Interview with Uroš Vidovič, M.Sc., Change Driver of Maribor
18 May 2018 | Maribor
Author: Alenka Likar Mastnak, Municipality of Maribor
Mr Uroš Vidovič, M.Sc. is a Change Driver on the "NewPilgrimAge" project, where the Municipality of Maribor acts as one of the project partners.
Alenka Likar Mastnak, “When did you first get acquainted with the NewPilgrimAge project?”
Uroš Vidovič, “With the NewPilgrimAge project, I first became acquainted last year in the autumn at the first meeting of project partners in Ljubljana, Slovenia.”
ALM, “Have you been involved with this area before?”
Uroš Vidovič, “I have to say that I have been a hiker and mountain guide for more than 25 years. Specifically with the cultural heritage of St. Martin I met for the first time 10 years ago when we started to implement a joint project with Hungary. We started introducing the path of St. Martin - Via Sancti Martini, which runs from Szombathely in Hungary through Slovenia, also via Maribor, and trough Italy to France.”
ALM, “What is your role on the project NewPilgrimAge?”
Uroš Vidovič, “As a Change Driver, I certainly care for the transfer of information and, of course, the knowledge that stems from the protection of the cultural heritage connected with St. Martin. Our places are also strongly linked to St. Martin, as well as with the cultural heritage associated with him. It is a historical fact that St. Martin travelled through our countries three times as he travelled from France or Italy to Hungary and back.”
ALM, “What are your wishes and goals for the NewPilgrimAge project in the future?”
Uroš Vidovič, “So this project has a very important mission for Europe and European nations. If we only think about how much misery and how many wars there were in the last century, it is very important that this project transfers the values of St. Martin. These are, as you have already pointed out, hospitality and solidarity among European nations, and I wish that these values will be recognized and adopted by the people of our country and our city alike.”
ALM, “What do you personally wish - as a Change Driver and as a participant in the NewPilgrimAge project for the future, for the next 10 years?”
Uroš Vidovič, “So, for the next 10 years, I would like, above all, to involve many young people in this project, because, as we know, young people are very important for the future of our world. At the same time, I would like to see different generations involved in this project. Older people too. We know that the elderly are often also lonely. In addition, we want this project to cover a very wide range of professional institutions that protect the cultural heritage.”
