The Event

The Slovenian Youth Orchestra's Summer Orchestra Camp took place this year as part of an international initiative SIT DOWN. The project involved 210 young artists from 22 nationalitiesunited by music, creativity and a desire for peace. 

Art as diplomacy

The SIT DOWN - Peace Child was held in honour of 80th anniversary of the UN and the end of the Second World War. Young people created a musical together Peace Child - a story of cooperation, dialogue and the future they want. A special feature of the project was that the young people themselves co-wrote the lyrics and music and discussed key global challenges: from education for peace, climate change, safe migration and artificial intelligence to issues of love, acceptance and solidarity. 

Young people from crisis areas - voices of hope

A special place in this year's project was given to young people from crisis areas, whose stay was made possible by Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia: 

• Palestine - choir Amwaj (20 singers): the choir was founded a decade ago in Bethlehem and Hebron by an Italian musician Michele Cantoni and his wife Mathilde Vittu, professor at the Paris Conservatoire. As Cantoni, who has lived in Palestine for twenty years, says: "Music is one of the most powerful forms of dignity and resistance." Amwaj has become a symbol of artistic resistance and hope; their voices carry the reality of everyday limitations - and at the same time the light that the future can be built differently. 

• Bosnia and Herzegovina - Superar BIH (11 singers): Voices that come from the painful experiences of war and displacement are today building the story of a common future. 

• Ukraine (14 musicians) The Slovenian Youth Orchestra had already made it possible for them to continue their musical education in Slovenia at the outbreak of the war in March 2022. Their presence is proof that music transcends borders and conflicts. 

SIT DOWN initiative

SIT DOWN is an international initiative under the patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon. It is a message from young people that they want to play an active part in shaping the future and to demand it from world leaders: 

Structure of the Campaign

The camp programme was divided into two parts: 

1. Part 1 - Sectional exercises and creative workshops
   Young people practiced in sections under the guidance of renowned mentors and took part in creative workshops. New this year Advocacy workshop, where they learnt about the role of the UN and how to be active global citizens.
2. Part Two - joint rehearsals, choirs and narrators
   In the second part of the camp, the orchestra, choirs and 5 narratorswho joined the project for the first time this year. In tutti rehearsals, they refined the material for the big stage and together created a music-theatre experience that went beyond the classical orchestral framework. A special highlight was the event SIT DOWN - Panel discussion on youth participation in global affairswhere young people addressed decision-makers, ambassadors and Minister Tanja Fajon directly.

Their message was clear: young people want leaders to sit with them, listen - and act.

All activities #POK25

Project participants: 210
Mentors for instrumental groups with conductor: 14
Creative Workshop Mentors: 7 

Hours:  79.5
Sectional exercises: 14
Creative workshops: 14
Tutti exercises: 50
Concert: 1.5 hours 

Mentors for musical activities #POK25:

First violin: Carolina Tonco 
Other violin: Deyan Muc 
Viola: Katja Žekar 
Cello: Maruša Bogataj 
Double bass: Stefan Jovanović 
Flavta: Barbara Spital  
Oboa: Tomaž Kukovič 
Clarinet: Tomaž Kukovič
Saxophone: Matjaž Drevenšek 
Bassoon: Tomaž Kukovič 
French Horn: Jure Gradišnik
Trumpet: Jure Gradišnik 
Trombone: Jure Gradišnik
Percussion: Petra Vidmar 
Harp: Tea The mouldmaker

Choir leaders Irma Močnik, Damijan Močnik

Mentors workshops at #POK25:  

Music improvisation: Nina Pečar and Klemen Bračko
Theatre improvisation: Urška Strehar Benčina and Veronika Grubič
Sung by Eva Moškon 
Advocacy by Kaja Primorac and Faris Kočan