Terra Madre Balkans 2012
29 May 2012 | English
Following the success of the first edition held in 2010, the second meeting of the Balkan Peninsula Terra Madre network will be held at the Bulgarian Academy of Science (Sofia) from June 29 to July the 1, 2012.
Terra Madre Balkans was launched in Sofia in 2010, and it is the first such network to unite food communities from several countries of the same region. Balkan countries share common unique food traditions and similar socio-economic conditions. Therefore, the safeguarding of their rural heritage needs common and timely efforts also beyond national borders.
Both Slow Food and the Terra Madre network are well rooted in the region and form a vast group of actors counting more than 1500 Slow Food members, 11 Presidia, 60 Terra Madre food communities, 15 food and taste education programmes in schools, and 25 chefs. Slow Food directly supports more than 25 projects in the countries of the region, ranging from sustaining small-scale artisan productions facing extinction (such as the Tcherni Vit green cheese, wild fig slatko, and ljubitovica sarac garlic) to mapping local traditional products, promoting short food supply chains and launching taste and food education initiatives in schools.
This year the Balkan network will come together in Sofia to discuss the European Union’s new Common Agricultural Policy and the challenges and opportunities it presents for small-scale farmers both in EU and extra-EU countries of the region. Over 150 delegates from 10 countries will participate: Albania (15 representatives), Bosnia and Herzegovina (14), Bulgaria (45), Croatia (8), Greece (5) UNMIK Kosovo (3), Macedonia (20), Romania (23), Serbia (10), and Turkey (10).
Together with the three main conferences of the event, Slow Food will set up a series of side-events held in the Botanic Garden of Sofia, from round tables to eat-ins, as well as tasting events for kids. A marketplace open to the public will be set up from Saturday afternoon onward with an outstanding selection of products from food communities and Slow Food Presidia from throughout the region.
Terra Madre is the world meeting of food communities launched by Slow Food in 2004 in Turin (Italy)*. It brings small-scale farmers and food producers together with cooks, academics and the young generation to discuss how to improve the food system collaboratively and produce food in a sustainable, good, clean and fair way. Since that first event, meetings have been held at global and national level, resulting in projects that promote the exchange of knowledge around the world.
The event is organized by the Association of Slow Food Convivia in Bulgaria together with Slow Food International, and funded by the Open Society, Sofia Municipality Culture Programme and the EU. Organizational partners are the New Culture Foundation, the European Institute, the Botanic Garden of the University of Sofia, and the Institute of Biodiversity and ecosystem research of the Bulgarian Academy of Science. Interimage Ltd. Company will logistically support the organization of the event and will provide the PR promotion. Media partner is Menu Magazine.
*Terra Madre and Salone del Gusto will take place on October 25-29, 2012 in Turin, Italy. The international world meeting will be displaying the extraordinary diversity of food from all continents and uniting small-scale farmers and artisans from around the world who follow the principles of good, clean and fair production.
This year Terra Madre and Salone del Gusto will host a 180 square-meter exhibition area dedicated to the Balkan region, where more than 50 food communities and Presidia will be showcasing and selling their food produce. The area will be organised around four different paths through the region’s food-biodiversity: high alpine cheeses, preserves, spirits & wines, and wild herbs.
For further information:
www.slowfood.com
www.terramadre.org
www.slowfoodfoundation.org
Michele Rumiz
Slow Food – Coordinator for Balkan Countries
+39 0172 419 746; [email protected]
Paola Nano
Slow Food International – Press Office
+39 0172 419 645, [email protected]
Dessislava Dimitrova
Event Coordinator and Slow Food International Councillor
+359 885 432 540; [email protected]
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