NEWS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

On 8th May 2008, during a private visit to Romania, Prince Charles visited the Transylvanian village of Saschiz to meet traditional food producers from the Tarnava Mare region. This is part of his commitment to support sustainable development in rural Transylvania; this remarkable landscape can only be preserved if the traditional farming communities who have created it are given an economic future.

During the picnic on a hill high above the World Heritage listed Fortified Church, and in the shadow of a Saxon Citadel, Prince Charles tasted cheeses, jams, smoked sausages and other traditional products of the area. He spent time knowledgeably discussing the products and the importance of protecting traditional food and culture. Among the producers were members of Romania’s first Slow Food Presidium who have been formed to protect the traditional jam recipes made from local berries and fruits. The Prince was particularly impressed with a rhubarb jam from the group and was keen to buy some to take back to England.

The visit to Saschiz and the picnic with the local producers was organised by Fundatia ADEPT (www.fundatia-adept.org) which is working with both local communities and the Romanian government to provide solutions to the challenges facing traditional agriculture in Romania and to promote a sustainable future for rural Transylvania. Fundatia ADEPT is helping small producers in many practical ways including design of easily replicable micro-scale food production units and of government-approved food production handbooks that will enable small producers to develop traditional products and to market them more profitably – giving economic value to the natural landscape and practical incentives for its conservation.

The work of Fundatia ADEPT is supported by the biggest private/NGO partnership in Romania, receiving major long term support from the Darwin Initiative and Orange Romania.

Orange Romania’s Chief Executive Officer Richard Moat, who was present at the visit and spent some time discussing issues facing Romania with the Prince, said “We were all impressed by Prince Charles’s knowledge of the region, and by his heartfelt desire to see a real future for the communities that are custodians of this important natural and cultural landscape. Orange is proud to be supporting the work of Fundatia ADEPT, working with local people so that Tarnava Mare is protected for future generations. We hope it provides a model for other parts of Romania”.

On the 5th May, the Tourist Information Centre moved to new premises at the base of the church tower. The new location is already proving a great success with more tourists visiting in the first two weeks than in the entire month of July 2007.

The Tourist Information Centre is able to provide tours of the church and book a variety of activities and accommodation.

Local produce for sale includes jam, honey and a range of crafts. Books, maps and postcards are available for sale.

A range of food, culture and walking activities can be booked and guides and transport arranged.

Picnic lunches and visits to courtyards can be arranged with prior booking.

The Tourist Information Centre was renovated with funding assistance from the Town Hall and Pro Patrimonio.

A 24-page booklet for small producers, Minimum food hygiene and food safety conditions for small producers, was launched in Bucharest on 10 April 2008. The aim of the booklet is to clarify the minimum conditions which small producers have to meet after Romania’s EU entry, and to help small producers - so important for Romania’s rural economy, landscape and culture - to prosper within the European Union. It is in 3 languages available here to view or download: Romanian, Hungarian and English.

The booklet has been produced with support of ANSVSA (National Sanitary Veterinary & Food Safety Authority), EU Representation in Bucharest, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Orange Romania, and Ratiu Family Foundation. The launch will be attended by ANSVSA President, Radu Roatis, and Giorgio Ficcarelli (EU Representation). The booklet was written by WWF-Danube Carpathian Programme, ADEPT Foundation, and Milvus Group.

ADEPT are working with SpurFilm, a Cluj video production company, to record a year in the life of several villages in rural Transylvania.

The documentary project will represent all the ethnic groups in the region - Romanian, Hungarian/Szekeley, Saxon/Sass, and Gypsy, and will feature work being done by ADEPT within these communities. The aim is to heighten global awareness of the outstanding cultural wealth and rich bio-diversity which exists in Transylvania. The video project will also ring alarm bells to hasten the urgent protection of this fragile ecosystem, and help to ensure the future well-being of the traditional agricultural communities in Transylvania. For more information visit www.transylvania-romania.com

In September we hosted Lucy Meyhew, journalist and Claire Delaney, photographer. Their article was published in the travel section of the Mail on Sunday on 16th December 2007 and can be viewed by clicking on the following link:

Moons and Aurochs

Alan Ogden

Orchid Press

ISBN-10: 988-97764-8-0

ISBN-13: 978 -988-97764-8-0

RRP: £9.99

‘Moons and Aurochs’ takes the reader on an eccentric and out-of-the-way tour of Romania. Starting his journey in the wetlands of the Danube Delta, the author wanders through the mountains of Transylvania into the hidden Carpathian valleys of Moldavia and ends up on the plains of the Banat, along the way meeting Lipovans, Székelys, Saxons and Houtsouls. The effect is to view Romania through a constantly rotating kaleidoscope where colourful historical figures mutate into equally colourful contemporary characters.'

Romanian Furrow

Donald Hall

Bene Factum Publishing

ISBN -10: 1-903071-12-7

ISBN-13: 978-1-903071-12-0)

RRP: £9.99

Romanian Furrow is an enchanting and enduring account of Romanian country life in the 1930s: it is a lasting chronicle to the men and women whose lives, though hard, were as complete and satisfying as the cycle of the seasons which ordained them, and who, from their reliance on the earth, found beauty, passion as well as renewal, and mingled their love for it in their songs, customs and animist traditions.

The author of Romanian Furrow, Donald Hall, wandered from village to village, sometimes stating several weeks to help with the harvest or to repair a watermill. Hall was not just an observer; he was an active participant in peasant life, often wearing the dress of the peasants, learning their sings, dancing and drinking at their weddings, and attending their funerals, Hall was aware that much around him was destined to disappear before the onslaught of 20^th century materialism.

Both titles can be ordered from:

John Sandoe (Books) Ltd
10 Blacklands Terrace,

Chelsea, London, SW3 2SRB

Telephone orders: + 44 (0) 20 7589 9473

Daunt Books

83 Marylebone High Street,

London W1U 4QW

Telephone orders: +44 (0) 207 224 2295

Edward Stanford

12-14 Long Acre
Covent Garden
London WC2E 9LP

Telephone orders: + 44 (0) 20 7836 1321

or on-line from www.amazon.co.uk

Fundatia Adept Transilvania has launched a new brochure describing the objectives and activities currently being promoted.

Two other leaflets have also been produced explaining Natura 2000 in Romania generally and specifically how this effect the potential Natura 2000 site - Sighisoara-Tarnva Mare.

13 March 2006: Brasov

The ADEPT Foundation has been awarded a national prize for Corporate Social Responsibility projects in Romania. These awards are given annually in various cities throughout Romania, at ceremonies aimed at raising the profile of CSR activities in the country. At these events, Bucharest Business Week recognises businesses, NGOs and individuals for their efforts in supporting important community programs, ranging from health to education to the environment, including projects on behalf of children, the elderly and the disabled. Orange are co-financing the ADEPT Foundation under their CSR programme for Romania.

06 March 2006: Natural Food, Organic Growth

With agriculture undergoing a revolution and hundreds of millions of Euro from the World Bank and the EU being spent on restructuring an antiquated rural system, an innovative program has captured the interest of international observers. Follow this link for the full, front page article about ADEPT by journalist Paul Dreher

The ADEPT Foundation has provided technical support to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development (MAFRD) to assist with the preparation of the so-called "national strategic plan" for rural development in Romania. This is an important document that establishes the framework for using the financial assistance available for rural development after Romania joins the European Union in 2007/2008. Dr Mark Redman, an associate of ADEPT with many years of experience in policy development for central and eastern Europe, spent several weeks during early 2006 in Bucharest working with MAFRD to develop the basis of a strategic plan that is in line with both the needs of the rural areas in Romania and the obligations imposed by EU policy and legislation. A key issue for establishing the plan was to ensure that promotion of the necessary economic and social development in rural areas is fully and effectively integrated with measures to ensure sustainable natural resource use. In this respect the work of the ADEPT Foundation in Transylvania is likely to generate some interesting lessons for the policy-makers in Bucharest.