Food and Folklore in Rural Bulgaria

The small picturesque village of Cherni Vit tomorrow will host a round table discussion on the cultural importance of food in rural Bulgaria. This is the first of a series of events with which Slow Food in Bulgaria joins the Good Food March to Brussels – an initiative that will travel through Europe and will unite farmers, citizens, and youth who are demanding a more sustainable and fair Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

At the Cherni Vit Earth Market (Slow Food’s network of good, clean and fair farmers’ markets), alongside artisan food and handicrafts, the day will feature a round table discussion entitled, “The cultural identity of Bulgarians and preservation of disappearing folklore and food.”

The event will take place at the same time as the folklore festival From Timok to Vit, which aims to give new encouragement to the rural communities that study, preserve and promote folklore arts and Bulgarian food – a natural and undervalued resource for sustainable livelihoods in many Bulgarian villages that are being abandoned. The unique tastes and artisan food production of rural Bulgaria are part of the intangible cultural heritage of local communities that is threatened by extinction due to the weak economic development in the area, shortsighted policies and undervaluing the role of gastronomy as part of the national identity. Their preservation is possible only if rural areas and local communities are alive and active and practice their traditional lifestyles.

The Good Food March, with events organized in 15 European countries, will end in Brussels on September 19 with a conference at the European Parliament. Slow Food President Carlo Petrini will participate with EU Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Cioloş, the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, among others. The conference is organized by Slow Food and ARC2020 to present the demands of citizens to decision-makers in Brussels.

The forthcoming reform of the CAP will determine the future of food and agriculture in Europe, and for this reason it must include the active participation of citizens in shaping the policy. The Good Food March provides a vehicle for those European citizens who won’t accept a world dominated by agribusiness farming, but instead demand good, clean and fair food for all.

The Good Food March is organized by ARC 2020, Slow Food, the European Milk Board, the European Coordination Via Campesina, Friends of the Earth Europe, IFOAM EU Group, Meine Landwirtschaft and Groupe PAC 2013 and many others.

Find out more about the Good Food March at
www.goodfoodmarch.eu

Or Slow Food’s Earth Markets at:
www.earthmarkets.net