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Slovenia's honeybee initiative gets international support

Xinhua, March 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

Slovenia's honeybee initiative gets more international support with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro signing on Saturday a joint communique expressing support to Slovenia's initiative to have the United Nations declare May 20 the World Honeybee Day.

Slovenian Agriculture Minister Dejan Zidan said he believes this will happen by the end of 2017, adding that Jose Graziano da Silva, the head of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, supported the idea, according to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA).

Jose Graziano da Silva plans to visit Slovenia this May, Zidan said in Celje after the joint communique was signed by agriculture ministry' representatives from the respective countries.

Zidan said the high UN official supported the initiative immediately after it was presented to him.

Jose Graziano da Silva is expected in Slovenia on 20 May, the day Slovenia hopes to designate as World Honeybee Day. The date was chosen because it is the birthday of Anton Jansa (1734-1773), a pioneer of modern beekeeping.

"Bees play a strong role in global food supply security. Pollination is required in 71 percent of plant species grown for food and 90 percent of all food products are made of these plants," said Zidan. Endit