EDUCATION, PUBLIC AWARENESS & ADVOCACY

The 4 Generations Project was initiated on the basis that there is a wealth of orally transmitted indigenous knowledge, history and mythology which is rapidly being lost. The project was conceived from the principle that in all cultures past and present knowledge coexist to frame a present identity - that a ‘tree without roots cannot grow’ and that we must look to our indigenous knowledge systems as a learning resource which has value not only in terms of content but also in terms of perspective.

The 4 Generations Project aims to encourage students to inquire into their own cultures, leading their own process of discovery. Teaching methods have been developed over several years by Sveva Gallmann that cultivate lateral thinking, creativity and confidence which we argue will be crucial tools in the future lives of our students. Sophie Barker adds a dance and music dimension, making the programme great fun for the children.

The 4 Generations Project already has activities in Guatemala, Kenya, Laos and Peru. In these countries, the 4 Generations Project has clearly demonstrated that the sponsors are in touch with the local communities and that the programme is important to the success of their core activities. Links are now being developed with schools in the UK and Romania.

The schools in the UK and Romania are linked by a transnational LEADER project involving three groups in the UK , one in Ireland and one in Romania (LEADER projects exist throughout Europe and the programme is an EU directive to support rural communities).

The Dorset party to the transnational LEADER project have a couple of schools, in particular the comprehensive school in Dorchester, who are potentially interested in a connection with schools in other areas of Europe and who are looking at incorporating this work with a focus on traditional foods, processing methods and local culture into the national curriculum (this is currently being promoted by the British Government).

ADEPT, the Romanian party to the transnational LEADER project have schools in the Tarnava Mare area that have expressed interest and will pilot the project with the intention of then rolling out nationally.

Finally, the project concept has been discussed with the Director of the Peasants Museum in Bucharest and he has agreed to support the pilot 4 Generations project in Romania as such activities are a core part of his mandate .

4 Generations Project Limited is registered as a not-for-profit company in the UK

• ADEPT gives classes and practical courses for schools, to promote local childrens’ understanding of environmental issues and of the link between environment, food and health. Schools presentations began in Saschiz in May 2006, with 90 children aged 11-14.
• ADEPT has produced an 85-page booklet on the flora, fauna, history and culture of the area, in English and Romanian, to raise awareness of the area’s importance (The Saxon Villages of Southern Transylvania).ADEPT is actively contributing to rural development policy-making in Romania and is regularly meeting with governmental officials to share expertise and ideas. ADEPT is acting as a national pilot in the development of Romania’s national rural development strategy 2007-2010.
• ADEPT is working in partnership with local communities to prepare them for participation in future EU LEADER programmes, a potentially important source of funding for community-led local development projects
• The Romanian Food Safety Authority (SVFSA) is cooperating with ADEPT in the creation of guidelines and training for food hygiene aimed at small producers; no such guidelines currently exist. This could save local producers (for example hill sheep cheese producers) who have an important cultural and economic role in Romania, from being regulated out of existence.

The ADEPT Tourist Information Centre opened in May 2006, and is a centre for organising educational activities as well as a source of publications on the biodiversity of the area for visitors and local people. a range of local products are on sale.

The ADEPT Enterprise Centre opened in 2007 in Saschiz, as a base for training courses linked to ANCA and to the Town Hall, to give advice on subsidies and on marketing, and to house a small food-processing demonstration unit.