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UNTIL MAN APPROACHED THE TREE WITH HIS THOUGHT, EVEN THE STUMP WAS NOT A CHAIR. ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES A PERSON WOULD HAVE ALREADY SAT ON IT. ONLY WHEN MAN BEGAN TO CONTEMPLATE THE ESSENCE OF THE TREE, WHEN HE STARTED TO USE THE WORD "WOOD," COULD HE ALSO THINK OF THE STUMP AS A CHAIR.

LELA B. NJATIN, 2015

The green expanses of Kočevje. Forests extend to the horizon and beyond. Forest cover is more than 80%. It is therefore quite unusual that wood, this invaluable natural material, was once highly valued, but in recent decades has been so poorly utilized. Global and local circumstances in recent decades have almost forgotten about wood and the importance of local forest-wood chains, reflected in the significant decline of the wood processing industry throughout Slovenia and consequently in lower enrollment in vocational secondary school programs for wood processing. We found ourselves in a situation where we could only silently observe how unprocessed logs were leaving our forests and crossing the country's borders.

Climate change and the globalization crisis have brought us to the threshold of realizing that wood is an excellent resource; it just needs to be used differently, enriched with new knowledge and forms, and crafted with new technology in conjunction with the noble skills of old masters. Thus, it's not surprising that wood is becoming one of the key resources of the green transition.

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In 2013, the initiative for the Festival of Wood was formed by the Kočevje Grammar School and Secondary School with unequivocal support from the municipality of Kočevje in response to the described situation. We wanted to create a space for reflection on the opportunities offered by our forested landscape. We wanted to remind the local population of the value of wood as a natural resource, which is not as self-evident as residents often experience it, and we hoped that we would become increasingly aware of the quality of the natural environment in which we live. We wanted to connect with entrepreneurs in the region, scientists in Slovenia and abroad. In short, we wanted to raise awareness and change our attitude towards the forest and wood as something to be proud of. Naturally, new awareness is joined by knowledge and skills to process wood and, ultimately, to successfully sell it with added value as high as possible.

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Mission

Festival of Wood supports the identity of the town of Kočevje, which is built on the values of the natural environment.

Vision

The Wood Festival is a hub that supports forests and wood, facilitating interdisciplinary connections among people.

Goals

Connecting stakeholders involved with wood to foster new knowledge and skills, innovative wood applications, new forms, and business models.