The NEW ‘Rooted Everyday Mediterranean Short Story Prize’ is the first environment-themed Mediterranean writing competition. Its aim is to celebrate and protect the rich culture and biodiversity found in Mediterranean eco-regions.
The shortlist, which features a diverse range of voices and nationalities, is as follows:
White Ground by Popi Aroniada, Greece
The Shepherd by Abdelhakim Barnous, Morocco
The First Day by Maria de Fátima Candeias, Portugal
Salted Grasshopper by Aziz Charhabil, Morocco
Gone by Maria Dalamitrou, Greece
Antagonisms by Pablo Garrido, Spain
The Magic Bag by Amar Hommany, Morocco
The Meadow by Blanca Amelia Marques, Spain
Rulfo by Ana Catarina Milhazes, Portugal
Plant Wisdom by Jose Ruiz Rosa, Spain
The Treasure by Sophia Sifaki, Greece
Winners will get the opportunity to travel to their national eco-site, which includes accommodation and a guided tour. The Winner and the finalists will have their stories published in an international eBook.
The judges for the 2019 #MedStoryPrize, who are all passionate about giving a platform to new writers who care about the environment and cultural heritage, are as follows:
Joaquín Araújo, writer, journalist and editor, Spain
Amy Beeson, author, Chair of Judhges, UK
Brahim Elboukhari, poet author and teacher, Morocco
Dr Rania Masri, political ecologist, environmental justice activist, Lebanon
Isabel Minhós Martins, author and publisher Planeta Tangerina, Portugal
Maria Rousakis, author, Greece
The Chair of the Rooted Everyday Mediterranean Short Story Prize Amy Beeson said: “Stories change how we see the world. It’s urgent for our survival that more people see what’s truly at stake for people and planet and engage with it emotionally and personally.”
Explaining why the Rooted Everyday campaign wanted to make creative writing part of the campaign, Lily Mordechai Scientific Secretariat with MedINA said: “By engaging writers and creative individuals we hope we will not only raise awareness but also hear stories of how people experience and perceive biodiversity and heritage in the Mediterranean.”
Rooted Everyday would like to thank all the writers who entered the competition. It is motivating to read how diverse experiences create a common conscience. Thank you for encouraging us to continue working towards our goals.
The winner of the prize will be announced after the 1 October 2019.
Workshop Discussions and Research Findings to Culminate in a Shared Resource on Increased Sustainability of Cultural Practices, Biodiversity and Livelihoods in Cultural Landscapes_original
At a workshop held in March 2020, project partners explore economic practices and options that can sustain or improve the viability of cultural practices that support cultural landscapes across the Mediterranean.
Eating an Organic Mediterranean Diet Helps Fight Disease
For years nutritionists have extolled the virtues of a Mediterranean diet, now environmental NGOs like WWF are calling for us to improve our health and the environment by following the Med. The #MedFoodHeroes campaign from 15-27 June coordinated by @RootedEveryday celebrates the rich cuisine the Mediterranean has to offer and the benefits to people and planet when we buy from small sustainable producers.
Meet #MedFoodHeroes Ambassador: Marinos Skolarikos
Marinos studied Greek Culture at the Hellenic Open University, attended Folklore courses at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and has completed a series of seminars in History, Philosophy, Journalism and New Media.
Meet #MedFoodHero Ambassador: Nikos Mastropavlos
Nikos Mastropavlos is a journalist, cultural scientist, and the publisher of www.eudemonia.gr which focusses on the culture of everyday life in Greece - especially food, travel and the arts.
Meet #MedFoodHero Ambassador: Renato Álvarez
Renato Álvarez was born into a “neo-rural” family who were trailblazers of organic farming in Andalusia. They were also members of the first social movements and associations dedicated to the production and organic food. Since he was little he was involved in agriculture until he decided to study Environmental Sciences at the Pablo de Olavide University (Seville).
Meet #MedFoodHero Ambassador: Fábio Bernadino
Fábio Bernardino is a Chef, the CEO of Travel & Flavours, a teacher, gastronomic consultant, trainer and event organizer; a young Chef whose excellence opened the doors to major Portuguese hotels and restaurants, like the Pestana Hotéis & Resorts group or the Heritage Lisboa Hotels, where he left his mark of professionalism and rigour. With a great passion for cooking, and especially for pastry, he started his career at the age of 14, when he attended the Professional Cooking and Pastry Course of the Lisbon Hotel and Tourism School.
Meet #MedFoodHero Ambassador: Alfredo Sendim
Alfredo Cunhal Sendim was born in Porto and spent his childhood between Lisbon (the city), Montemor-o-Novo (the countryside) and Ferragudo (the sea). Studied veterinary and zoo technical. In 1990 he moved to the Monte of Herdade do Freixo do Meio, a territory where, step by step, he has been developing a structural project in the agricultural and social field.
Meet #MedFoodHeroes Ambassador: Sahar Elhallak
Nine years ago, Sahar left her home in California and landed in Morocco in a quest to find herself. While she started a new life in Marrakech, she found some challenges to find restaurants that catered to vegetarians like herself. Since she always enjoyed hosting dinner parties and food-related fundraising events, she started cooking for friends which grew into welcoming people into her beautifully restored hundred-year-old house, for unique culinary experiences.
Meet #MedFoodHeroes Ambassador: Najat Kaanache
Born to Moroccan parents in a small town near San Sebastian in Spain, Najat Kaanache has been cooking at home since childhood. Now based between the US, Mexico and Morocco. She now creates magic in the kitchen as the owner and chef of the beautiful restaurant Nur in the ancient medina of Fez, named World’s Best Moroccan Restaurant in 2017, 2018 and 2019. She also opened CÚS (a Moroccan bistro in the heart of Mexico City) and Nacho Mama (a funky Mexican cantina in the medina of Fez).
Meet #MedFoodHeroes Ambassador: Driss Mellal
Driss Mellal was born in a small town in the south of Morocco, near the beautiful Dades valley. His love for cooking started at the age of 20, when he was in art school in southern France. He missed Moroccan food and flavours and so started cooking and experimenting himself. After graduating from art school, he didn’t work in the arts as planned, but instead went to culinary school. “I finally got to combine my art background with new cooking skills, and it became the start of a new life for me,” Driss says.
