Gastronomy Love, Attitude Zooming on Education
When we share a meal, we think about what gathers us and not about our
differences. Cooking creates contacts between people and favors the
intercultural dialogue by the mixture of flavors. We consider that the cuisine is an essential tool for social inclusion. Carried by this idea, with our
partners, we set up the third GLAZE project which included the
gastronomy as a vector of inclusion and intercultural dialogue. For these
reasons, we to set up a short-term group volunteering ESC project
related with the gastronomy and the local traditional dishes.
The activity took place in Lefkada, Greece, from 7th of July to 7th of August 2021.
24 volunteers from 8 European and Mediterranean countries were hosted who helped to prepare, promote, implement and disseminate healthy cooking related activities in the surrounding villages.
This project joined an approach of citizen participation, support for the local initiatives and the development of elementary skills for youth, including the ones with fewer opportunities. It also answered to the need to involve these youths in an international experience related with the local gastronomy and the conservation of the immaterial heritage. This project contributed to the development of our community and the promotion of the volunteering activity as one pillar of development and solidarity.
In this context the volunteers organised a festival. This festival focused on gastronomy, culinary heritage and healthy food.
The volunteers organized cooking activities in various villages of Lefkada. They shared intercultural recipes and highlighted local cuisine traditions. Volunteers were involved in the project of strengthening solidarity between the inhabitants of the various villages of our region, through collective culinary activities with respect for culture and traditions contributing to the development of a community where everyone shares responsibilities and mutual support.
During one month the volunteers developed numerous knowledge and skills regarding project management, promotion (creation of press articles, posters, recipe book, E-tutorial videos, etc.), intercultural mediation and technical know-how connected with cooking.
They followed the principle “to think globally and act locally”. The
volunteers were encouraged to develop their own local initiatives and to
exchange best practices with their peers. In a multicultural context, and by
following methods of non formal education, they benefited from essential
tools and capacities to be open to new professional perspectives.
