On Saturday, 27th May 2006, on the eve of the Slovenian polyhistor J. V. Valvasor’s birthday, the mayors of the Šmartno pri Litiji and Telgate (the Bergamo Province, Italy) municipalities solemnly signed the Charter of Friendship between the municipalities in the Bogenšperk Castle. The document thus binds the municipalities to mutual cooperation and strengthening of friendly ties.

On Saturday, 22nd April 2006, the international Earth Day, the Šmartno Municipality distributed 200 brooms and 700 pot plants among the citizens to facilitate environmental care. The plants and brooms were gone in less than two hours, which speaks for itself how well the campaign was accepted.

2006 was the year that first saw the Šmartno pri Litiji Municipality organize a children’s carnival in the Šmartno House of Culture (25th February 2006). The diverse and interesting programme attracted many children and their parents. First, the maskers competed in manual skills, then they were entertained by the clown Mika Maka, and in the end they danced. We are very thankful to the animators and other participants, who proved essential for the success of the event.

From 16th to 18th September 2005, a seven-member delegation from Šmartno pri Litiji visited the Italian municipality Telgate (Bergamo Province). Thus, mayor Ivan Izlakar returned a visit to his colleague Luca Feroldi, who came to Šmartno at the beginning of July. The delegation from Šmartno had a wonderful reception.

They visited the old part of the town Telgate as well as the well-known companies Cam (children’s equipment) and Foppapedretti (wood industry). The Slovenian delegation attended the students’ reception, they were received by the prefect in Bologna, they stopped by the Iseo Lake, and attended the mountaineers’ party in Telgate. The mayors agreed that the towns should be officially twinned the following spring.

The first official meeting of the Šmartno and Telgate (Bergamo Province) municipality mayors took place on 2nd July in Šmartno.

Mayor Milan Izlakar received the first official visit from his colleague Luca Feroldi from the Italian municipality Telgate. The six-member Italian delegation of Telgate Municipality councillors were joined by Dr Marija Bidovec, who had first established contact between the two municipalities while working on her doctoral dissertation on J.V. Valvasor. In a week’s trip around the Šmartno municipality, the guests visited, among other things, the Bogenšperk Castle and Primskovo, and in the evening attended the Šmartno 99 handball society’s 40th anniversary celebration, thus getting a different insight into the Šmartno life. The mayors agreed they would foster cooperation between the municipalities in the cultural as well as economic fields. The representatives of the Šmartno municipality are invited to visit the Telgate municipality as early as mid September.

On 1st May mayor Milan Izlakar hoisted the Šmartno pri Litiji Municipality flag for the first time. The coir Fantje od fare sang at the short ceremony, and the flag was blessed by dean Marjan Lampret.

Despite the early celebration hour, this important historical event was attended by quite a few citizens. St. Martin will now watch over the people linked in any way to the municipal building, while other buildings in the municipality will have their flags displayed shortly.