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Burduf Challange
Published on 25 February 2021
Romania
Centru
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About this good practice
Marginimea Sibiului is known in Romania for the sheep cheese products varieties, being this products part of the region’s gastronomy.
“Burduf”, one of the most famous sheep cheese made in the upper mountains in Marginime, presents a significant risk of not being produced in the future due to the fact that shepherds have gradually given up grazing sheep in the upper mountains.
In this context, My Transylvania Association and Rau Sadului Municipality, launched the “Burduf challenge Marathon”. The event is a charity marathon that brings together local producers and tourists aiming at promoting the “burduf” cheese through an outdoor fun activity and therefore countering the actual trend towards abandonment. The event takes place every year in July.
Families with children are most welcome and engaged in activities such as tasting local products, thematic workshops, thematic hiking trip, trail run and discussions with producers. During a week a small and quiet mountain village, called Raul Sadului is turned into the headquarters of a series of activities and workshops aiming to revive the local traditions, to reconnect urban people to the village life and to promote the local cheese assortment ,the traditional ″burduf”.
The objectives of the event are: to promote local gastronomic products to the general public; to make burduf cheese more known, to show how much work and effort is put behind producing this cheese and to keep alive the interest in traditions.
“Burduf”, one of the most famous sheep cheese made in the upper mountains in Marginime, presents a significant risk of not being produced in the future due to the fact that shepherds have gradually given up grazing sheep in the upper mountains.
In this context, My Transylvania Association and Rau Sadului Municipality, launched the “Burduf challenge Marathon”. The event is a charity marathon that brings together local producers and tourists aiming at promoting the “burduf” cheese through an outdoor fun activity and therefore countering the actual trend towards abandonment. The event takes place every year in July.
Families with children are most welcome and engaged in activities such as tasting local products, thematic workshops, thematic hiking trip, trail run and discussions with producers. During a week a small and quiet mountain village, called Raul Sadului is turned into the headquarters of a series of activities and workshops aiming to revive the local traditions, to reconnect urban people to the village life and to promote the local cheese assortment ,the traditional ″burduf”.
The objectives of the event are: to promote local gastronomic products to the general public; to make burduf cheese more known, to show how much work and effort is put behind producing this cheese and to keep alive the interest in traditions.
Expert opinion
Cultural heritage is one of the greatest assets of any nation. It represents a connection between past and present, celebrating creativity and innovation. The European Union developed the European Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage to promote and safeguard cultural heritage. Special focus is placed on rural cultural heritage, which should be promoted through sustainable tourism. The production and marketing of regional products and the promotion and revitalisation of gastronomic heritage are considered crucial in this respect. In line with the aforementioned framework, this yearly charity marathon promotes local traditions, specifically the local burduf sheep cheese and other products from the Marginimea Sibiului. Such events help rural areas become sustainable tourist destinations. Since they are not expensive to organize, they are thus easily replicable in other regions.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
For the organisation of the event, every year an amount of approx. EUR 4.000 is being spent. The money spent for the event has 2 sources: 75% from selling tickets prior the event and 25% from the local authority.
The revenues within the community are estimated at EUR 6000.
The revenues within the community are estimated at EUR 6000.
Evidence of success
The event contributes to the promotion of Marginimea Sibiului local products and represents a good example in what regards the partnership between local authority, ONGs and local producers. Furthermore, it has a great contribution to the development of sustainable tourism. It is important to mention that Marginimea Sibiului was declared as one of the best sustainable tourism destination for 2021 by European Best Destination website and that initiatives like this were fundamental to recognition
Potential for learning or transfer
The charity mountain marathon represents an example of good practice on how to promote the "saving” an old variety of sheep cheese that was at the risk of being extinct through a strong partnership between relevant stakeholders at local level.
The marathon brings together the local authority, NGOs and local producers with the aim of promoting local culinary and cultural heritage.
In this regard, more than 400 visitors benefit ever year of this event and thus contribute to the development of sustainable tourism. Further on, the event represents an opportunity for 5-7 local producers to sell their products at local level, thus encouraging the small product chain.
The marathon brings together the local authority, NGOs and local producers with the aim of promoting local culinary and cultural heritage.
In this regard, more than 400 visitors benefit ever year of this event and thus contribute to the development of sustainable tourism. Further on, the event represents an opportunity for 5-7 local producers to sell their products at local level, thus encouraging the small product chain.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
My Transylvania Association
Romania
Centru
Contact
project manager