Zelva became the beneficiary of the international project “Bella Culture”
To lure the modern tourist is not an easy task. They pursue new experiences, knowledge and experience. They want everything at once. And the participants of the international project Bella Culture, which includes the Zelva district, are ready to offer something like this — tourism based on the culinary heritage and traditional crafts of the region.
Without a doubt, each country and even a small settlement have a national flavor. Bella Culture is an international initiative aimed at preserving and promoting the national values of three countries — Belarus, Lithuania and Latvia. They became the beneficiaries of the project, supported by the EU in the framework of the cross-border cooperation program «Latvia — Lithuania — Belarus 2014-2020».
“We have become a part of a large international team that wants to make the national culture interesting and“ tasty ”for each tourist,” explained one of the project coordinators, Natalia Gospodarik.
In achieving this task, the beneficiaries will work together. There are joint educational seminars, trainings, study tours to Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus. The first of them will be held in December. In Vilnius, representatives of the initiative will discuss future start-ups that will be implemented over the next two years.
Quite a lot. One of the primary tasks is to create an information product that will tell tourists about the culinary heritage of countries. Three collections of recipes will be published — Belarusian, Lithuanian and Latvian cuisines.
“Thanks to the competition“ Gatuema Svayo ”, we have already managed to select the best authentic recipes. They will be the basis of the collection of brochures, — explained Natalia Alexandrovna.
In addition, a joint cross-border product, “Know Bella’s heritage and culture” will be developed. It is a kind of guidebook where it systematizes data on those involved in the field of gastronomic tourism, promotion of crafts and other national values (addresses of travel agencies, craft schools, agro-farms and other objects).
The initiatives do not end there. As part of the Bella Culture project, four cultural and historical festivals will be organized. One of them will be our country for the first time. In Polotsk, the Zelva district and other partners will present their authentic culture: they will treat guests to dishes of national cuisine, hold master classes in crafts, etc. Three more festivals are organized in Kraslava (Latvia), Ludze (Latvia) and Anyksciae (Lithuania).
The final point of the project will be culinary heritage workshops and traditional crafts. They will work on a permanent basis. For example, in Polotsk, tourists can visit the Center for Heritage Tourism and Experience with an equipped culinary heritage room in the showroom format. In Kraslava there is a craft center, which includes four zones: pottery, weaving, cooking workshops, and an exhibition of woodwork.
For us, participation in the project is an invaluable experience that will become a powerful theoretical and practical base in promoting the national product. Information brochures, collections of recipes, participation in food festivals will help to declare Zelvenshchyna publicly, — Natalya Gospodaryrik summarized.
Anastasia DUNETS