Course organised by Levels Training Centre, Limassol, Cyprus.
In 2022 Thessaloniki became the first Greek city to join UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network for gastronomy by recognizing its traditional culinary practices, vibrant gastronomical community, and local foods, among others. Gastronomy has deep roots in this part of the world and when brought to light it spreads through the traditions, cultures and even music of the times. Ancient Greek culture can still be traced in today’s modern dishes and many more followed, with Roman, Ottoman, Jewish, Norman, Slav, and Arab, each leaving a unique gift to the city’s cuisine while shaping its identity and culture.
In this course we walk through the city’s history and look at its food and dishes. We dive back into ancient Greek antiquity, moving on through the hellenistic, roman, byzantine, ottoman and finally reaching the modern day history of the city. We focus on the gastronomy: what are its origins, how were people eating, what was the social concept of dining and having their coffee together, how were they preparing the food, what are the different cultures that met here, how does the modern day cuisine reflect all this cultural heritage, etc. Also, how does modern day gastronomy affect and is affected by climate change? How can it be more eco-friendly? Finally, can gastronomy help us become more responsible citizens and more empathetic persons?
As you can understand, gastronomy is only the start of our 6 day journey in time and cultures. Teachers who will participate in our course will have the opportunity to learn about the cultural heritage of the past but also get a better understanding of present day history and culture. They will study multiculturalism and find out how this is reflected in our eating habits and attitudes in general. Using new and interactive ways of teaching and sharing knowledge, they will be able to combine different historical periods, understand social norms, appreciate the value of respecting the environment. They will also be challenged to work on strengthening their skills of critical thinking, team building, bonding, expressing emotions and appreciating beauty and joy in everyday life activities. And as expected we will look at what is required to foster a culture that values diversity, inclusivity, while promoting respect, empathy and understanding in the classroom and society at large.
| Day 1 | Welcoming | Ice breaking activities | Food and nutrition, then and now |
| Day 2 | Half day educational visit in a farm / precise farming / Experiential learning and teaching | Group work |
| Day 3 | Coffee and wine / how the culture of co-dining affected social and political life / Challenged based learning and teaching |
| Day 4 | Food and pastry | Educational visits and Group work |
| Day 5 | Workshops |
| Day 6 | Presentation - Evaluation |
