The city of Meknes hosted successfully the 4th International Conference ‘Mediterranean Days of the Olive Tree’ for thee days (October 19th – 21st 2009), with the participation of the Cultural Foundation ‘The Olive Tree Routes’.
The Conference was realized on an initiative of the National Agronomical School of Morocco, in cooperation with the International Institute of Andalucia.
The Executive Director of the Cultural Foundation ‘The Routes of the Olive Tree’, Mr. Karampatos, presented to the actors invited all the range of activities and proposals for strengthening the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.
He also analyzed the activities that have been realized or are scheduled in the framework of the Cultural Itineraries ‘The Olive Tree Routes’, with the active participation of Morocco in a multilevel cooperation.
Mr. Karampatos’ positions were warmly received by all the participants and local media, while praised by the Responsible of the District of Meknes, the City Mayor and members of the Euromediterranean network ‘the Routes of the Olive Tree’.
In the framework of the Conference, the representatives of the Routes of the Olive Tree had the opportunity to meet and have extensive conversations with members of the Network, institutions and the Executive Director of the International Network of Olive Oil Mr. M.O. SBITRI, the Vice President of Andalucia District Mrs. E. PILAR, the Honorary President of European Olive Oil Tasters Mrs. F. CAMURATI as well as journalists from many countries.
Having as theme “Aims of olive oil: Quality, Certification, Protected Designation of Origin, Marketing, Environment and Energy”, the National School of Agriculture / Agro-p�le Olivier ENA Mekn�s is organizing in cooperation with the International University of Andalusia (UNIA) the 4th Meeting “Mediterranean Days of Olive Tree from 19 to 23 October 2009 in Meknes.
The previous 3 meetings in which the Cultural Organization ‘Routes of the Olive Tree “actively participated, were a great success and the meeting of scientists and researchers working on these issues proved more than useful.
The program of the 4th Meeting includes thematic days with technical and scientific conferences on oil quality, certification, Protected Designation of Origin, marketing, the utilization of olive by-products, the environment and energy. This year, the “Routes of the Olive Tree” will be present at this important event and their collaborators will participate at the workshops with proposals and presentations on topics such as modern strategic promotion and marketing of oil, etc.
Programme
Monday, 19th of October 2009 International market of the olive oil, strategies of promotion and marketing of the olive oil
Tuesday, 20th October 2009 Agronomic and industrial factors (processing, storage and standardization) affecting the olive oil quality and quality standards.
Wednesday, 21st October 2009 Utilization of olive by-products, environment and energy.
The Routes of the Olive tree are embracing the North of Greece (15 June- 19 July 2009)
Creative meetings & Business cooperation concerning the olive tree
This summer the Routes of the Olive Tree are ascending from Messinia and they meet the roads of Northern Greece:Igoumenitsa Ioannina Kalamata Kozani Grevena Thessaloniki Serres Veria Xanthi Drama Kavala Alexandropoulis Volos
In this year’s program, fewer kilometers but a lot of cultural events, business meetings and tours of acquaintance with the Northern Greece and it’s world. It’s a route of national range which aims to bring together the two edges of the Greek peninsula and promote Messinia and the world of the olive tree in Northern Greece…
THE JOURNEY COMES TO ITS END IN NORTHERN GREECE…
The Routes of the Ollive Tree 2009, a itinerary different from the others, ends sucesfully in a few days. Despite the adverse weather conditions, so far the itinerary was framed by many events in several cities : Igoumenitsa, Ioannina, Grevena, Kozani, Veroia, Thessaloniki, Serres, Drama, Ksanthi, Aleksandroupoli, Thasos, municipality of Elefthera… and will end in Volos on July 19, 2009.
Messinian productsPartnership
Emphasising on the promotion of traditional olive products and the Messinian region, the events in every transit city consist of an entrepreneurs’ cycle and an entertainment/ information cycle. They include a photography exhibition, an open air workshop of children drawing, olive products tasting, a market and musical interludes with the band PANAGIOTIS DOVAS & ENALLAX BAND. At the same time, PARTNERSHIP round tables take place in order to promote commercial, touristic and cultural partnerships.
The initiative, has earned the public of Northern Greece and is covered by the media of the whole country, that support this attempt of joining the 2 ends of Greece thanks to the olive tree and the Routes opened…
The initiative is patronised by the Prefectural Administration of Messinia and is placed under the auspices of the Municipalities below : Igoumenitsa, Ioannina, Grevena, Kozani, Veroia, Thessaloniki, Serres, Drama, Ksanthi, Aleksandroupoli, Thasos, Elefthera, Volos, and the Chambers of Commerce of Thesprotia, Ioannina, Grevena, Kozani, Imathia, Thessaloniki, Serres, Drama, Ksanthi, Evros, Kavala and Magnisia.
EVENTS:
Α. Business Cycle business meetings to stimulate business activities
B. Recreational / Information Cycle exhibitions, musical bridges, painting workshop for children on the theme of the olive tree, tasting of traditional products of Messinia, etc.
ORGANIZATION: The Cultural Foundation “The Routes of the Olive Tree” Messinian Chamber of Commerce &Industry Prefecture of Messinia
Under the auspices of the Municipalities and Chambers of Commerce of Northern Greece
Exhibition of photographyWorkshopMusical interludes
THE WINNERS OF THE 3rd HELLENIC COMPETITION OF STANDARDIZED EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 2008-2009 & OLIVE OIL PACKAGING
Successfully was completed the “3rd Hellenic Competition of Standardized Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2008-2009 & Olive Oil Packaging” organized by the Cultural Organization «Routes of the Olive Tree» in cooperation with the Department of Consumers Affairs of the Ministry of Development, the Hellenic Organization of tasting olive products (EL.E.G.E.P.), the Network of Olive Oil Producing Cities (D.E.P.E.) and the generous support of the National Interprofessional Organization of Olive Oil & Olives, the Hellenic Central Union of Chambers and Messinian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The competition foreseen evaluation of extra virgin olive oil samples of the 2008-2009 harvest on a TASTE level and on the level of PACKAGING of the final product. In the competition participated 28 companies and unions from all over Greece with samples which after the evaluation process were in two categories: A.Olive oils of robust fruity intensity B. Olive oils of medium fruity intensity.
THE EVALUATION OF THE TASTE was made at the Chemical Laboratories of the Ministry of Development, in special areas, from the team of Connoisseurs of the Department of Consumers Affairs in accordance with the deontology which concerns the maintenance of unimpeachable of the contest and of the scientific method of tasting.
THE EVALUATION OF THE PACKAGE took place at the Hellenic Central Union of Chambers in accordance with the rules provided in the Contest Regulation. The samples of each category were judged by the Evaluation Committee in which took part managers of high professional profile.
After the process of the evaluation, winners of the product and of the package were the following:
OLIVE OILS of robust fruity intensity
1st AWARD: the company AGROVIM A.E. with the extra virgin olive oil ELAIONION POP KALAMATA (Kalamata, Messinia)
2nd AWARD: Agricultural Union KRITSAS with the extra virgin olive oil KRITSA 0,3 (Kritsa Lasithi, Crete)
Olive oils of medium fruity intensity
1st AWARD: Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of SITIA with the extra virgin olive oil SITIA 0, 3 (Sitia, Crete)
2nd AWARD: company M. & A. ΧΡΟΝΑΚΙ «PANGEA» with the extra virgin olive oil Mythia (Herakleion, Crete)
The 3rd Panhellenic Contest of Standardized Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The Cultural Foundation « The Routes of the Olive Tree », in cooperation with the General Secretariat for the Consumer of the Ministry of Development, the Greek Society of Olive Products Tasters (EL.E.G.E.P.) and the Network of Olive Oil Producing Cities of Greece (D.E.P.E), is organising the 3rd Panhellenic Contest of Standardized Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
The 3rd Panhellenic Contest of Standardized Extra Virgin Olive Oil will take place during the last week of March 2009 in the sampling laboratories of the Ministry of Development, having as a goal to presenta and promote the best standardized Extra Virgin Olive Oils.
The contesting olive oils will be judged for their physical and chemical caracteristics by the Sampling Team of the Ministry of Development (the only officially recognised in Greece) according to the standards of the International Olive Oil Council, and for their packaging by food marketing experts.
The “Little Friends of The Routes of the Olive Tree” was an original idea thought-up and put in place a year ago by the Cultural Foundation “Routes of the Olive Tree”.
Workshop – Panfilovo, Kazakhstan
The objectives of this project are:
1. to allow young people in Greece and other countries linked to the olive tree to get to know one another and encourage discussions
2. to develop knowledge of traditions linked to the olive tree (history, culture, gastronomy, etc.) and their diffusion in both olive-growing and non olive-growing countries by encouraging discussions amongst young people
3. to introduce the young public to the culture, values and symbolism of the olive tree and make them aware of their diffusion
4. to make people aware of the alimentary importance of products made with olivesthrough the discovery of the Mediterranean land and gastronomy.
The above objectives will be reached in the following ways:
Through a web-site/ BLOG, which will be a means of communication and dialogue between young Greeks and young people from other countries. The site will work like a discussion forum and its objective will be to diffuse all information relating to the olive tree and encourage interactivity between young people. It will also be a place to gather propositions and ideas thought up for and by young people on a number of different themes: culture/ gastronomy/ landscape and countries of the olive tree/ olive products etc.
Through the organisation of events for young people in the network of partner countries. These will be events based on propositions and initiatives by young people. The events will involve artistic and culinary competitions and games, exhibitions of paintings and photographs, cultural routes in olive-growing regions, cookery classes using olive oil, tasting of olive-related products in places frequented by young people, and so on.
Workshop – Odessa, Ukrainia
Children and young people on the Routes of the Olive Tree
As part of the creation of the “Club of Friends of the Olive Tree”, an activity organised in cooperation with the Environmental Education Centre in Kalamata (Messenia, Greece), has become part of the “Routes of the Olive Tree 2008-2009” programme.
The activity will take place in the form of a olive-tree themed painting workshop for children and young people (creation ‘on canvas’ of an olive tree using handprints)and has already been set up in a number of schools in Messenia. The aim is to introduce young people to the culture of the olive tree, and the workshop has also been carried out as part of the 2008 cultural route of the Foundation with much success in countries through which “Routes of the Olive Tree” passes (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Romania).
As part of the formula “travel with us on the Routes of the Olive Tree”, hundreds of children and young people have created their own olive tree using the palm of their hand, have received detailed information on the olive tree and the Routes of the Olive Tree and as a result have sent their own message of peace!
The NGO Mawassen Khair (Charity Harvest) has been working actively for the protection of the environment of Lebanon for years.
Goal 2009 : reforestation of 40 000 olive groves in the South of Lebanon !
Ibrahim El Ali, founder of the NGO Mawassem Khair and long-time defender of the environment, is among those who wish to « leave to our children a planet where living is good for them ». The programmes he has been realising, especially in the South of Lebanon where he lives, are guided by the dream of sustainable development and the urgent need to preserve our ecosystem.
Among the NGO’s goals for 2009, one of the flagships-projects is to reforestate more than 40.000 olive trees in the south Lebanon, allowing the population to make up for the income they had lost because of the war and the forest fires that damaged the small farms. These olive trees will be planted in 50 villages, at the rate of 500 to 1000 olive trees per village, in cooperation with Finul, the local autorities, the religious leaders, schools and NGOs of the area. 100.000 people will be involved directly or indirectly in this project, among which the small production units of olive oil or soap.
This exemplary project is a catalyst of sustainable development in the area, impoverished by the war in 2006 and the shortage of local industrial installations.
A visit to the soap museum in Saida, Lebanon, broadens our horizons as to soap history in the region that stretches out from Alepo to Nablus, its development, its manufacture techniques and its usage throughout the centuries.
The soap museum of Saida, Lebanon, is housed inside the old soap factory of Audi family, a very famous lebanese family who has created the museum.
The principal elements of the soap factory are constantly in Situ such as the huge basin and the Lixiviation basins. Other installations have been re-emerged from the past and a chronological path was redrawn.
Thus, visitors explore the different steps of the traditional olive oil soap production; raw materials, fuel and adopted practices for the preparation of the paste, liquefaction, drying, cutting into bars and final drying prior to packaging and marketing. These installations are illustrated on panels that include drawings and .
The museum is open daily except on Friday from 9:00 to 18:00.
Saïda is one of the most important city of South Lebanon. Well-known as Sidon, as un port Phoenician, this city was able to preserve its idiosyncratic urban fabric and its social, handcraft and cultural traditions.
It Medina, its archeological sites, fortresses, mosques, madrassas and khans award it an undeniable historical value.
The Foundation the Routes of the Olive Tree was recently engaged in a mission in Lebanon ; an opportunity to renew important contacts and consider the perspectives of cooperation for the next journey of the Routes in the area.
Lebanon is a friendly country and a long term partner of the Routes of the Olive Tree. Many times has it welcomed generously the travelers of the olive tree, especially during their passage through Beyrouth and Tripoli. Thanks to many scientific and institutional contacts, the Foundation is keeping close relations with the institutions in the Lebanese olive-growing territories and it has always been connected to these olive tree lands, including during the hard moments in this country’s history.
The recent visit of the Routes of the Olive Tree in Lebanon offeredthe opportunity to warm up the contacts and reactivate common projects. Thus, a new cooperation protocol was created with the Beyrouth University. Concerning the creation of local itineraries of the Routes of the Olive Tree, an organised visit of the Soap Museum of the city of Saïda gave way to reflections about new spaces of promotion and cooperation for the Routes of the Olive Tree.
Finally, the organisation of the 12th edition of the Routes of the Olive Tree in 2010, which is planned to stop over in Lebanon, was the focal point of the mission and the programmed meetings.
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In the framework of the Conference, the representatives of the Routes of the Olive Tree had the opportunity to meet and have extensive conversations with members of the Network, institutions and the Executive Director of the International Network of Olive Oil Mr. M.O. SBITRI, the Vice President of Andalucia District Mrs. E. PILAR, the Honorary President of European Olive Oil Tasters Mrs. F. CAMURATI as well as journalists from many countries.
