Slovenian girl designs Olympic stamp Slovenian teenager, Mateja Prunk, was awarded first prize in a world-wide competition to design an Olympic peace flag. She was congratulated today by the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Juan Antonio Samaranch as well as important representatives of the United Nations, the World Postal Organisation, Unesco and sponsors. The reception was held in the television tower of Sydney, the Olympic city, where this morning the 7th Exhibition of Olympic Stamps and Coins was opened. The award-winning picture, which has been issued as an Olympic stamp, is the work of Mateja Prunk, a 13 year old girl from the Slovenian coastal town of Portoroz. The picture depicts the sun and the earth intertwined. "I wanted my picture to show that real power lies in cooperation," said Mateja Prunk. The project coordinator for Slovenia, Manica Lipec from the Slovenian Olympic Committee, added that today Mateja helped introduce Slovenia to many people who are influential on a world-wide level. Mateja's award is an award for Slovenia, too. As winner of the first prize, the IOC gave Mateja, and her mother and her teacher, an all expenses paid trip to the Olympic Games in Sydney. As well as the wonderful memories of her trip she will also take back to Portoroz with her the signature of Juan Samaranch, written on an franked envelope featuring her very own stamp! Additional Information: Slovenian House - Sydney Tel: +51 2 9263 5947 sloveniainsydney@hotmail.com