CultMin Gheorghiu on Haferland Festival: Multiculturalism, diversity in Romania - inexhaustible source of power

Multiculturalism and diversity in Romania are an inexhaustible source of power, faith and creativity, the Minister of Culture, Bogdan Gheorghiu, said on Friday, in his message at the opening of the Haferland Festival, dedicated to Saxon culture, which is being held online until Sunday. "I congratulate the organizers of the Haferland Festival for the bold choice to organize this event online. Our lives and the way the festivals are organized have changed a lot this year. However, the cultural sector is resilient and I am delighted to see concerts and events differently, to be a witness to all the creative solutions that people have found", Gheorghiu specified, in the message posted on Facebook. In his opinion, an event such as the Haferland Festival creates special moments that help to preserve the Saxon culture in the collective memory and pass it on to future generations. He pointed out that Oat Land (Haferland) has "a very special charm", especially due to the people who live in this area. "Culture and tourism are closely linked and, therefore, the best way to get to know the Oat Land or Haferland, to see how people have lived in this area, is to visit these places. Although this year's festival will take place online, when you have the opportunity, I invite you to visit this area, which has a very special charm, especially thanks to the people who live here. Enjoy Haferland also this year! Viel Spaß!," added the Minister of Culture. Haferland Week, the largest event promoting Transylvanian Saxon culture and supporting tourism and the local economy, is being organized this year under the motto "Tradition Continues." According to the organizers, this year's edition is a good opportunity to make the localities Archita, Cloasterf, Homorod, Rupea, Saschiz, Crit, Bunesti, Roades, Mesendorf and Viscri better known in the virtual environment. The organizers of the event, the M&V Schmidt Foundation and the Tabaluga Foundation, together with the Mihai Eminescu Trust Foundation, the Adept Foundation, the Women's Neighborhood in Saschiz, the Association of Transylvanian Saxons in Germany and the Nowero Rupea Association aim at promoting not only Saxon villages but also the community and those who carry on the traditions of the area. This year's edition of Haferland will take place under the High Patronage of the Prime Minister of Bayern, Markus Soder. The Saxon region of Transylvania between Brasov and Sighisoara was called the Oat Land or Haferland hundreds of years ago, due to the fact that the locals used to cultivate oat mainly, given the harsher climate. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Popescu, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Bogdan Gabaroi; editor: Cristina Zaharia)