The Mediterranean: crossroads of tastes and traditions Erasmus Project

Project Title

The Mediterranean: crossroads of tastes and traditions

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Cultural heritage/European Year of Cultural Heritage; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Natural sciences

Project Summary

The project “The Mediterranean: crossroads of tastes and traditions” has centred its training focus on the knowledge, protection and enhancement of trees and plants from native cultivars of Italy, Spain, Greece and Turkey, with particular reference to the role these plants have played in the history, economy and culture of these countries. CONTEXT: The project was carried out in a partnership, aimed at achieving an exchange of good practices, between four educational institutions in the Mediterranean area, the PEIRAMATIKO SCHOLIO PANEPISTIMIOU in Athens, the I.E.S. LA ROSALEDA in Malaga, the LICEO GARIP-ZAYCAN in Samsun and the LICEO ARISTOSSENO in Taranto. The pupils, who were the true protagonists of the entire project, immediately established relationships of cordiality and mutual respect. They always kept in contact with each other in a dynamic and informal context, exchanging information and sharing experiences, which enabled them to complete what they had planned despite the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic which forced the cancellation of the last meeting. Nevertheless, the extension of the project duration by six months facilitated the conclusion of the project work – in remote – with the creation of a multimedia manual.
OBJECTIVES: in compliance with what had been established in terms of objectives and priorities – horizontal and transversal – for each plant typical of the Mediterranean area, an information sheet has been created containing scientific information (active ingredients-organoleptic-officinal characteristics), as well as information on the cultural, historical and artistic nature with the study of myths / legends, artistic representations, past and present traditions linked to the plant and its usage both in food and wine and pharmacopoeia. 2. All this has encouraged a deeper knowledge and protection of the products and the culture of the territory inherent to the plants studied and has involved 3. The diffusion of an educational model capable of influencing the reality of one’s own territory. ACTIVITIES Proceeding with active and cooperative teaching methods, research activities were carried out both in each territory and online; experiences in the field have made it possible to expand the knowledge and disciplinary and transversal skills of each student as well as their relational and organisational skills. Numerous group work experiences were carried out through the assignment of specific tasks: laboratory experiences (leading to the creation of lotions / creams based on active ingredients of plants), activities of identifying plants on a dichotomous basis in a park, the study of some artistic representations of plant specimens in some important museums – such as Taranto or Athens, etc … and the sharing of multimedia work, both in presence during meetings, and in remote via the web and social networks. RESULTS: 1. The development and strengthening of a new awareness of active citizenship by all participants, in defence of cultural heritage – both tangible (the environment – the plants – the products) and intangible (traditions, history, myths, usage, art etc …) inherent to the cultivars considered, to be preserved and transmitted to future generations; 2. The improvement of linguistic-communicative skills in English; 3. The strengthening of basic and transversal skills, broken down into personal and social skills; 4. An increase in the use of ICT, encouraged by the creation of a website containing the various pieces of work produced, which were all merged together into the creation of a single manual, with the same title as the project. This last piece of work does not claim to be in any way a scientific manual, nor is it exhaustive; it is, however, a real operational tool intended to feed the active citizenship of future generations, aimed at improving knowledge of the territory and protecting the “biodiversity” of the Mediterranean basin, whose peoples possess a common interest in trees and plants , aromatic herbs, spices in their most varied uses, customs and traditions (in the kitchen, of course, but also in the pharmacopoeia and in art – to which specific chapters are dedicated). BENEFITS: the online manual will continue to be enriched, it will be a “Work in progress” container of useful data and information and will be promoted by the school as a school project for the expansion of the school’s educational offer. On an international level, the collaboration with partner schools will continue online. As regards the relationship with the territory, networked institutions, such as the ITS agri-food of Locorotondo (Ba), “The rooms of herbs” of the municipality of Colobraro (MT), have declared great interest in promoting the results of the project, while the OPS – Permanent Observatory of the Salinella district – in collaboration with the Liceo Aristosseno, will continue to promote the assumptions, ideas and contributions of this project by creating a large Urban Ethno-botanical Park together with the Municipality of Taranto.

Project Website

https://sites.google.com/view/erasmus-project-the-mediterran

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 91338 Eur

Project Coordinator

LICEO GINNASIO ARISTOSSENO & Country: IT

Project Partners

• PROTIPO PIRAMATIKO SHOLIO PANEPISTIMIOU ATHINON
• Instituto Enseñanza Secundaria La Rosaleda
• SAMSUN GARIP-ZEYCAN YILDIRIM FEN LISESI