Municipality of Welcome to Novo mesto!

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g53TAJkAVIU Location

• Novo mesto is the capital of the Dolenjska region in South-East .

• It is located midway (on the ) between two capitals: 70 km southeast of Slovenia’s capital and 80 km west of ’s capital . Novo mesto in brief

• With a population of about 23,300, Novo mesto is the seventh largest town in Slovenia.

• The Municipality of Novo mesto is one of the eleven Urban Municipalities in Slovenia.

• Total municipal area is 236 square km, with 37,280 inhabitants.

• Novo mesto is the economic, educational, cultural, business, administrative, religious and sports centre of the south-eastern part of the country. Novo mesto today

• Hub of activities, which goes far beyond the regional framework

• Export capital of Slovenia: recognisable by its exceptionally successful pharmaceutical, automotive, construction, textile and other industries, as the municipality is home to large companies such as , Revoz, Adria Mobil and TPV.

• Educational centre: 9 primary schools, music school, the renowned tradition of secondary grammar school, the large School Centre and the state-of-the-Art Centre for Biotechnology and Tourism, have been in recent years joined by institutions of higher education; and we have also established the University of Novo mesto. Novo mesto today

• Religious centre: From 2006 Novo mesto is the seat of the Diocese of Novo mesto that includes 71 Parishes and covers 159,600 people in total area of 2,159 square km.

• Cultural centre: From 2006 Novo mesto is also the seat of the Anton Podbevšek Theatre (APT) that is the youngest professional Slovenian theatre and the first to be established and to operate in the region of Dolenjska and Bela krajina.

• Sports heritage as an important element of the town's cultural heritage

• Through various cultural, sporting, social and entertainment events, we encourage and build the atmosphere of a healthy spirit for all generations.

• Together with five other Slovenian towns Novo mesto was the European Capital of Culture 2012. Initiative-friendly

• We think ourselves as the driver for developing the positive environment for private initiatives.

• We are happy to participate in regional, national and international platforms and networks.

• We are participating in many EU projects; CUlture Twinning: Twinning tourism Promoting Cultural Heritage

• Our job is to create a solid municipal platform.

• We promote ourselves as initiative- friendly. Smart City

In order to set and define the direction in which Novo The areas of development towards mesto will develop in the future, we have adopted the becoming a smart city are as follows: Development Strategy of the Municipality of Novo mesto • taking care of the environment, until 2030. • mobility, • smart infrastructure, • friendly services and • integration of local residents. "MO Novo mesto with its settlements is smart, sustainable and inclusive community for living, working and socializing in a regional, national and cross-border context space. " Projects

• Renovation and revitalization of wider town • A park in the area below the TUŠ centre (start: 2017, finish: 2020) supermarket (start: 2018, finish: 2019) • Sports centre around the existing first-class • Revitalisation of village centres (start: velodrome (start: 2017, finish: 2018) 2018, finish: 2022) • Maintaining circular footpaths and cycling • House of technological progress (start: tracks (start: 2015, finish: 2020) 2019, finish: 2022) • The Situla Archaeological Park (start: 2017, finish: 2027) • Managing economic zones (start: 2017, finish: 2025) • Electro-mobility projects (start: 2017, finish: 2020) • Subsidiary sports hall (start 2017, finish: 2019)

• Local welfare system (start: 2018) • Town pool (start: 2018, finish: 2021) • System of connected services in the town (start: 2018, finish: 2020) Current state of bicycle connections in

MONM • Implemented cycling connections from 2018 to 2019:

• • Levičnikova cesta from the Žabja vas crossroads to the Ločna crossroads, in the length of approx. 1.8 km.

• • Topliška cesta from the Brod crossroads to the Srebrniče cemetery, in the length of approx. 1.2 km. Novo mesto cycling map Ongoing projects

• A path along heavy water from the new parking lot along • - Petelinjek, in the length of approx. 1.3km, Kandija cesta via Šmihel to the Mordax promenade, in the length of approx. 1.1km, • Cycling connections along the 3rd development axis,

• Portoval hiking and cycling trail (fortification suitable for • Regional cycling connection -Mirna Peč-Novo mesto mountain biking), in the length of approx. 2km, (along the former H1 - Na Brezovici - Župnica - Ljubljanska c.),

• Two footbridges over the river Temenica, which will connect • Regional cycling connection Novo mesto-Šmarješke Toplice- the excursion routes between the Češča vas Sports Center, Škocjan (Seidlova c. - Šmarješka c. - Otoška c. - Lešnica - Prečna Airport and the natural biotope Zalog in the Šempeter - Otočec - Šmarješke T. - Škocjan), Municipality of Straža, • Regional cycling connections Novo mesto-Straža (Topliška c., • Multipurpose footbridge for cyclists and pedestrians Irča Towards Srebrniče-through the forest Marof-Volavče - vas, Straža),

• Multipurpose footbridge for cyclists and pedestrians Loka - • Regional cycling connection R18 Novo mesto - Metlika (as Kandija, part of the Cycling route to Kolpa through Kočevski Rog and Gorjanci) (crossroads in Žabja vas - Belokranjska c. - Along the • Bicycle connection Drska-Bršljin, stream - Črmošnjice pri Stopičah - Gor. Težka voda - - Podgrad - after forest to LD Suhor, municipality of Metlika). • Pedestrian and cycling areas (multi-purpose path) on the section between the settlement of Ragovo and the settlement of Krka, length approx. 1.6 km,

• Sava - Krka bike, section between the settlement of Krka and Žihov selo - construction, in the length of approx. 1.3 km, the rest is marked according to the existing,

• Mirnopeška road from the crossroads to the Roma settlement Brezje, in the length of approx. 1.1 km, • In the (medium-term) • The establishment of planning, the arrangement of (concluded) cycling connections key parts of the missing will enable greater mobility and network is planned connection of the population (Ljubljanska cesta-Šmihelski with bicycles, thus contributing most, Kandijska cesta, Straška to public health and supporting cesta, cycling roads at the 3rd the direction of sustainable development axis, development also in the field of connections of hinterland sustainable mobility. settlements, etc.). Thank you for your attention.