The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, arrived in the UK on 25 March for a two-day visit.  He met with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who told him of her fond memories of her visit to Slovenia a year and a half earlier – in particular of Ljubljana, where she met people on the Triple Bridge. President Türk emphasised that her visit to Slovenia had not merely been perceived as a matter of protocol, but rather as a warm and human gesture, with a sense of the mutual respect that exists between the two countries.

The Queen and the Slovenian President discussed various European and global topics, stressing the importance of trust in the political situation in times of economic crisis. They also exchanged views on the role of the United Nations and the significance of multilateralism for the future of the world. The talks also turned to the importance of the spirit of the Enlightenment and rationalism for the whole of Europe.

President Türk then visited the British Royal Society, where he handed over a facsimile of the Iconotheca Valvasoriana collection assembled by Janez Vajkard Valvasor during the mid-seventeenth century. This Slovenian baron earned membership of the Royal Society with his scientific opus and his paper on the intermittent Lake Cerknica. The Iconotheca Valvasoriana comprises graphics, drawings and watercolours in various formats bought by Valvasor during travels in Europe.

In his address to the Royal Society, President Türk recalled that seventeenth-century England was the home of the Enlightenment, rationalism, critical thought and scientific research which in turn, influenced the entire European continent.

Dr Türk underlined that Valvasor had been inspired by the ideas of the great  Enlightenment, which justified his life-long collecting of scientific information about his mother country and works of art in Europe; in this way he created his renowned collection of documents, printed material and drawings. Therefore Dr Türk believes it is right that a copy of this collection be kept at the Royal Society – the institution representing the intellectual home of Valvasor.