This year celebration of a European donation day will be on the 11 th of October. This year host country will be Ciprus. On the occation we would like to draw attention to the format of the special celebration in 2025. In 2026, the main event in Slovenia will be held on Friday, 10. 10., at the MGC Bled. We will publih programme details soon.
European Donor Day (EDD) is an initiative of the Council of Europe and an annual occasion dedicated to raising awareness of organ and tissue donation. It is an opportunity to honour the generosity of donors and their families, to highlight the life-saving and life-changing impact of donation, and to encourage people to reflect on their own decision and discuss it with those closest to them. Slovenia’s central event marking EDD in 2025 took place on Friday, 10 October, at the Rog Centre in Ljubljana. The programme included a press conference followed by the opening of the artistic documentary photography exhibition We Are Still Here.
The press conference brought together different perspectives on organ donation and transplantation. Speakers included Andrej Gadžijev, MD, Director of Slovenia-transplant; Polona Franko, representing the family of a 14-year-old donor; and Matija Jelenc, cardiovascular surgeon at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana. Miha Gašperin, who has been living an active and fulfilling life for many years following a heart transplant, also shared a brief message of gratitude.
At the heart of the event were organ donors and their families. In mid-2025, Slovenia reached an important milestone: 1,000 deceased organ donors since the establishment of the national network of donor hospitals in 1998. The occasion therefore provided an opportunity not only to reflect on the achievements of Slovenia’s donation and transplantation programme, but above all to express profound gratitude to the donors and families whose decisions have made transplantation possible. The event also highlighted the importance of discussing organ donation during life and making one’s wishes known to those closest to us.
Following the press conference, the documentary photography project We Are Still Here was presented to the public for the first time. Initiated by photographer Ela Zdešar and developed with the support and cooperation of Slovenia-transplant, the project offers a rare insight into the complex and largely unseen world of organ donation and transplantation. The evocative and symbolic title We Are Still Here speaks to everyone involved in this process: donor families, medical and transplant teams, professional support and logistics services, and organ recipients. It reflects the many human connections that form the donation and transplantation pathway and the lasting impact of donation on individuals, families and society.
Over a period of a year and a half, Zdešar accompanied professional teams in Slovenia and abroad, documenting the donation and transplantation process from the initial call to the central coordination office at Slovenia-transplant through to the completion of donation and transplantation procedures. Her photographs go beyond conventional reportage. Combining documentary authenticity with a distinctive artistic sensibility, they provide access to environments and moments that remain largely invisible to the general public. The photographs sensitively reveal the people behind the procedures, scenes from operating theatres, intimate details and the highly professional and coordinated nature of organ donation and transplantation. The final selection brings together photographs taken during visits and events in five countries.
The photo essay invites viewers to gain a deeper understanding of this professionally complex and profoundly human field. At the opening, Andrej Gadžijev emphasised that informed decisions about organ donation depend on access to reliable and credible information:
“The more we know about organ donation and transplantation, the fewer fears and dilemmas we have. The photographs in this exhibition help dispel misconceptions and open up conversations. Ultimately, they also invite visitors to consider one of the most personal questions: whether to donate their organs after death. In this sense, We Are Still Here goes beyond its educational purpose and assumes a broader social and humanistic significance.”
Slovenia-transplant extends its sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to the project, particularly colleagues throughout the national donation and transplantation network and all those providing professional, organisational and logistical support. The exhibition is accompanied by a printed catalogue, and the project is also presented on the Slovenia-transplant website.
Take a look at the catalogue here.
