Bočko Metod - Fotozgodbe

Buddy Bear

12/6/2024

Buddy Bears

Since their inception over 20 years ago, the Berlin Buddy Bears have been committed to peaceful coexistence between people of different origins, cultures and religions. The likeable ambassadors of a cosmopolitan Berlin have become a symbol of tolerance and international understanding through a variety of different projects. But their mission goes beyond promoting global dialogue: they stand up for a sustainable approach that has the future of our world in mind. Through various initiatives, the Buddy Bears contribute to creating awareness for sustainable action while supporting children in need. Because peace, respect and tolerance start with a sustainable concern for our planet and all its inhabitants.

The Buddy Bear is an individually painted life-size bear sculpture. But how did the idea for it come about?

Eva and Klaus Herlitz came up with the idea of the Buddy Bears in 2002. They were guided by the idea of bringing art to the streets of the metropolises. The starting point was Berlin. So it was clear from the start that it could only be the bear. As the heraldic animal of Berlin and with a new friendly aura, it is ideally suited as a symbol for the capital. In close collaboration with Eva Herlitz, the Austrian sculptor Roman Strobl designed the first Buddy Bear sculptures (the so-called "Dancer", the "Acrobat", and the "Mini-Friend"; later also the sitting Buddy Bear). Based on designs by two master's students of the University of the Arts, another sculpture, the "Friend", was created in parallel.

Based on designs by two master students at the Berlin University of the Arts, sculptor Roman Strobl made the first Buddy Bear sculptures. This was the birth hour of the same time the beginning of an international success story! Within a few weeks, more than 100 Buddy Bears designed by various artists brought color and joy to the streets and squares of the capital. The success was overwhelming. From the original temporarily planned art initiative, the Berlin Bears developed into a permanent part of the Berlin streetscape as well as an unofficial symbol of the city.

https://www.buddy-baer.com/en/

Jože Plečnik

15/7/2023

Jože Plečnik

Jože Plečnik (23 January 1872 – 7 January 1957) was a Slovene architect who had a major impact on the modern architecture of Vienna, Prague and of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, most notably by designing the iconic Triple Bridgeand the Slovene National and University Library building, as well as the embankments along the Ljubljanica River, the Ljubljana Central Market buildings, the Ljubljana cemetery, parks, plazas etc. His architectural imprint on Ljubljana has been compared to the impact Antoni Gaudí had on Barcelona.

His style is associated with the Vienna Secession style of architecture (a type of Art Nouveau), but he also has influences from the baroque tradition in Slovenia, as well as Byzantine and early eighteenth century Viennese architecture. Plečnik was one of the few notable modernists who did not entirely reject historic forms and ideas, instead paying what he believed to be a debt to history in his designs. Besides in Ljubljana, he worked in Vienna, Belgrade and on Prague Castle. He influenced the avant-garde Czech Cubism. He is also a founding member of the Ljubljana School of Architecture, joining it upon an invitation by Ivan Vurnik, another notable Ljubljana architect.

Plečnik gave the capital of Slovenia, the city of Ljubljana, its modern identity by designing iconic buildings such as the Slovene National and University Library building. Plečnik was also a transformative figure in the city planning of Ljubljana. This included restorations and improvements to historic buildings and sites. His work in city planning differed from many other efforts of the time, as his focus was further from practical problems found in the city, but instead focused on the overall experience of Ljubljana. He also designed other notable buildings, including the Vzajemna Insurance Company Offices, and contributed to many civic improvements. He renovated the city's bridges and the Ljubljanica River banks, and designed the Ljubljana Central Marketbuildings, the Ljubljana cemetery, parks, plazas etc. Buildings designed by Plečnik were built by the constructor Matko Curk.

Camino Markings

10/9/2022

Camino Markings

There are many pilgrims who do the Camino de Santiago every year following the signs and symbols that mark the routes, especially the famous yellow arrow. However, the arrow of the Camino de Santiago is not the only sign you will find during the tour. Although perhaps it is the best known and the easiest to follow.
The scallop shell and yellow arrow are the ‘symbols’ of the Camino de Santiago and these Camino Markings will guide you all the way to Santiago de Compostela. Here’s why…
The scallop shell is one of the most iconic symbols of the Camino de Santiago and still used today to guide pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela along the many different routes.
Painted or printed on walls, sidewalks, on tiles, Camino markers… the scallop shell (or ‘vieira’ in Galician and Spanish) will help you find your way.

Have the signs on the Camino de Santiago always existed?

No, the Camino de Santiago was formerly unmarked. During the Middle Ages, especially during the early years of the pilgrimage to Compostela, many pilgrims were lost in the mountains. Many died before reaching the tomb of Santiago the Apostle.

With the passage of time, and as the pilgrimage route was consolidated, signs began to be introduced on the Camino de Santiago with crosses and stone mounds to facilitate the route for pilgrims.

This system was especially useful in warm seasons. During the winter many of the signs that had been placed by the previous walkers, to mark the Camino de Santiago, were covered by snow.

The current signage on the Camino de Santiago began to function well from the 70s onwards. The work that was carried out, in large part, was thanks to that done by Elías Valiña. Below we tell you how this parish priest in O Cebreiro created the famous yellow arrows and promoted the signage along the Camino de Santiago.

The yellow arrows on the Camino de Santiago

The yellow arrows, together with the scallops and the stone markers, are the most well-known and representative symbols of the Camino de Santiago. On all pilgrim routes it is common to find the yellow arrows painted on walls, stones, tree trunks or even on the façades of the houses.

The history of the yellow arrows

The origin of the yellow arrows of the Camino de Santiago dates back to 1984. Its creator was Elías Valiña, the parish priest of O Cebreiro. He had been studying Canon Law and wrote his doctorate thesis on the Camino Santiago.

After carefully studying the Camino Frances and given the small amount of pilgrims that arrived, at that time, at O Cebreiro, Elías decided to mark the route with signs from Saint Jean de Port.

The yellow colour of the arrows

It is said that the yellow colour of the arrow was chosen purely by chance. According to his family and friends, one day Elías Valiña found a group of workers who were painting signs on the road and had plenty of paint. The parish priest of O Cebreiro did not hesitate to buy the left-over paint to start the signage on the Camino de Santiago.

However, there are also those who point out that Elias Valiña left nothing to chance. They say he chose yellow because in France it was the colour used to indicate mountain routes. In addition, yellow was a colour that drew a lot of attention and was able to withstand the passage of time.

Elias began his work with the signs of the Camino de Santiago that are located in the vicinity of O Cebreiro, indicated the route’s direction with a yellow arrow. However, when he was finished, he realized that he still had a lot of paint left. This made him continue with the same colour on the rest of the signage along the entire Camino Frances.

They say that one day, when Elias Valiña was signalling the route, he met up with the Guardia Civil. They were intrigued by the yellow arrows and fearing that he might be signalling a route for terrorists, they asked the parish priest what the purpose of those yellow arrows was. Elías Valiña’s response was:

“I’m preparing for an invasion”

The words of Elías Valiña (creator of the yellow arrows on the Camino de Santiago)

Today, no one doubts that O Cebreiro’s parish priest was being sincere in his reply. Perhaps even he could not imagine the large number of people who would follow his directions to get to Santiago de Compostela.

Popularizing the yellow arrows

In 1987, with the declaration of the Camino de Santiago as a European Cultural Itinerary, the work carried out by Elias was adopted as a reference for signage. Thus, all pilgrimage routes began to be marked with yellow arrows.

In 1989, Elías Valiña died, at the age of 60. Before he died, he asked his close friends, as his last request, not to lose the yellow arrow as a guiding sign on the Camino de Santiago. His friends and the associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago, many of whom had started through his influence, were the ones who fulfilled his last wish.

In this way, the yellow arrow became yet another reflection of the spirit that is breathed on the routes of the Camino de Santiago, since it is a signal made without pretensions, without logos and placed by heaven knows who. A gesture of solidarity that prevents pilgrims from getting lost on their way to Santiago.

Consolidation of the signage on the Camino de Santiago

The incorporation of signals on the Camino de Santiago, together with many efforts of communication and dissemination, as well as the suitability of the infrastructure, made the 1993 Holy Year a great success. This finished consolidating the network of signals of the Camino de Santiago.

Although the yellow arrow of the Camino de Santiago is the most prevalent sign, next to it began to proliferate a wide collection of signs. In 2018, the Jacobean Council ordered that only the yellow arrow, along with the scallop shell, be used as a symbol to signify the Camino de Santiago.

Also, restaurants, shops or lodgings on the Camino de Santiago were prohibited from using the yellow arrow to signal their location. However, even in the daytime, many businesses use the the simplicity of the yellow arrow mischievously trying to divert pilgrims to its doors. A behaviour that is increasingly persecuted and punished.

Elías Valiña and his work on the Camino de Santiago

Although the parish priest of O Cebreiro has gone in down in history as being the creator of one of the most characteristic symbols of the Camino de Santiago, his work in the recovery of the pilgrim routes was not limited only to the creation of the yellow arrow. Elías Valiña was an important promoter of the Camino de Santiago. Thanks to his work, much of the pilgrim tradition could be recovered.

Elías also contributed to the creation of the Bulletin of the Camino de Santiago, which was dedicated to collecting the current news about the routes, all this contributed to increase the interest in pilgrim tradition. In 1987, the newsletter was replaced by the “Peregrino” magazine.

In addition, Elías Valiña was a great driver in the restoration of O Cebreiro. It was concluded in 1971, with the opening of the ethnographic collection. All of the above led to the fact that in 1985, the parish priest of O Cebreiro was appointed commissioner for the Camino de Santiago.

Other signals on the Camino de Santiago

As mentioned above, along with the arrow of the Camino de Santiago, other signs flourished, many of which still endure. Here’s what other symbols you can find on the Camino de Santiago.

The scallop shell as a symbol of the Camino de Santiago

Of all the symbols you will find on the Camino de Santiago the arrow and the scallop shell are the only ones considered official. Therefore, they are the most reliable.

Unlike the arrow, whose interpretation is extremely simple, since it always points in the direction to be taken, the scallop shell is more complex. As we tell you in the article that we dedicate to the origin and symbolism of the shell of the Camino de Santiago, this signal has one interpretation or another, depending on whether you are in Galicia or in another community.

Stone markers on the Camino de Santiago

The stone markers are other signs that you will often find on the Camino de Santiago. Although their use is more common in Galicia, where they are placed every 500 metres. These are usually made of concrete.

The distance to the Cathedral is indicated on them in kilometres. They are usually decorated with a blue tile, on which the scallop shell appears. They are often accompanied by a yellow arrow to make the signage of the direction of the Camino de Santiago even clearer.

Shrines

Shrines are also valid signs to know that you are following the route of the Camino de Santiago correctly. These shrines are mounds of stone created by pilgrims themselves. These are the equivalent of the stone crosses placed by walkers during the Middle Ages.
The most famous shrine of the Camino de Santiago is located at the highest point of the Camino Frances, La Cruz de Hierro. There, it is tradition for pilgrims to throw a stone as great as their sorrows or sins.

GR signals on the Camino de Santiago

Some of the routes of the Camino de Santiago coincide with the GR paths (Sendero de Gran Recorrido), so some sections can be completed following this signage. An example is the stretch that crosses Navarra. The signs of the GR are two stripes, one white and one red.

Milestones

Another symbol that you can find on some routes, such as the Camino Portugues or the Camino Frances, are milestones. These signs are columns made of stone that are located in the sections that run over the ancient Roman road.

As the name suggests, these signs of the Camino de Santiago will be found every thousand steps. Which equates to a Roman mile. These types of directions will not help you to know the route direction, but they will confirm that you are on the right track.

Wooden crosses

Another sign that can guide you on the Camino de Santiago are the wooden crosses left by pilgrims on the fences that line the routes. This signage is also the result of the establishment of customs and traditions of the Camino de Santiago.

Electoral Faces

22/4/2022

One of the key shifts in contemporary politics is the trend towards greater personalization. Citizens are slowly dealigning from collective actors such as political parties, and individual politicians are therefore growing in importance in elections, government, parties, and the media. But is this trend also changing the institutional architecture of contemporary democracy itself? Studying the evolution of electoral systems in thirty-one European democracies since 1945, it demonstrate that, since the 1990s, there has been a shift towards more personalized rules. Electoral systems in most European countries now allow voters to express preferences for candidates, not just for political parties. And the weight of these voters’ preferences in the allocation of seats has been increased in numerous countries. Politicians perceive the personalization of electoral systems as a way to address the democratic malaise and thereby restore trust in politics.

Slovenia's controversial prime minister Janez Janša faces a tight election race this Sunday (24 April), seeking a fourth term amid criticism that under his rule democratic standards and press freedom were undermined in the country.
The vote has shaped up to be a close race between Janša's Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and the environmentalist Freedom Movement, led by Robert Golob, which wants more investment in renewable energy and greater transparency in state institutions.

A poll by Ninamedia agency published on Thursday put the Freedom Movement slightly ahead on 26 percent and the SDS on 25.6 percent, Reuters reported.
The winner will have to secure coalition partners to form a government, and the two main left-leaning parties have ruled out serving in a coalition led by the SDS, giving Golob a slight advantage.
Janša, 63, is a populist and a close ally of Hungary's nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán. However, unlike Orbán, the Slovenian PM is a strong supporter of Ukraine, and was among the first EU leaders to visit Kyiv after Russia's invasion.

Janša has pledged to reduce Slovenia's dependence on Russian energy, and his government has been in negotiations to help expand Croatia's liquid gas terminal to reduce the two countries' dependence on Russian gas imports.
Golob's Freedom Movement backs EU sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine but accused Janša of seeking to exploit the war for his own political benefit.

Autocratic tendencies

Like his ally in Hungary, Janša has also been criticised for autocratic and populist tendencies.
US-based rights organisation Freedom House said in a report this week that democratic standards in Slovenia had declined more in 2021 than in any other country in eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Janša's government "exerted considerable political and financial pressure on civil society organisations, public media services, the judiciary," the report said.

Janša, who previously served as prime minister from 2004 to 2008, from 2012 to 2013, and then again from 2020, has also been accused of clamping down on media freedom.
Journalist organisations such as the Reporters Without Borders raised concerns about the recent attacks of the prime minister on Slovenian and international journalists during Janša's tenure. Janša has attacked and singled out journalists critical of his government.

A report by the International Press Institute (IPI), showed that heavy investments by Orbán's business allies in Slovenian media have been used to support Janša's party.
The EU chief prosecutor Laura Kövesi has criticised Ljubljana for failing to name prosecutors, and accused it of interference in the function of an EU judicial body. Janša's government eventually nominated two delegated prosecutors last November on a temporary basis.

Janša last year also tweeted a picture of 13 MEPs whom he accused of being "puppets" of Hungarian-born, American-Jewish philanthropist George Soros, even though several of the MEPs no longer serve in parliament.
Janša later deleted the antisemitic post.

He also congratulated US president Donald Trump after the 2020 presidential election even though it was won by Joe Biden, while Trump questioned the legitimacy of the vote.
Sunday's Slovenian election is seen as a watershed moment for the country to decide if it wants to continue with his more authoritarian style of rule.

Vir: EUobserver.com

Erased

10/3/2022

The Erased (Slovene: Izbrisani) is the name used in the media for a group of people in Slovenia that remained without a legal status after the declaration of the country's independence in 1991.
The “erased” were mainly people from other former Yugoslav republics, who had been living in Slovenia. They are mostly of non-Slovene or mixed ethnicity, and they include a significant number of members of Romani communities.
Some of those affected by the “erasure” included former Yugoslav People's Army officers who did not apply for or were refused Slovenian citizenship, often on the grounds that they participated in the war against Slovenia or were otherwise deemed disloyal to Slovenia.
Some of the “erased” were born in Slovenia but, on the basis of the republican citizenship and birthplace of their parents, had remained SFRY citizens of other Yugoslav republics. Others had moved to Slovenia from other parts of Yugoslavia before the country’s dissolution, and remained there after 1991.

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Na Gallusovem nabrežju v Ljubljani je od 25. februarja 2022 na ogled serija portretov, ki jih je ustvaril fotograf Borut Krajnc. Opremljeni bodo s citati in kratkim orisom zgodb portretiranih, ki smo jih zbrali v slovenski Amnesty. Toplo se zahvaljujemo vsem izbrisanim, ki so se odzvali na vabilo in nam zaupali svoje zgodbe, četudi je to pomenilo tudi obujanje bolečih spominov.
Izbris je zaznamoval življenja izbrisanih in njihovih bližnjih. Po prvi veliki krivici samega izbrisa so sledile številne druge, povezane s tem, da so na papirju nehali obstajati. Kljub tem udarcem se niso vdali, borili so se za svoje nezakonito odvzete pravice, se povezovali z drugimi in – z besedami Irfana Beširevića – »Delali proteste in ulica je bila naš glasnik.«

Anti-war protests

28/2/2022

Ukraine: Anti-war protests take place around the world

Demonstrators in cities across the globe have expressed solidarity with Ukraine, with many expressing anger at the Kremlin's decision to invade Russia's neighbor.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine sparked a host of anti-war demonstrations in cities around the world on Saturday. Thousands of people gathered in London, Sydney, Geneva, Frankfurt, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki and other cities, with many demonstrators carrying the Ukrainian colors and banners denouncing Russia's invasion.

Many of those attending rallies have been calling for their governments to take tougher action against Russia, while expressing support for the people of Ukraine. The demonstrations follow similar protests seen around the world, including in Russia, since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

In Switzerland, organizers said around 20,000 people flooded the streets of the capital of Bern.

In Geneva, hundreds gathered outside the headquarters of the United Nations with posters reading: "Say no to Putin."

In London, hundreds marched on the Russian embassy and smeared fake blood at the front of the embassy.

"You look at the people gathered here and everybody is scared... We had peace for 80 years and all of a sudden, war is back in Europe," said a protester among a gathering of around 2,500 in Munich's Karlsplatz square.

There were thousands of people in the German city of Frankfurt on Saturday with a rally organized by the co-ruling Green Party under the slogan, "Solidarity with Ukraine — Peace in Eastern Europe."

There have also been protests in India, where anger has been directed at NATO and Western powers.

"The kind of aggression we are witnessing in Ukraine has been forced by the US through NATO and also the Russian military forces who have entered Ukraine. Both are responsible for this situation," said a student activist at a protest in New Delhi.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted about a large protest in Estonia, saying: "The largest demonstration in the modern history of Estonia took place in support of Ukraine. I am grateful to the Estonian people for their solidarity in these difficult times."

DW.com

Infinity

31/1/2022

Ever wondered what infinity is? Have you seen it? We always tend to move towards infinity in mathematics and life but never really reach it. We think we are there, but every time we move closer. It moves away from us. But we chase it endlessly and end up with limitations.
Infinity is not a symbol or a word. It is a divine feeling. It is a sense of fulfilment when you no longer have to seek out things because what you seek already exists. All that is needed is acknowledgement.
We are deprived of the feeling of infinite love, infinite friendship, infinite happiness, infinite wealth. That is because we vehemently seek for it but fail to recognize what we already have. We are busy looking at our limitations. We simply fail to live in the present. I was alone by the road, all my energies were in the present. Infinity hit me like lightning, and fulfilment followed like thunder.

Round Shaped Objects

24/12/2021

Welcome to my pictures of things that are circular!
In this list, I’ve included things that are flat and round (like a frisbee), things that are spherical (like an orange), and things that are round when you cut into them (like a cucumber). We hope you enjoy this list and find whatever you’re looking for!
Above is a visual list of things that are circular... Enjoy!

Trees

22/11/2021

Did you know trees and nature have the power to heal us from head to toe?
That is why it is always important — especially now — that we get outside and explore our urban forests, or just our backyards, patios, or even just looking out a window.
Here are a few of the ways the nature in your own community can can help out your body:

Starting at the top of your head with your brain, researchers have found being outside around nature and trees helps to calm and renew your brain’s thoughts, improving your ability to focus!
1. Pro Tip: When you find yourself stressed out, go outside and notice the types of plants and animals you see. Do any trees live around you? Stay outside for ten to fifteen minutes and notice how your mind feels after!
Looking at the trees through your eyes can help your vision! People who spend more time outdoors are not as likely to need glasses for nearsightedness. Scientists have also found children who spend more than 2 hours a day outdoors are three times less likely to need glasses.
1. Pro Tip: Go outside and look up into the branches of your favorite tree and see if you can find any critters that made a home in them. How many critters can you find?
Taking a deep breath through your nose or mouth, what do you smell? Researchers have found outdoor activities can develop one’s taste and smell with different types of scents. Taste and smell work closely together, and the outdoors has a wider variety of aromas than the indoors!
1. Pro Tip: Go into your garden or for a stroll around your neighborhood and count the different things you smell – from manure and soil to flowers and trees. How many smells are there?
Speaking of smells, that air goes into our lungs. We know that trees clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, but did you know this lowers the rates of asthma? Researchers have found communities with more trees have lower hospitalizations due to asthma!
1. Pro Tip: Try out a breathing exercise. (Bonus if you do it outside!) Draw your elbows back to allow your chest to expand, take a deep inhale through your nose for five seconds, hold for three seconds, then slowly release through your mouth! What did you feel?
Do you wear your heart on your sleeve? Studies show that nature and trees positively impact blood pressure and cholesterol, lowers heart rate, and reduces the stress hormone cortisol!
1. Pro Tip: If you can’t go outside, try looking at pictures or videos of nature – this is almost as good as the real thing for your heart! Do you notice a difference?
Trees and nature help with illness too! Researchers know that patients with views of natural settings from their hospital windows heal faster with less complications and take fewer pain medications than those who have no view.
1. Pro Tip: Can you see a tree, park, shrub, or other plants from your window? If so, take time out of your day to look at it! If you don’t see any, try getting your very own house plant! You can even name and talk to them like a friend! What are your plants’ names?
When was the last time you touched a plant? Researchers have found that children who play outdoors are more tolerating of different textures than those who play solely inside.
1. Pro Tip: If you have a garden or plants, try touching the soil your plants live in or touching the plants themselves. What do they feel like?
2. Note: due to COVID-19, TreePeople is not encouraging others to touch plants in public places.
If you’re outside, sometimes you can lose your balance, but did you know that being outdoors on varying surfaces and playing in trees challenges different muscles, making you more stable?
1. Pro Tip: The next time you go outside, try going on different surfaces: dirt, grass, sidewalk, whatever is in your urban forest. Is your body shifting in different ways based on the surface?
Times are pretty isolating right now, but nature and trees can help with social connection. Natural areas have the ability to increase socialization and make people feel less lonely.
1. Pro Tip: Get outside if you’re feeling lonely and interact with nature in your urban forest! What types of plants and animals do you meet?
Above all else, nature and trees can help out with mental health. As minimal as five hours a month (two 40-minute sessions per week) in your urban forest can help to prevent mild depression.
1. Pro Tip: Explore your urban forest and discover what lives around you! Let us know what you found!!

Written by Carissa Donahoo, Public/Mental Health Organizer

Round Shapes

24/10/2021

A round shape consisting of a curved line that completely encloses a space and is the same distance from the centre at every point. Something in the shape of a circle is circular.

If someone asks you what a shape is, you'll likely be able to name quite a few of them. But "shape" has a specific meaning, too—it's not just a name for circles, squares, and triangles.

A shape is the form of an object—not how much room it takes up or where it is physically, but the actual form it takes. A circle isn't defined by how much room it takes up or where you see it, but rather the actual round form that it takes.

A shape can be any size and appear anywhere; they're not constrained by anything because they don't actually take up any room. It's kind of hard to wrap your mind around, but don't think of them as being physical objects—a shape can be three-dimensional and take up physical room, such as a pyramid-shaped bookend or a cylinder can of oatmeal, or it can be two-dimensional and take up no physical room, such as a triangle drawn on a piece of paper.

The fact that it has a form is what differentiates a shape from a point or a line.

A point is just a position; it has no size, no width, no length, no dimension whatsoever.

A line, on the other hand, is one-dimensional. It extends infinitely in either direction and has no thickness. It's not a shape because it has no form.

Though we may represent points or lines as shapes because we need to actually see them, they don't actually have any form. That's what differentiates a shape from the other geometric figures—it's two- or three-dimensional, because it has a form.