Cleveland delegation to Slovenia meets with LGBT sports group, FGG member organization Out in Slovenia

As we wrote HERE, a high-level trade delegation from Cleveland, host city for Gay Games IX in 2014, recently visited Slovenia. The delegation included several members of the board of Cleveland Special Events Corporation, the host organization for Gay Games IX, who took time during their stay in Ljubljana to meet with members of FGG member Out in Slovenia, the umbrella organization for LGBT sport in the country.

Out in Slovenia's Andrej Pisl reports:

Cleveland in Slovenia

During their visit to Slovenia between May 7 and 13, the Delegation of the City of Cleveland also met with the delegates of FGG member club Out in Slovenia to promote Gay Games IX which are to be held in Cleveland and Akron in August 2014, and to discuss possible cooperation.

From Cleveland, the Gay Games meeting was attended by the Mayor of Cleveland Mr Frank G. Jackson, Chief of Government Affairs Mrs Valarie J. McCall, City Councilman Mr Joe Cimperman, Vice President Convention & Visitor Services Mrs Sharon Gronowski, United Airlines Regional Sales Director Mr Evan M. Koppel. From Slovenia, the meeting was attended by Consul General of the Republic of Slovenia in Cleveland Mr Jure Zmauc, Mrs Mateja Loncar and Mr Simon Licen from the City of Ljubljana and Mrs Urska Bremec and Mr Mitja Blazic from Out in Slovenia.


Out in Slovenia as the host first briefly presented the club, its history and activities, with special emphasis on international cooperation and participation in LGBTIQ sports events. After that, the Cleveland Delegation introduced their concept of Gay Games 2014. They stressed that they are very proud to host the Games in Cleveland, and will do their best to organise the best and largest Gay Games ever. As there is a large Slovenian community in Cleveland, they hope to be able to attract also participants from Slovenia to take part in the upcoming games. Slovenian representatives agreed to promote the event in Slovenia, and also assist in the regional promotion in other countries of former Yugoslavia.

The Cleveland Delegation had otherwise a busy schedule, which focused primarily on the renewal of the sister cities cooperation between Cleveland and Ljubljana and strengthening the cooperation between the cities. The delegation met with the mayors of the largest Slovenian cities, representatives of the Government and the Parliament, as well as the representatives of Slovenian sphere of economy, culture, education and civil society.

More info about Gay Games IX: http://www.2014gaygamescleveland.com
More info about Out in Slovenia: http://www.outinslovenija.com