Latest News 2010

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NEWSLETTERS
For a summary of the Trusts work from 2002 - 2008: Newsletters

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 January 20th

BREITE STAKEHOLDERS MEETING

More than 40 people took part in the first meeting of the Stakeholders' Panel of the Breite Reserve, an important community consultation promoted by the MET as part of our five-year management plan. Mayor of Sighisoara Dorin Ioan Danesan and MET director Luminita Holban welcomed the participants and invited everyone to join in the debate. Discussions focused on issues of visibility and accessibility, including better signposting of routes from Sighisoara to the Breite plateau, more information panels, continued involvement of schools and children, a better website and, most importantly, rekindling the tradition of a spring festival for the entire community (such as the Saxons' Skopationfest). The Stakeholders' Panel will be a group of permanent consultation, through email communication, smaller discussion groups on specific topics, and at least two general meetings every year. The project is supported by a grant from Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism.

For more on the Breite Reserve see: Breite

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January 15th

ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION LONDON 

Jeremy Amos gave a talk to both post graduate years of the Conservation Course at London’s Architectural Association. The event was moderated by Andrew Shepherd, Director of Building Conservation. The subject of the talk was The Mihai Eminescu Trust’s Whole Village Project in Saxon Transylvania, which is supported by the Horizon Foundation.

See: AA Building Conservation

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January 9th - 13th

INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM AT PITEŞTI

Crafts, materials, techniques, traditional values: inspiration sources for sustainability

The conference, which opened with the MET’s Ten Year Exhibition, was organised by Petre Guran, Director of the Union of Architects of Romania and Andrei Nicolescu, Director of the Culture and Heritage Directorate (Argeş County). It was a coming together of individuals and organisations with the common purpose of preserving and placing economic value on Romania’s cultural heritage. An association is to be formed which will lobby and act as a pressure group aiming to ensure that agreed criteria for the preservation of historically important buildings are incorporated into Romanian law. The MET was represented by Caroline Fernolend who described the event as a major step forward for the preservation of Romania’s cultural heritage.

See: Arges Media

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Latest News 2009

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December 19th

WEIDENFELD SCHOLARSHIPS AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

MET Chairman Jessica Douglas-Home gave a talk on Culture and Eastern Europe to 37 scholars during this year’s Leadership and Public Policy Seminar at Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire. Following her talk she conducted a joint seminar on the Saxon Villages of Transylvania with Dr John Adamson (Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge). The aim of the Weidenfeld programme is to cultivate the leaders of tomorrow primarily from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and North Africa, providing outstanding university graduates and young professionals with the opportunity to pursue graduate studies at Oxford University.

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December 7th

MUNICH

On 7th December Caroline Fernolend spoke in Munich about the work and philosophy of the Mihai Eminescu Trust in the Saxon villages. The hundred-strong audience consisted of leading personalities from the Saxon community now living in Germany including many who came from the villages where the Trust works. It was especially encouraging for them to hear how the Trust’s work had brought new life to these villages.

There was standing applause after the presentation. The event was held in tandem with the young Bach-Choir from Brasov who sang Christmas carols in Romanian, German, Hungarian and English. Their leader, Steffen Schlandt, has compiled a DVD called "My village" about projects in rural Transylvania.

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November 19th

ASE - MET PARTNERSHIP IN 25 VILLAGES

November 19th in Bunesti town hall saw the signing of a contract between the rector of the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest Professor Ion Gheorghe ROSCA and MET Director Caroline Fernolend. As a result the ASE and the Trust have entered into a long term partnership aimed at promoting and furthering the MET philosophy of rural revival. The partnership will focus on heritage restoration and the development of tourism in the 25 villages where the MET’s work is concentrated.

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MET TEN YEAR EXHIBITION IN CLUJ

The MET’s 10 year exhibition has now been seen in Cluj. During the ten days it was open it  attracted over 1000 visitors and once again it has drawn national and international press coverage.  

See:
Romania Libera
Gazeta de Cluj
Adevărul.ro 
Ziua de Cluj
Siebenbürgische Zeitung

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October 10th

NATURREGIO SEMINAR IN BULGARIA

The Mihai Eminescu Trust was invited to present its Whole Village Project as a best practice example in conservation and rural development, at the final seminar of the Naturegio programme (www.naturegio-bg-ro.de) in  the village of Nisovo, Bulgaria (part of the Rusenski Lom Natural Park). Luminita Holban gave a 30-minute talk to around 30 participants from Germany, the UK, Bulgaria and Romania, about the general principles and practical tools developed by the Trust over the past ten years in Saxon Transylvania. Biologist Kinga Ollerer presented a poster on the Breite reserve.

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AN OAK TREE FOR EVERY PUPIL

Around 500 children from ten Sighisoara schools, with their teachers and families, have taken part in the "Oak Tree for Every Pupil" campaign, each student planting at least one young oak tree in the Breite reserve. Under Tibi Hartel's coordination, the five days of planting were a success due to the efforts of the MET's Sighisoara team, especially Oliviu Marian, Cosmin Ioan Moga, Codruta Vranceanu and Lucian Holban. We would also like to thank Nicu Deac of the Sighisoara forestry office and Florin Staicu for their support. The campaign was supported by a grant from Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism, as well as the Foundation for Partnership under their "Green Spaces" programme and the French hotel chain Accor under "Plant for the Planet".

For a more detailed report: Breite 

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October 17th

MET-RESTORED HOUSE OPENS DURING MOSNA HARVEST FESTIVAL

House no. 524 in Mosna, restored by the MET over the past two years, opened its gates last week during the annual Festival of the Cabbage organised by the local town hall. MET director Luminita Holban, the Mayor of Mosna - Eurgen Roba, and the vice-president of the Sibiu County Council - Ioan Banciu inaugurated the house, which was the Trust's first project in the commune and will accommodate an office for the Podisul Mediasului Local Action Group and a tourist information centre for the Sibiu Eco-museum. With material support from the local authorities, the project included full interior and exterior repairs and was carried out largely by local craftsmen, led by master builder Iosif Vuca. After the opening, a symposium was held at the Mosna school, focusing on rural heritage and the future of traditional agriculture, during which Luminita Holban presented the MET's Whole Village Project and the importance of preserving traditional skills and practices to ensure a sustainable future for village communities. Also speaking were Ioan Cindrea - Member of the House of Deputies, Sibiu Agricultural Department director Mircea Teuceanu, and the general director of Romgaz - Marcel Piteiu.

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October 16th

LEWIS MATHER

     
(Right) With colleague Joe Richards beside the partly constructed farm gate they made in Viscri.      

Lewis Mather, one of the original young apprentices who took part in the MET Leonardo partnership projects, has died in a road accident in Herefordshire. Lewis, at the age of 16, worked on the repair of the old barn now the blacksmith's shop in Viscri. He also helped reconstruct the timber frame accommodation at Bunesti Church and last month was part of the team that built the new wooden bridge in Viscri. Lewis typified the character and spirit of the young people from Shropshire who have given freely of their time to help the people of the Saxon villages in Romania and in the process learned new skills and gained experiences which have enriched their lives. Lewis greatly valued the opportunities and camaraderie that working with the MET provided. He will be sadly missed.

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ANDREEA ESCA

Andreea Esca with Andrea Rost (MET) in front of the Apafi Manor in Malancrav.

On 9th October the celebrated Romanian television star Andreea Esca paid a visit to Viscri with Caroline Fernolend, afterwards moving on to the Apafi Manor in Malancrav with Andrea Rost. Coverage of her visit which was screened on prime time television coincided with the Mihai Eminsescu Trust's 10-year celebration in Bucharest's Academia de Studii Economice.

To view Pro TV report: Jos Palaria 

See also: Gandul

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October 13th - 15th

MET TEN YEAR CELEBRATION IN BUCHAREST

The Mihai Eminescu Trust and the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies celebrated the Trust's 10-year anniversary, organised under the patronage of HRH The Prince of Wales and the Romanian Minister of Culture, Mr Theodor Paleologu. The opening of the event was held in the Academy's Aula Magna on Tuesday the 13th of October,  speakers included MET Chairman Jessica Douglas-Home and the academy's rector Mr Ion Gh. Rosca.

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September 13th - 17th

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL  CONFERENCE EMBRACES TRANSYLVANIA

Simon Molesworth, Chairman of the International National Trusts Organisation
with Luminita Holban (MET) at the Dublin Conference.

The MET's Whole Village Project attracted special attention at the 13th International Conference of National Trusts, hosted by An Taisce in Dublin. MET Director Luminita Holban presented our work in Transylvania as a model for sustainable rural development through heritage, inviting leaders and heritage experts from around the world to learn more about the traditional landscape of the Saxon villages and help protect it for future generations. One of the key messages throughout the conference - deeply ingrained in our Whole Village concept - was that the repair and re-use of old buildings and building components such as windows, is much more environmentally sustainable and energy efficient than the building of new ones. The MET was also part of the European group of the International National Trusts Organisation (INTO), a newly formed body which aims to bring together heritage organisations from around the globe. The Conference was attended by more than 170 delegates representing over 30 countries and more than 5 million individual members. Among those present were Mary Robinson - former president of Ireland, John Gormley - Irish Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dame Fiona Reynolds - Director General of the National Trust for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, John Sweeney - Chairman of An Tasice and leading climate change scientist, Richard Moe - President of the US National Trust for Historic Preservation and many others.

International National Trusts Organisation 

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September 7th - 12th

BRIDGE BUILDING IN VISCRI

Colin Richards' team of bridge builders from Ludlow and Viscri. (Photo: MET)

The Mihai Eminescu Trust and Shropshire Council have completed a joint project constructing a wooden bridge at the north end of the village of Viscri. The bridge provides a much needed direct link between the village and the MET’s wood fired brick kiln allowing much easier access for those living and working there as well as giving their children a direct route to the village school.

Under the leadership of Colin Richards Head of Conservation and Archaeology at Shropshire Council a team of conservation professionals and apprentices, worked with local craftsmen Neilu, Marius and Nicolae to construct the bridge in the remarkably short time of five days using oak logs sourced from the village forest. Darren Griffiths of Treasures of Ludlow was master carpenter with apprentices Joe Richards and Lewis Mather working alongside. Mick Krupa assisted by Albert Mallinson also undertook an archaeological investigation of old kiln sites close by before joining the bridge effort. Conservation officer Rachael Parry provided support across the whole project, while the long term sustainability of fuel supplies for the kiln was considered by Dan Wrench who undertook an ecological survey of the local area. The work which was completed with just two hours to spare was officially opened by the Mayor of Bunesti and was inaugurated by kiln master Gheorghe who drove his horse and cart across the new structure.

For all who took part this was an immensely enjoyable example of international camaraderie, in which new skills were learned and a legacy left behind which will enhance communications in this important world heritage site.

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September

BREITE RESERVE

New information point

The Breite Ancient Oak Tree reserve near Sighisoara has a new information and education point, funded by Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt – DBU and Alfred Toepfer Stiftung as part of the NatuRegio – Trainees for Nature programme, which was attended this year by biologist Kinga Ollerer. With the acquisition of scientific equipment and a number of biology books aimed at children and students, we have laid the foundations for a resource centre for scientists and visitors alike, which we hope to expand in the future. Five new information panels, installed near the Breite visitor centre, describe key natural values of the Breite plateau: the wood pasture habitat, flora and vegetation, fauna, the ancient oak trees and the temporary ponds.

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August 22nd

TOM KOWOL

A remarkable Englishman and social historian, Tom Kowol, died suddenly on 22nd August in Transylvania. His funeral will be held on 9th September at Great Tew Parish Church in Oxfordshire. A good friend to the Mihai Eminescu Trust, he was combining forces to set up a restoration plan for Deleal Fromos, the Saxon Transylvanian village he had come to love. He will be much missed. The quality of all he did was first class, as evidenced by the following article written by him:

A short historical introduction to a typical Transylvanian Saxon village

See also:
Tom Kowol † - ein angelsächsischer Siebenbürgenhistoriker...

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July 27th

FORBES ROMANIA

Local residents from selected Transylvanian villages are being trained and financially supported so they can set up small businesses. Not an easy task for Caroline Fernolend, as she keeps track of numerous on-going projects….

MET Director, Caroline Fernolend (Photo: Mihai Benea)

The article appeared in the July issue of Forbes (Romania), the recently launched Romanian edition of New York's highly influential business magazine. These are Romanian language publications and not available in English.  

To read the article in full: INIŢIATIVĂ CU MEŞTEŞUG
See also editorial comment: RESPONSABILITATEA SOCIALA PE TIMP DE CRIZĂ 

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July 17 – 19

MEDIAS SYNAGOGUE OPEN HOUSE

Medias Synagogue (Photo: Christian Binder)

As part of its project to restore the Jewish synagogue in Medias and create an educational and cultural centre, the MET organized an Open House weekend and an exhibition of synagogues from southern Transylvania by photographer Christian Binder. Project manager Julie Dawson opened the exhibition on Friday afternoon with an introduction to Jewish culture in Transylvania, followed by a historical presentation given by Vladimir Sargu, director of the Medias Town Museum, and an insight into the restoration project itself from MET architects Irina Baldescu and Letitia Cosnean. The synagogue was constructed in 1896 and together with the surrounding property, represented the crux of Jewish life in Medias. The Rabbi’s house, community offices, Jewish school and Mikvah, the ritual baths, were all located on this property, which borders the former medieval walls. The Jewish community survived the war but emigrated to Israel in droves during the 50s and 60s. No services have been held for about 20 years and the building has remained closed to the public. Plans include high-quality restoration and installation of a learning centre, cultural events program and exchanges with other European research institutes and museums.

For more information or if you are interested in offering financial assistance, please write to: synagogues@mihaieminescutrust.org

More information: Synagogues 

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July 10th

MET DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT ON SHOW IN MEDIAS

Mr.Vasile Dan (centre) speaking at the opening of the exhibition. (Photo: Medias)

On 10th July, at the invitation of Mr. Matei (Director of Medias Town Hall), the Mihai Eminescu Trust held an exhibition in the Schuller Haus to mark a decade of its work in Transylvania. Those present included representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Town Hall Sibiu, MET director Caroline Fernolend, as well as national press and television. Also present was Romania’s former Ambassador to Chile, Spain and Mexico, Mr Vasile Dan, who spoke about the considerable value of the Trust’s work.

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June 29th

HAMPTON COURT PALACE

International Green Apple Awards 2009

On the 29th of June the ninth International Green Apple Awards for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage took place at Hampton Court Palace. On behalf of the Mihai Eminescu Trust, the chairman, Jessica Douglas-Home, accepted both a Gold and a Silver Award for: 1. Viscri World Heritage Village for Romania and 2. The Apafi Manor House, Malancrav.

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June 10th

SYNAGOGUES OF ROMANIA

Tom Kremer and  Ladislav Löb both originally from Cluj looking at the photographs
of Medias synagogue. (Photo: Carmen Dobre)

The Romanian Cultural Institute London, in partnership with Mihai Eminescu Trust mounted an exhibition of photographs by Christian Binder, illustrating the plight of synagogues in southern Transylvania, which also served to highlight Romania's rich Jewish cultural heritage. The exhibition was accompanied by presentations from Andrei Oisteanu (Romanian historian noted for his work in Jewish studies), Letitia Cosnean (MET architect) who outlined details of the Trust's restoration of the Medias Synagogue and Julie Dawson whose involvement in the Jewish community has prompted her own deep concern for the state of the synagogues and who has acted as project manager for the Trust during the Medias restoration.  The evening ended with a klezmer music live concert performed by Kosmos Ensemble.

 Synagogue Photographs: Christian Binder 

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June 5th

THE DAY OF THE BREITE RESERVE

(Photo: Tibor Hartel)

On 5 June, to mark the World Environment Day, the Mihai Eminescu Trust organised the ‘Day of the Breite Reserve’, a day trip for students to the Breite ancient oak reserve. The event brought together 140 students and teachers from eight schools in Sighisoara. On arrival to Breite the students were invited to join one of the four workshops organised for them (nature study, drawing, rangers training, and fence-making). All activities aimed to help students develop an ethical attitude towards the environment, by encouraging them to take part in specific environment protection activities, and to assess the seasonal flora and fauna on the plateau. All teachers and students received participation certificates. The event was sponsored by the Romanian Environmental Partnership Foundation and Mol Group.

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June 3rd

MAGGIE COLE PLAYS MAETZ CLAVICHORD IN SIGHISOARA

(Photo: MET)

Maggie Cole, international harpsichordist, performed on a Romanian Samuel Maetz clavichord in front of a small invited audience on the top floor of Sighisoara Museum. These were perfect surroundings in which to hear Mozart and Bach exquisitely played on this most delicate of instruments. The Samuel Maetz clavichord was restored by Edmund Handy in 2006. Since then he has built 2 copies in his workshop in England, the first is now in Vienna and the second in London where he hopes it will be heard later this year as part of a Mihai Eminescu Trust event.

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May 31st

MET CELEBRATES A DECADE OF ACHIEVEMENT

(Photo: MET)

The Mihai Eminescu Trust held a party in Viscri to celebrate a decade of work in the Transylvanian villages. The day began with a service in Viscri church followed by the opening of a photographic exhibition and a talk by Directors Caroline Fernolend and Luminita Holban. Jessica Douglas-Home, chairman of the Trust, thanked all who had worked so hard to bring about the completion of over 6oo projects including houses, churches, barns, wells, pathways and streetscapes. She paid special tribute to David Packard of the Packard Humanities Institute, whose exceptionally generous support over 10 years has provided the backbone to everything that has been achieved by the Trust.

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May 23rd

MET ROYAL PATRON THE PRINCE OF WALES ON VISIT TO VISCRI 

While on his visit to Viscri, HRH the Prince of Wales discusses with MET' directors Caroline Fernolend and Luminita Holban the Trust's project to create a new urban plan for Viscri, Mesendorf and other villages, which will help protect the area's endangered heritage. (Photo: Alexander Franz)

       
HRH the Prince of Wales with Caroline Fernolend and Luminita Holban in Saschiz.

The Visit as reported by Le Petit Journal (Bucharest)

Personne n’a été prévenu. La visite du Prince Charles en Roumanie, où il est arrivé jeudi après-midi, était à caractère entièrement privée. Charmé par la richesse touristique du pays, il a d’abord rencontré le président Traian Basescu et le Premier ministre Emil Boc, à Bucarest

 
(Photo: JM)

Le Prince Charles a assuré au président et au Premier ministre être le meilleur avocat pour la promotion touristique de la Roumanie en Grande-Bretagne. Mais c’est surtout la Transylvanie et ses villages saxons qui intéressent son Altesse. Samedi, il a inauguré une petite coopérative destinée aux produits écologiques dans le village de Saschiz, près de Sighisoara (centre).

"La Transylvanie est un trésor agricole car on y trouve la combinaison d’une faune sauvage très riche avec des aliments naturels et de qualité produits par ses habitants. Je suis persuadé que cette région peut donner un exemple au monde entier en ce qui concerne la production biologique d’aliments saints", a-t-il déclaré. Il s’est ensuite dirigé vers Viscri (photo), petit village saxon, sans bitume ni canalisations, où il acheté une maison en  2000. La date de son retour en Angleterre n’a pas été précisée. Lundi 25 mai 2009.

Le Petit Journal / Le Prince Charles dans la campagne Roumaine

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May 18th - 22nd

NINE VILLAGERS RECEIVE LIME TRAINING IN ALMA VII

UK lime expert Anthony Goode travelled to Transylvania to deliver a one-week course in lime mortar and plaster to nine craftsmen from Alma Vii. The training took place at the building of the village medical centre - one of the MET's restoration projects this year - and included the repair of cracks and damaged corner masonry, pointing with lime mortar and plastering the bottom half of the building all the way around. The trainees will be working on building conservation projects in the village and will undergo a recognised course later in the year, to receive building qualifications and become self-employed. Special thanks go to our project manager in Alma Vii, Mihai Blotor, and to Ioana Teodorescu, who ensured the translation and logistics of the course.

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May 8th - 14th

NEW EUROPE RAILWAY HERITAGE  TRUST

Stephen Wiggs of the New Europe Railway Heritage Trust arranged a Community Heritage visit 8th - 14 May for Mihai Blotor from the Mihai Eminescu Trust and his two colleagues from the Sibiu Agnita Railway to visit Gwendraeth Railway Project in Wales. The aim was to foster partnership and exchange of information between heritage and community railway projects across Europe.

For two weeks the Romanians helped members of Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Gwendraeth restore the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway. Stuart Thomas, Chairman of Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Gwendraeth Railway Society, said that "despite the distance between the two projects I was struck by how similar they are both in terms of their technical challenges and also their potential to bring social and economic benefits through promoting tourism in their respective regions. We wish the Sibiu Agnita Railway project every success for the future and very much look forward to forging strong links between the two railways as both projects grow and mature".  

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FIRST 10-HECTARE FOREST PLANTED

The MET, the Local Action Group "Podisul Mediasului" and local partners have completed the first 10-hectare tree plantation, in the village of Micasasa near Medias. More than 200 children from the village school, as well as from high schools in the neighbouring towns of Medias, Dumbraveni and Sighisoara, planted more than 10,000 young saplings - mainly oak trees from the MET's nursery in Sighisoara, but also some wild cherry, ash, maple, lime and walnut. As part of the MET's three-year reforestation programme "A Forest for Each School", funded by the international hotel company Accor, each partner school creates a 10-hectare deciduous native forest and is responsible for its maintenance until the trees reach maturity. A ceremony will take place on the 22nd of April in Micasasa, with the participating schools, local authorities, representatives of Accor and the partner organisations, and mass-media.

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NEW JOURNAL DEDICATED TO RURAL LANDSCAPE

The Mihai Eminescu Trust is proud to announce its first call for articles to be published in the launch issue of "Rural Landscape, Biodiversity and Society", a new multi-disciplinary scientific journal dedicated to furthering the research and understanding of ecology and conservation issues of rural landscapes. The website http://rurallandscape.eu is now active, with information about the aims, scope and editorial board of the publication. Starting in December 2009, in partnership with the Hungarian University Federation of Cluj-Napoca, the journal aims to emphasize the value of rural landscapes from areas where traditional farming and land use patterns are still widespread, by comparison with intensively-used landscape types.

Published twice a year, in online and print versions, the journal is intended as an interactive forum for ecologists, conservation practitioners, policy makers, farmers, teachers and naturalists to exchange ideas and promote trans-regional studies on the biodiversity and ecology of rural landscapes, and the way in which natural values are integrated into the cultural values of local communities.

"There is very little information available in the international scientific community and among key decision-makers about the landscapes of developing countries," said Dr Tibor Hartel, editor of the new journal. "This is a very sad paradox: on the one hand, developed countries have a lot of high-quality scientific data but few surviving traditional landscapes; on the other hand, developing countries from central and eastern Europe have unique opportunities for conservation, but almost no scientific resources - at least none that are available to international readers. Through this journal we hope to help provide evidence that the centuries-old indigenous knowledge of traditional rural communities is valuable and applicable in conservation."

This is an extension of the MET's increased concern for the preservation of biodiversity-rich rural landscapes in Transylvania, under threat from the intensification of farming, abandonment of ancient settlements and practices and aggressive developments. For more details, please see the web page of our Landscape Ecology Group.
 
We are grateful to the many internationally renowned scientists and experts (listed under Editors and Advisory Board) who encouraged, guided and supported us in the creation of this journal - a sign that the issues addressed here are not only relevant at a small local scale, but touch on the fundamental concerns of ecologists and policy makers around the continent.

To submit an article in the new journal, please read the section "For Authors" on the Rural Landscape website and email:
thartel@mihaieminescutrust.org

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March 4th

EMMA DONGOLO

Emma Dongolo in the restored Catholic Church. 
(Photo: Derry Moore)

Emma Dongolo, the last Hungarian in Malancrav, died peacefully on 4th March, with her close family beside her. She will be much missed for her wonderful personality and her steadfast love of the Hungarian Catholic church in the centre of the village. We are so pleased that we were able to restore the interior and exterior of the fast dilapidating building while she was alive.

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A FOREST FOR EACH SCHOOL

The Mihai Eminescu Trust has launched the pilot project “A Forest for Each School”, with financial support from the international company Accor, involving schools in reforestation programmes in Transylvania.

The project is part of Accor's “Plant for the Planet” campaign, an innovative global reforestation program funded by savings on laundry costs resulting from hotel visitors re-using their towels. 50% of the total savings made in this way will be dedicated to the planting of at least 3 million trees in seven countries around the world by 2012: the USA, Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Senegal and Romania.  The MET was selected as sole Romanian partner and will plant trees in the area Sighisoara - Medias - Copsa Mica, a region that suffers severe pollution and land erosion problems.

The Transylvanian project involves local schools and children, as well as local authorities, in planting and caring for trees. One school will be responsible for creating and maintaining its own "forest" - a 10-hectare plantation, properly landscaped and planted with mixed local tree species, aimed at obtaining the best results in terms of encouraging biodiversity, helping to improve eroded land and giving local pupils a wide range of tree/forest-related skills and experiences.

A workshop with around 30 students and three teachers was organised on 9 March at the Axente Sever High School in Medias, where students learnt about the programme and took part in creating the landscape of a 10-hectare forest plantation with native species such as oak, hornbeam, wild cherry and walnut. Kinga Ollerer, our landscape specialist, led the workshop. The students divided into groups and drew various designs for the forest. They also wrote (anonymously) their thoughts on why it is important to plant trees. One of them said: "There can be no greater satisfaction than planting a tree and seeing it bloom for the first time." Another one said: "I want to make this barren piece of land look better. If we don't help nature revive, who else will?"

Planting will begin on 1 April in Micasasa. A ceremony to celebrate the first forest will take place on 22 April, with representatives from local partners and Accor. In the autumn of 2009, a second planting session will take place in the Breite reserve, Sighisoara, under the title "An oak tree for each pupil".

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DONATION FOR CONSERVATION TRAINING

The MET is grateful to Cittaslow Ludlow CIC for their generous donation, which will enable three of our Romania village representatives to take part in a conservation training scheme in Ludlow (1st - 15th March).

For more about Cittaslow Ludlow and the Cittaslow movement:
www.cittaslowludlow.org.uk

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Jan 30th

MET TRAINING FOR MALANCRAV GUESTHOUSE LADIES

(Photo:MET)

Fifteen guesthouse ladies in the village of Malancrav are being trained by the MET. Andrea Rost is giving instruction on how to provide a proper service to their visitors while Caroline Fernolend will train them in keeping their accounts. This is an important development for the local economy as more tourists are discovering the beauty of the area.

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MET BONE-CHINA DINNER PLARE  

Manufactured in England by Edwards & Lockett of Stoke-on-Trent.
(10.5 inches / 268mm.)

On the reverse is the following inscription:

Both the past and the future
Are two sides of the same page;
He who learns them will discover
A beginning's found at the end of an age...

(Mihai Eminescu)

The plate can be ordered from our UK office at:
63 Hillgate Place, London W8 7SS.
Tel. +44 (0)20 72297618.
admin@mihaieminescutrust.org
Price £18 incl. P&P

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To view PDFs of our past Newsletters see:

2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002

If you would like any of these newsletters posted to you or emailed separately, please contact: admin@mihaieminescutrust.org

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