It is with deep sorrow and sadness that we share the news of the passing of Jernej Sluga, Slovenian disability rights champion and President of the International Aphasia Association. Jernej passed away while attending our Annual General Assembly in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Mr Sluga was a committed activist and an important member of both the international aphasia movement and the Slovenian disability movement.
He trained as an electrical engineer and went on to found Špica International. He was also a veteran hockey player and a skier.
He then experienced a stroke and, after successful rehabilitation, he started what he called ‘his second life’. He not only resumed skiing, but he also became a very committed cyclist, an activity he used to raise awareness of issues of stroke and aphasia survivors by biking all over Slovenia. Not only did he resume his job, but he also started supporting other stroke survivors and championing disability rights. He became President of the International Aphasia Association in 2019, campaigning for raising awareness of aphasia in society.
You can watch a video about his journey, released in 2024.
Also read the beautiful tribute by Hanka Mayhew, Association Internationale Aphasie,
Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum, said:
I was devastated to learn about the passing of Jernej, who was such a tireless member and a true champion for the disability rights movement. He passed away while on duty for disability rights, participating in the EDF General Assembly in Vilnius. My deepest condolences and thoughts are with his family and loved ones, and we will do all we can to support them in such a difficult period.
Your words about Jernej can be sent to andre.felix@edf-feph.org.