Exhibition on Sarajevo Olympics opens in Ljubljana
Ljubljana, 18 January - An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Sarajevo Olympic Games and the role Slovenians played there opened at the National Museum of Contemporary History in Ljubljana on Thursday. The Silver Games 1984, set up in cooperation with the Sports Museum, will be on display until 5 May.
Ljubljana
An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Sarajevo Olympic Games and the role Slovenians played there.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Ljubljana
An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Sarajevo Olympic Games and the role Slovenians played there.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Ljubljana
An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Sarajevo Olympic Games and the role Slovenians played there.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Ljubljana.
An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Sarajevo Olympic Games and the role Slovenians played there opened at the National Museum of Contemporary History in Ljubljana on Thursday. The Silver Games 1984, set up in cooperation with the Sports Museum, will be on display until 5 May.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Ljubljana.
An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Sarajevo Olympic Games and the role Slovenians played there opened at the National Museum of Contemporary History in Ljubljana on Thursday. The Silver Games 1984, set up in cooperation with the Sports Museum, will be on display until 5 May.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Ljubljana.
An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Sarajevo Olympic Games and the role Slovenians played there opened at the National Museum of Contemporary History in Ljubljana on Thursday. The Silver Games 1984, set up in cooperation with the Sports Museum, will be on display until 5 May.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Ljubljana.
An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Sarajevo Olympic Games and the role Slovenians played there opened at the National Museum of Contemporary History in Ljubljana on Thursday. The Silver Games 1984, set up in cooperation with the Sports Museum, will be on display until 5 May.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Ljubljana.
An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Sarajevo Olympic Games and the role Slovenians played there opened at the National Museum of Contemporary History in Ljubljana on Thursday. The Silver Games 1984, set up in cooperation with the Sports Museum, will be on display until 5 May.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
The exhibition was officially opened by former Alpine skier Jure Franko, the first Slovenian to win a medal at the Winter Olympics, having bagged silver in giant slalom in Sarajevo. He was also the flag bearer for Yugoslavia at the opening ceremony.
Slovenians played a significant role in both organising the games and in the competitions. The scenography of the opening and closing events was the work of Meta Hočevar, while painter Jože Trobec designed the official mascot of the Olympics, the Vučko wolf. Both are presented at the exhibition.
"I personally have very fond memories of the Sarajevo Olympics, both of our first Winter Olympic medal and of the mascot Vučko. Back then, we were celebrating sporting successes and celebrating Olympic values. A decade later, they were completely trampled in a terrible war," President Nataša Pirc Musar said in addressing the event, which was also attended by National Assembly President Urška Klakočar Zupančič and National Council President Marko Lotrič.
The exhibition showcases 300 original items, while the spirit of the games is presented through photos and videos, including recollections of athletes, support teams, experts and sports officials.
Private collector Tomaž Alauf, who contributed a big part of memorabilia and other exhibits, said that his collection had started with the first stuffed Vučko, a few key chains and badges. Today, his collection boasts more than 4,000 pieces and includes sports equipment, documents and clothing that were part of the Olympics.
Accompanying the exhibition, set up with the support of the Slovenian Olympic Committee, the Sport Media Fokus agency and the Culture Ministry, a number of events will be held in Ljubljana in the coming months, ranging from musical and fashion events to film and culinary events. The stars of the Sarajevo Olympics will be at hand too.
Slovenians were very active in preparing the Olympics in Sarajevo having had experience with hosting a number of international winter sport competitions such as the Vitranc Cup, Golden Fox, FIS cross country competitions and international ice hockey and ice skating competitions.
Out of the 73 athletes representing Yugoslavia at the Sarajevo Olympics, 52 were Slovenians. A total of 1,272 athletes from 49 countries competed.
At the opening ceremony, the Olympic flag was raised by Slovenian Alpine skier Boris Strel and Bosnian bobsledder Borislav Vujadinović, and Slovenian cross-country skier Ivo Čarmanthe Olympic brought the Olympic torch into the stadium. Legendary Slovenian skier Bojan Križaj said the Olympic oath in Slovenian on behalf of the athletes.
Radio Ljubljana and TV Ljubljana brought the sports events into the homes of Slovenians and people around the world. Many Slovenian companies helped organise and design the Olympics.