dimitrovgrad

Seminar

Dimitrovgrad, June 7-9

Research: Caribrod time machine – documentary in the finals
Summer actions: Caribrod time machine, Exercising – wake up, Trains

Research & Actions

The group in Dimitrovgrad opted for the following topics: cookery and ethnology, sport and art, and the members split into group according to their interests. The common framework for all the activities was Caribrod time machine (Note: Caribrod is an old name for Dimitrovgrad and as many other citizens, the youth accepted it as the name of their town) and they collected recipes and interesting objects. They were addressing their co-citizens once a week; on Mondays at 10 a.m. through the local radio station Caribrod, within the show Boom 98. Street action and radio program informed and animated at least 500 people. The group has a collection of recipes, old photographs, ethnologically interesting objects and audio recordings of the citizens’ stores. The number of participants of the July activities was between 6 and 14.

On August 10 and 11 in Dimitrovgrad a two-day programme was carried out called Wake up – wake everybody up. In the realisation of this programme, the group working in the project "Luggage for the Future" had a leading role, accompanied by a group of youth, mainly former students of the High School presently studying at universities in Serbia and Bulgaria. Promotion material – fliers and posters were designed for this action. The municipal administration reacted positively to the idea of the realisation of two-day cultural activities aimed at "cultural wake-up call to the town", supporting the initiative and financially assisting the entire programme.

The following institutions also participated in the programme realisation: the National Library "Detko Petrov", Cultural Centre, Theatre "Hristo Botev", Gallery, elementary school "Moša Pijade", Tourist Organisation, Helsinki Committee for the protection of human rights of Bulgarians in Serbia. The project participants participated in the organisation of a street carnival and drama Caribrod time machine. Both activities presented pictures of everyday life of old Dimitrovgrad, in a picturesque and attractive way. Weeklies "Sloboda" and "Bratstvo" had reports on these events.

On August 20th, the project group organised a promotion of the book Silver butterfly – by the group member Tamara Jankov, which thematically blended in the multicultural picture of Dimitrovgrad and the project Luggage for the Future.

On August 23, Radio BOOM 98 created and broadcasted exceptionally successful live programme (rerun the following days) about the Luggage. We insisted on talking about how it was to be a citizen of Caribrod and to find answers to what the people who had left Dimitrovgrad brought in their suitcases, whether they planned to return, what was their opinion on their town. In order to realise this idea, two girls from the group conducted a survey, a few short interviews and the listeners could participate in the live programme.

Reactions to the programme were different since we initiated normally controversial topic – Why do youth leave and do not plan to return. The programme was broadcasted in the rerun time, on August 25, 2007 (Saturday). The number of participants of the August activities was between 7 and 15. Number of animated citizens is around 600.

Within the European Heritage Days (17th og September), the group of the Luggage for the Future realised the action Trains – the woken time machines. This action was performed as drama play that has been viewed by at least 80 visitors. Among visitors were also representatives of local authorities and official guests from Bulgaria visiting Dimitrovgrad.

In September, a performance was created and tested, integrating the past and presence of the town: two pairs, two periods, two peoples – everything is very different and very similar, socks were knitted for presents, local specialties were cooked...

Intercultural Caravan

Characteristic of the Caravan in Dimitrovgrad was that parts of the performance were carried out in the town market before surprised but delighted audience. On the third day of the Caravan, the group was already strongly bonded which they proved by spontaneously singing an old song from Dimitrovrgad "Pošla Trojanka na vodu".