9, Pierre Degeytre Str., bl. 3, app. 39
Sofia
Bulgaria
- Environment/Sustainable development
The goals of the Applicant organization are:
1. To discover, document and restore the rural culture including food traditions in different parts of Bulgaria and promote it as a part of the national heritage and an instrument for sustainable development of local communities;
2. To create partnerships at national, regional (Balkan Peninsula) and transnational (SEE) level thus preserving the existing agro-biodiversity, food culture, rural heritage and to increase the well being of the related local communities;
3. To promote Bulgarian food culture and traditions and related livelihoods at international forums.
The goals are achieved through systematic research of rural areas in Bulgaria, various information campaigns for different target groups, networking with organizations and institutions in the country and abroad in the respective domains, elaboration of legal regulations and action plans for protection of the food culture, consultancy on relevant topics, implementing projects.
Slow Food movement in Bulgaria exists since 2004. In 2009, on its basis was registered the Association of Slow Food Convivia in Bulgaria (Slow Food Bulgaria). Main activities:
- Research of local food and preservation of traditional knowledge for food production
- Promotion of local food among Bulgarian consumers at festivals, exhibitions, etc.
- Promotion of Bulgarian food at international forums
- Elaboration of legal documents related to on-farm food production and its direct sale
- in 2010 was organized the first regional forum Terra Madre Balkans at which took part representatives from Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Kosovo. At a discussion forum in Sofia University was discussed how to protect local food and rural heritage in the Balkans. At a parallel Food Market was demonstrated the quality and economic potential of local food to the visitors of the event.