In a week, on 20 May, Slovenia and the rest of the world will celebrate World Bee Day for the third time. The UN General Assembly proclaimed World Bee Day on 20 December 2017. The main purpose of World Bee Day is to raise awareness among the global public about the importance of bees and other pollinators for humanity, in light of ensuring global food security, eradication of hunger, and care for the environment and biodiversity. With the title “Bee Engaged”, FAO as the organiser of the event wishes to draw attention to the importance of engagement and actions of countries, organisations, research and educational institutions, civil society, the private sector, farmers, beekeepers and the public for the conservation of bees and other pollinators.
10 things you can do for the bees
- Plant or sow honey plants on balconies, terraces and gardens for decorative purposes.
- Set up a nesting box for bees on your balcony, terrace or garden – you can do it yourself or buy it.
- Maintain flowering meadows by using a greater variety of plants and by sowing honey plants in the meadows. aAdmire flowering meadows and leave theflowers to the bee pasture.
- Avoid mowing grass during the peak flourishing of plants and mow grass in the evening hours.
- Allow beekeepers to temporarily or permanently settle bees on your agricultural surfaces. The bees will thus have proper plants to feed on, which will be properly pollinated and will bear more fruit.
- As regards spraying, use pesticides that are harmless to bees and spray plants in windless weather conditions early in the morning or late in the evening, when bees are back to their hives.
- Mulch flowering plants in orchards and vineyards before spraying with pesticides, in order to prevent them from attracting bees.
- Raise children’s and teenagers’ awareness about the importance of bees.
- Buy honey and other bee products from a local beekeeper.
- Support beekeepers and attend events in support of bees.
Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, this year’s third international celebration will take place virtually. The participants of the event will be addressed by, among others, FAO’s Director-General, Qu Dongyu and the Slovenian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Dr Aleksandra Pivec. In Slovenia, the celebration of World Bee Day will take place in a manner suitable to the state of epidemic, at the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association and in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food.