Institut für virtuelles und reales Lernen in der Erwachsenenbildung an der Universität Ulm e.V.
Tastes of Danube: Bread, Wine, Herbs
„Tastes of Danube. Bread, Wine, Herbs“ (2015)
New European project „Tastes of Danube. Bread, Wine, Herbs“: Participants wanted!
As a follow-up project of “The Wanted Danube” which has just been awarded with two European
prizes the “Danube-Networkers” organization in Ulm starts a new project along with their partners in
September 2015. “Tastes of Danube: Bread, Wine, Herbs” is the name of the project which welcomes
civil society organizations, schools, single persons and groups in Germany and all other Danube
countries as active participants. From now on, every interested group, institution or person is invited
to present their ideas for project activities.
Bread, wine, and herbs
Transnational activities will be designed and carried out circling around bread, wine, and herbs as
traditional groceries and luxury foods which are equally common in all countries along the Danube
river. The different activities will offer a chance to not only get knowledge about the use and
meaning of these foods nowadays but to research about their social and cultural history throughout
the countries. Memories and experiences from individual and professional life will fill the subject
with life, along with teamed creative planning and baking, or, for example, discussing possibilities of
food sharing.
More than just food
For example, what is the meaning of the old ritual of giving bread and salt as presents to welcome a
family in their new house? Is this or a similar ritual also common in the other countries? For bread,
wine, and herbs are more than food: They are tokens of cultural community or separation, witnesses
of both the present way of life and history, spark festivities, trigger experiences and memories and
are important objects in stories. They symbolize love and care but they sometimes are also the tools
of power and violence, especially when people are short on bread in times of war or because of food
speculation in global capitalism.
A project for people of all generations, ethnic groups, social and educational backgrounds
Like the foregoing project, this Danube project wants to motivate people of all generations, ethnic
groups, social and educational backgrounds to take part. The focus is not only to enhance mutual
knowledge and to find out more about traditions and values common to all countries. The focus is
also to exchange experience and to meet – in real life as on the internet by pictures, skype, and
videos. The participants get the chance to become acquainted to each other within a country or
across the borders. Additionally, they get the possibility to create something as a team – an
experience that fills the idea of an European identity with life.
The project is designed to be an inclusive one. Everyone is welcomed from the heart and finds a
place in it to match. People with a handicap or without English language knowledge are explicitly
invited to take part, for example with creative or hand-crafting activities.
Shared activities and the Danube Festival 2016
The project is related to process and products. It is kept alive by the participants. The „Danube-
Networkers for Europe (DANET)“ e.V. is looking for ideas and suggestions to their realization.
A first highlight of the project will be the International Danube Festival Ulm/Neu-Ulm 2016. The
project will offer lots of possibilities for every participant to become active in his or her hometown or
area. All activities will be shared in an online network and presented to other participants so that an
exchange of opinions will be made possible. Similar as „The Wanted Danube“, the festival will be a
perfect frame for the participants to meet and also for presentations, discussions, and talks.
Researching, storytelling, filming, gardening: Do what you want to do
„Tastes of Danube “ is a project focusing on team activity and action learning. Everyone who likes to
explore and research, to discuss, to talk with experts or to lecture will find opportunities.
The project’s website invites all participants to exchange their opinions and provides a platform to
distribute materials and coaching scripts which support the activities. Everyone can contribute to the
project documentation in his own language, via photo and video picture. Central texts will be
translated into English.
There are also creative possibilities of taking part, for example baking bread in a team, creating and
exchanging recipes, collecting and preparing herbs, and much more. As many activities as possible
should be documented in photos and videos so that everyone along the Danube can follow the
others’ activities for there is no language common to all the participants except the language of
pictures.
Looking for ideas and participants
The project is in its preparation stage now. The topic “Bread, Wine, and Herbs” will be parted into
subgroups. Up to the Danube Festival 2016, the teamed activities will focus on the subtopic “bread”.
But the other two topics won’t get less attention because the Danube Festival is not the end of the
project.
To include people of all generations, ethnic groups, social and educational backgrounds, the
“Danube-Networkers” invite especially schools of all types and institutions of education, culture,
social and environmental issues to be their project partners. Interested groups of seniors, civil society
organizations and local groups all along the Danube are very welcome, too. There are no limits for
own ideas and suggestions!
Many active people can form a symbol for a friendship-based Danube Region
The project can only be realized with as many participants as possible. Altogether they can form a
visible symbol for their interest in a peaceful Danube Region within a „House of Europe“ which is
created by teamwork and experienced as common identity. In “Tastes of Danube“ bread does not
mean bread alone. It also represents sharing, friendship and the responsability for a peaceful future
for everyone.
