SOCIETY

The Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos (MedINA), through a network of projects and actions and in collaboration with local institutions and producers as well as internationally renowned scientists, is involved in the preservation and promotion of sustainable and traditional agricultural practices of Lemnos as well as the intangible cultural heritage of the agri-food sector since 2018.  Our vision is the holistic revitalization of the island's unique agri-food system in terms of sustainability, supporting producers, creating opportunities for young people and activating the local community in this direction.

In this context, under the coordination of MedINA, in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team and local stakeholders, two ICH elements have been registered in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage - the traditional knowledge of the production of the cheese melipasto/melichloro, and the mandra system (the organization system of the agro-pastoral sector of Lemnos) - while a third file for the registration of the vine tradition of Lemnos has been submitted. In addition, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the issue of the living heritage of Lemnos was used to document and promote the intangible cultural heritage of modern Greek food. As a result, two ethnographic films on the importance of bread and cheese in the modern Greek diet were created, as well as a grid of actions for the promotion of the traditional basketry art and the manufacture of "turvolia", baskets made of bulrush, traditionally used in cheese making.

The educational project "The teaching of Lemnos' ICH in its schools" was designed to disseminate the repository of knowledge that was created, to preserve it and to try to pass on the traditional knowledge to the most important -perhaps- audience: the children of Lemnos. In this way, the ICH entered the schools with the active participation of the students. Through a constant and fruitful dialogue the real essence of a sustainable way of life was discussed, along with responsible production and consumption, adapted to the specificities of Lemnos and modern needs. The aim of the educational project was to enhance the knowledge and experiences of the young generation of Lemnos so that they not only preserve but also make use of the heritage of their land, recognising the wisdom of tradition and its role in a sustainable future.

The teaching project consists of a theoretical part and an experiential part. The theoretical part takes place in the classroom and aims at discussing the concept of ICH through several examples. The need for its safeguarding and promotion by its natural bearers was also analysed, the new generation being its  continuation. The experiential component brought the students into the field where they encountered specific aspects and practices, mainly of the primary sector, of the cultural heritage of Lemnos.

The theoretical lessons were developed around the following themes:

• Introduction to the intangible cultural heritage, the role of the stakeholders of the ICH, and the need to safeguard it.
• The mandra of Lemnos as a system of the agro-pastoral organization of Lemnos and its role in the social and economic life of the island.
• Traditional agricultural practices and local varieties of Lemnos.
• Customs and traditions, the world of the Lemnian “Kehaghia” (the mandra stewards)
• Livestock tradition and the cheeses of Lemnos.
• The gastronomic tradition of Lemnos and its role in sustainable development.
• Basketry - Tyrvolia (theoretical part).

The lessons in the field were as follows:

• “We make cheese baskets!”: field visits to collect bulrush and learn about the biodiversity and landscape of Lemnos.
• “We make cheese”: cheese making in the school and a visit to a cheese dairy
• Making bread: visit to a mill, making bread in the school, in a bakery or in a student's home.
• Cooking with traditional products of Lemnos: visit to a local craft workshop, cooking at school or in a restaurant on the island.
• Visit to a traditional farm and get to know the world of the Kehaghia: the paddock, the crops, the pastures.

The educational project was accompanied by a literary competition, where the students were asked to collect legends and stories from their families about the mandra and life around it. The students responded eagerly, did their research and brought to the classroom stories and narratives of a living tradition that clearly reveals the close ties of the Lemnians to their land.

For the first time, the ICH of a place becomes the focus not of a fragmentary lesson, but of an extensive educational project based on an original scientific study of the place. In this way, living cultural heritage found its way into the classroom, where it was again systematically transformed into a local experience, which can also serve as a stimulus for the younger generation to make use of this heritage.