A New Festival Joining the AGORA Festivals Family

Monday, 20 October 2014

Platform AGORA - branch Burgas started on October 10, 2014 the implementation of the project "Festival of Generations" (FoG) in partnership with Secondary School "Episkop Konstantin Preslavski" - Burgas , Bulgaria and Lüleburgaz High School, Turkey. The project duration is 12 months and it is supported by the Bulgaria-Turkey IPA Cross-border Programme (CCI NUMBER: 2007CB16IPO008) under the third call for proposals, priority axis 1: Sustainable social and economic development: and area of intervention 1.1: Improvement of the social development and social cohesion links. The total project budget is 114 086 €.

The overall project objective is to create a joint communication environment on the base of accumulated social and cultural experience of representatives of different generations for achievement of social development and creation of social cohesion links in the cross-border region.

In the partner schools Youth Units will be created where in 'generation teams' youth and elderly jointly will work on topics on their choice. Part of the Youth Units actions are the joint activities of the students and elderly, directly related to their roots- research and development of a genealogical tree. A research methodology will be developed for the students to identify generation gap deficits and address them with artistic means. The result of the Artistic Ateliers' work in both partner countries will be the production of variety of cultural products interpreting the generations' relations and communication.

The project includes implementation of cultural and educational activities in two broader communities in municipal centers - Burgas and Luleburgaz. As a result of the generations teams activities in both schools new cultural products will be created. Namely, theater, dance and music performances, photo exhibition - that demonstrate the effects of linkage between education, artistic expression and dialogue between generations.

Festival of Generations is the event that will demonstrate the effectiveness of the approaches applied and the possibilities for dialogue and cohesion of generation today. The festival will be held on both sides of the border as a mirror event in the cities of Burgas and Luleburgas. The concept of the festival is to showcase the good generational practices in series of public events, open to the general public within two festival days. The two cultural products of the Artistic Ateliers will be performed, followed by a discussion with the public. An international conference with guests from Turkey will be held, as well as open to the public discussion spaces where the achievements of "generational teams" will be presented, the creative panel "Genealogical Tree" and a photo exhibition.

"Festival of Generations" will contribute to strengthening the dialogue within the community, employ unused local potential (joint actions of schools and communities) and increase the mobility of people for cultural reasons between Bulgaria and Turkey.

The project is co-funded by EU through the Bulgaria - Turkey IPA Cross-Border Programme (CCI number 2007CB16IPO008. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Platform AGORA - branch Burgas and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the Managing Authority of the Programme.