30. March 2026 · Ljubljana, Slovenia

Following the first presentation of Digital Twin Slovenia in Planica, the project continued with a stakeholder workshop in Ljubljana on 30 March 2026.

The workshop brought together representatives of national institutions, operational organisations, project partners and the European Space Agency (ESA) to discuss how Digital Twin Slovenia could support real-world decision-making and future operational services.

The focus shifted from demonstrating technological capabilities to understanding stakeholder needs, existing operational processes, data requirements and institutional responsibilities.

The workshop presented the emerging Digital Twin Slovenia platform and explored how Earth Observation, geospatial data, modelling and interactive Digital Twin services could be integrated into existing national workflows.

Particular attention was given to the potential role of Destination Earth and ESA-supported Earth Observation capabilities in strengthening disaster risk management and improving the connection between European services and national operational environments.

Participants discussed how Digital Twin technologies can support institutions before, during and after natural hazard events by providing accessible information, scenario-based insights and a shared understanding of evolving conditions.

A central part of the workshop focused on the practical requirements for future Digital Twin services.

Discussions addressed:

• existing operational processes and critical decision points;
• information flows between institutions;
• availability, accessibility and exchange of data;
• legislative and organisational frameworks;
• user requirements for simulations and decision-support information;
• dependencies between individual parts of the operational process chain.

These discussions provided important input for the future development of DTSI towards services that respond more directly to the needs of public authorities and operational users.

The workshop included a panel discussion with representatives of organisations directly involved in disaster management, environmental monitoring, water management and geospatial information in Slovenia.

The discussion provided perspectives on current challenges in disaster preparedness and response, the role of timely and reliable information, and opportunities for improving cooperation between institutions through shared digital environments.

The panel also explored how Earth Observation and Digital Twin technologies could complement existing systems rather than replace them, helping stakeholders access and interpret relevant information more efficiently.

Participants also had the opportunity to experience selected Digital Twin Slovenia results through virtual reality.

Using VR headsets, users could explore Digital Twin environments from a first-person perspective and gain a more intuitive understanding of spatial information, scenarios and potential impacts.

The demonstration illustrated how advanced visualisation can make complex geospatial data and modelling results more accessible to decision-makers and other non-technical users.

The Ljubljana workshop marked an important step in the evolution of Digital Twin Slovenia from a technology-led demonstrator towards a more stakeholder-driven and operationally oriented environment.

Feedback gathered during the workshop is helping refine future priorities, particularly in the areas of Disaster Risk Reduction & Management and Water Resources Management.

The goal is to further develop DTSI as an environment that connects national and European data, services and expertise while responding to real operational needs in Slovenia.