International Creative Baking Competition, with students
| Keywords | Knowledge Participation Practical Application Cultural Heritage Individual Intercultural Prize/Award Bread |
| Target Group | Students |
| Type of Action | Competition Baking Action Food Preparation |
| Research | Traditions, Welcome Tradition |
| Location | School |
| Pedagogical Aims | Practical Application Research Developing Creative Professional Skills |
| Use of Media | Internet |
| Dissemination | Press Internet |
| Geographical Scope | Internation |
| Type of Method | Participatory-Orientated |
| Knowledge Transfer | Creative Skills |
| Area of work | Food Preparation |
| Location or Venue | High School Of Tourism “Ivan P. Pavlov”, Ruse, Bulgaria |
| Number of Participants | 60 |
| Website | http://bread-connects.tastes-of-danube.eu/2018/05/03/bread-connects-europe-create-bake-your-europe-high-school-of-tourism-ivan-p-pavlov-ruse-bulgaria/ |
Duration
| From | Until |
| 03/04/2018 | 10/04/2018 |
Short Description
A competition is an organized event or an activity performed by a number of people or organizations from different European countries, each of which is trying to demonstrate knowledge and skills that enable the participant to compete with the other contestants and if successful, to win a prize.
The International creative baking competition was an event, organized by the Institute for virtual and face-to-face learning in adult education (ILEU e.V.), Germany, and the Danube Networkers for Europe (DANET e. V.).
The main task for the participants was to use some sort of simple dough, demonstrate creativity and recreate their view of Europe as a peaceful living place.
Full Description
Bread is so much more than just a basic food. For many centuries, bread has been a symbol of communion and sharing in almost every culture and religion in Europe. Since bread connects people in so many ways, then ILEU e.V. and DANET e.V. organised in 2018 the International creative baking competition “Create and Bake “your” Europe!” within the project „Tastes of Danube: Bread Connects“.
The main aim of this method was to provide opportunities for participants of all ages and from different countries:
to express their thoughts, feelings, ideas and visions for Europe;
to understand the importance of united Europe;
to demonstrate their creativity;
to develop their professional, research and presentation skills, and
to further their knowledge about Europe.
There were no limits to the fantasy of every participant or of every group of participants. Their baked goods could be sweet or salty, colourful or decorated with seeds, etc. The idea of every bread product had to be described. Every preparation of a creative bread product had to be documented by photos.
The main prize was a trip to the International Danube Festival in Ulm, Germany.
A jury selected 7 photos of the students’ baked products out of 79 contributions of baked goods which most impressively represented the idea of Europe in different ways.
An example of a good practice
On 3rd April 2018, 63 school students from the HST, took part in a school baking competition which continued for 2 hours. 7 students were selected as local winners by a jury of teachers and students.
In the next stage of the competition which was held on 10th April 2018, the 7 winners demonstrated innovative ideas of “their” Europe.
A European tree with 28 sweet gold-yellow biscuits in blue stars, inverse to the EU flag, as a symbol of united people in the EU, was prepared by S. Atanasova.
The composition United Europe of B. Konova presented six of the most famous breads of six European countries: the pretzel of Germany, waffles of Belgium, pizzas of Italy, croissants of France, furnaces of Romania, and banitsas of Bulgaria.
S. Simeonov presented Cake International which was prepared with recipes from Bulgaria, France, Belgium, Germany, and Sweden. The cake used salt and sugar to symbolize the problems and success of the EU in the joint activities of all EU countries.
After in-depth research, E. Kircheva had prepared a German-Bulgarian Bread with 12 stars to represent the 12 countries, co-founders of the European Union, two wheats – a symbol of cooperation between Germany and Bulgaria, and the map of Bulgaria – a symbol of the fact that our country also plays an important role in the EU.
Other creative ideas were a loaf of bread named Germany – Bulgaria, baked by E. Ivanova, a cake named Germany – European Union of T. Kadir and a Cake O of H. Kolev.
The students Beloslava Konova with the composition United Europe and Siyana Atanasova with her European Tree were selected as the winners of this local competition by a jury of teachers, representatives of DANET e.V. and of the local community.
All the 7 winning baked products were included in the International creative competition with the products of other winners from Romania, Poland, Serbia, Germany at the Festival in Ulm, 12-15 July 2018. The winning Bulgarian products were included in the book illustrating the competition.
Step-by-step explanation
Step 1
Preparation of information materials
Developing information materials by the organizers, informing different organizations, leaders and people from other EU countries, and translation of the materials in different languages.
Step 2
Dissemination of information materials
Meetings with the Director of the High School of Tourism “Ivan P. Pavlov”, Ruse, Bulgaria as a promising organization. Presenting the International competition to the students.
Step 3
Organizing of a creative school baking competition in 2 phases.
Supporting the organization of the competitions: selecting and inviting students; defining a jury of teachers and students; deciding on the venue, data and time; writing and presenting the competition criteria and documenting them; inviting media; registration of the participants; preparing certificates of participation and commendation certificates.
Step 4
Creative school baking competition – phase 1
Number of participants – more than 60 secondary school students. Tasting the participants’ products and selecting the winners by the jury. Giving prizes to the winners and certificates of participation to all participants.
Step 5
Creative school baking competition – phase 2
Participating students – the winners of the first phase of the competition. Tasting the participants’ products and selecting the winners of the second phase by the jury of teachers and representatives of the organizers and the community. Congratulations to the participants by the Director and local representatives. The school director interviewed by regional and national media and TV.
Step 6
Participation in the International Creative Baking Competition
Preparing all necessary documents and photos of the local winners for their participation in the competition – describing their ideas in English, choosing photos, addresses, etc.; sending everything to the organizers of the competition; communication for receiving the computational results; presenting the winners of the competition in Ulm, Germany.
Results
The results of the method are: developed European awareness of the participants; developed knowledge and skills for presenting creative ideas through bread products; shared experience; new friendships; reduced prejudices; photos and media presentation of the project Tastes of Danube: Bread Connects.
Printed book; website; gallery; media releases
Variation of the approach
Can be applied with different organizations and groups of people. Can be used to present other key elements of the regional cultures of the Danube countries such as local customs, traditions and crafts.
Partner Organistions
| Name | Homepage | Logo |
| Danube-Networkers, Germany | danube-networkers.eu |  |
| High School of Tourism “Ivan P. Pavlov”, Ruse, Bulgaria | ||
| University of Ruse “A. Kanchev”, Bulgaria |  |
Responsbile Organistion
| Name | Homepage | Logo |
| ILEU e.V. | ileu.net |  |