Last week, between 23 and 26 October, the GR – Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre hosted its celebratory edition of the Nature-Health Fair. The largest regional fair for healthy lifestyle and well being, annually organized by the GR – Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre (GR), this year celebrated the amazing jubillee 50th edition together with the GR’s 65th anniversary. Since the start of its congress and event operations in 1954, the GR has become the largest Slovenian event centre for congresses, fairs, business conferences, and other meetings. GR organizes ome of the events in its own production, and among those events is also the Nature-Health Fair.
One of the most popular Slovenian fairs, the 50th Nature-Health Fair, with this year’s »Enjoy Your Well Being« slogan was visited by more than 20,000 visitors who came to see 220 exhibitors presenting their offer to all in search of a balanced, healthy and environmentally friendly living. Exhibitors showcased products, activities, services, and ideas in the fields of nutrition, health, exercise and recration, natural cosmetics, wellness and green coexistence. Accompanying events formed a rich programme that accompanied the Fair through all four days; next to the exhibition there were also workshops, lectures, roundtables, recreational and relaxational trainings, etc.
As the public is getting increasingly aware of the importance of a healthy eating and lifestyle, the Fair put particular emphasis on eating fresh, local, and nutritious food. Visitors were able to learn about diverse healthy diets and their benefits and weaknesses. However, living healthily and enjoying one’s well being is also connected to satisfying inner life. Thus, the Nature-Health Fair this year provided a special focus on mental health. Several lectures, roundtables and presentations on stress, negative feelings, different meditative and relaxational techniques and products presented the growing need and solutions for a mental well being.
Most appreciated side of the fair was for visitors the opportunity to try things. They could taste different culinary gems on one side, and were able to measure their blood pressure and blood sugar level. Every year, many visitors appreciate also the provision of sight and hearing testings. As the fair is also a sales fair, the prices are adjusted for the occasion. The main intention of the GR and its jubilee fair was to show that today living healthy and enjoying one’s well being is a fusion of approaches. Eating healthy should be combined with the care of inner-self, to live healthy inside oneself, as well as taking care of one’s physical well being, while living in harmony with nature that provides back fresh, local and healthy food. It is about the whole circle that covers the diverse aspects of nature and life in it.
To take the importance of the healthy living a step further, GR – Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre presented in the jubilee 50th Nature-Health Fair a novelty named Building and Living Biology. The presentation of the exhibitors from this field was accompanied with a special seminar that presented dangers to our health in the rooms we live in and how to avoid these influences. Already in 1986 the World Health Organization accepted the term of a Sick Building Syndrome, a medical condition where people in a building suffer from symptoms of illness or feel unwell for no apparent reason. Problems can stem from materials, ventilation systems, lights and electro-magnetic radiations. There are solutions for most of these issues and the GR is in Slovenia breaking the ground with presenting this increasingly present problem and solutions for it for the first time with hosting the Building and Living Biology section that was very well-received and visited at the Fair.
However, the Fair this year was not only about the healthy living, but also about a healthy solidarity, so to say. For the 50th anniversary of the fair, the GR donated from every sold ticket one euro to the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth (ZPMS). Even more, in scope of the mental health section, a roundtable on mental health of children and youth was held. In addition, the GR collected board games and appealed to visitors that they bring board games for children that then, in the Christmas time, the ZPMS will gift to children who live in disadvantaged backgrounds. This way the GR shared the cake with those children in need who certainly will benefit from the collected euros and board games for a physically and mentally healthier development.
