
Mr Speaker said the Slovenian flag was flying for the first time over Parliament to mark the Ambassador’s visit, which comes 30 years after Slovenia gained its independence from Yugoslavia.
He offered the services of his office to deepen the good bilateral relationship enjoyed by both countries, which are close allies on defence, security and NATO.
Some 5,000 Slovenians live in the UK, mostly in the south-east and London, with many coming to study here, or to take up posts as doctors, entrepreneurs or artists.