LJUBLJANA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Director of the Government Office for Support and Integration of Migrants of Slovenia, Mojca Spec Potocar, stressed on Wednesday that tolerance and dialogue were crucial for successful integration.

Her words came at a gathering of Slovenian NGOs, other organisations and individuals with migration experiences in downtown Ljubljana on Wednesday, also the World Refugee Day. The organizations called for aid and solidarity.

Potocar also called for cooperation with NGOs, the wider society and state bodies, according to the Slovenian Press Agency STA.

Another speaker, Sara Bevc Jonan, told her own refugee story as she came to Slovenia 15 years ago from Iraq. She said a lot had changed since her arrival at the country and nowadays it was easier for refugees to integrate into society.

Meanwhile, a roundtable debate focussing on migrations was held in Crnomelj in southeast Slovenia bordering with Croatia, a municipality that has been strongly affected by the recent surge in refugee arrivals, the STA reported.

Igor Petelinc of the Slovenian Novo Mesto regional Police Department disclosed at the debate that this year 1,435 illegal crossings of the border had been recorded by the Novo Mesto police until last Sunday, which was a notable increase compared to last year.