Stele awards and recognitions for 2024 and 2025

The Slovenian Conservation Society has named its highest honorary award after academician Dr. Francet Stelet (1886–1972), the first professional conservator in Slovenia and one of the key figures in the formation of the Slovenian conservation profession. With the award bearing his name, the society has for decades shown its recognition for those who have made significant contributions to the protection, preservation, and presentation of cultural heritage through their professional work.

The Steletova Prize for Lifetime Achievement is the highest and only all-Slovenian recognition in the field of conservation. Since 1990, the Slovenian Conservation Society has been awarding it to its fellow members for exceptional professional achievements and for work that, through its quality, dedication, and significance, significantly marks the Slovenian conservation profession. The award is also an expression of gratitude to individuals for their long-standing work, with which they co-create an attitude towards cultural heritage and ensure that its values remain recognized and preserved for future generations.

This year's Stelet Award ceremony is exceptional, as it presents the achievements of the awardees for the years 2024 and 2025. A special feature of this year's ceremony is also the posthumous Stelet Award for lifetime achievement, which, in accordance with the society's statutes and regulations, was awarded for outstanding professional work that significantly marked the field of conservation.

The recipient of the Steletova Prize for Lifetime Achievement for 2024 is:

Andrejka Ščukovt

Justification: The Steletova Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to Andrejka Ščukovt for an exceptional contribution to the preservation of architectural and ethnographic heritage and for more than forty years of dedicated work in the conservation profession. She began her professional career in 1984 as a documentalist at the then Gorica Institute for Monument Protection. She participated in establishing the Register of Cultural Heritage, and later, as a responsible conservator, she oversaw the extensive area of western Slovenia. She paid special attention to folk architecture, homesteads, and other testimonies of the traditional way of life. Among the more significant restorations are the Favetti Homestead in Skrilje, the Cejkot Homestead in the Goč region, the Majerija in Slap pri Vipavi, and the Njezna House in Jevščak.

The recipient of the Stele Award for Lifetime Achievement for 2025 is:

Dr. Philip F. J. Mason

 Justification: The Steletova Award for Lifetime Achievement is awarded to Dr. Philo Mason for outstanding achievements and significant contributions to the preservation, research, and presentation of the archaeological cultural heritage in Slovenia.

The recipient of Steletova posthumous award for lifetime achievement is:

Dušan Strgar (1959-2024)

Justification: Dušan Strgar, ethnologist and conservator, dedicated his professional life to the preservation, protection, and presentation of cultural heritage, especially in the field of open-air museums, one of the forms of preservation of built cultural heritage. In his work, he successfully combined conservation principles, ethnological knowledge, and cooperation with owners, artisans, and local communities.

As a conservator at the Novo mesto institution, between 1991 and 2000 he planned and supervised the construction of the Museum of the Open Air at the Pleterje Kartuzija, which presents characteristic peasant households from the Šentjernejskega polje of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. He later applied his experience to projects for the Jurjeve domačije in the Občine pri Trebnjem, the Banove domačije in Artiče, and the Museum of the Open Air in the Zagraški log in Zagrad pri Škocjanu.

Father Nikolaj Žvokelj (OFM)

Father Nikolaj Žvokelj receives the Stelet Award (2024) for exceptional efforts in restoring and promoting the Franciscan monastery of Kostanjevica in Nova Gorica. Through his perseverance and the collaboration of experts, institutions, and the local community, he enabled the comprehensive restoration of a valuable Baroque monastery church and made an important contribution to the declaration of the monastery complex as a cultural monument of national importance. Through numerous cultural and educational activities, he successfully brings Kostanjevica's heritage closer to the wider public.

Franci Zorko, bricklayer

Franci Zorko receives the Stelet Award (2024) for his exceptional dedication to preserving architectural heritage and his masterful mastery of traditional construction techniques and materials. He has participated in numerous demanding renovations of historical buildings, characterized by precision, respect for the original substance, and close collaboration with conservation professionals. By passing on valuable craftsmanship knowledge to younger generations, he also makes an important contribution to preserving traditional skills.

Working group for the reconstruction of the Grajski stolp in Ormož

The Working Group receives the Stelet Award (2024) for exemplary revitalization of a medieval castle tower in Ormož. By combining conservation and restoration expertise, architectural solutions, and a responsible approach from the investor, the group has enabled new accessibility to the tower while maintaining its authentic historical substance. The project is an outstanding example of successful collaboration between different disciplines and the modern preservation of cultural heritage.

General Hospital Novo mesto

General Hospital Novo mesto receives the Stelet Award (2025) for exemplary renovation of the former Men's Hospital into the modern Julija Nursing Hospital. The project successfully combines the preservation of the building's valuable architectural and historical features with the requirements of modern healthcare. The renovation demonstrates that responsible safeguarding of cultural heritage can significantly contribute to the development and quality of life of the wider community.

Terme Dobrna

Terme Dobrna receives the Stele Award (2025) for the long-term, systematic and responsible renovation of the historical spa complex. By renovating important buildings, including the Administration Building, the Swissari, and the Spa House, and by maintaining the spa park, they successfully connect the rich cultural heritage with the modern tourist offer. Their approach is a model of sustainable development based on respect for the historical identity of the area.

Working group for the renovation of the Railway Station in Nova Gorica

The working group receives the Stelet Award (2025) for the professional and comprehensive renovation of the historical railway station in Nova Gorica. By carefully preserving the architectural features, restoring valuable historical elements, and thoughtfully integrating modern functional solutions, the station has been revived as an important public space. The project represents an exemplary example of preserving railway heritage that connects different historical layers, people, and spaces along the Slovenian-Italian border.