European Heritage Days, an opportunity to promote farmers' contributions to cultivated plant biodiversity (Deliverable 6.4)

The European Heritage Days (EHDs), organised by the EU and the European Council, focus on a different topic every year. They present occasions to promote the dematerialized cultural heritage, like the transmission of traditional knowledge and practices. As part of the Divinfood project, this event has been used as an occasion to promote cultivated plant biodiversity, involving food and culinary practices. In this type of situation, at the Musée du Lauragais in Castelnaudary, France (a museum devoted to the celebrated local dish of cassoulet), an EHD event was organised in 2023. Coinciding with the museum's exhibition on the history of cassoulet - a dish to which citizens and local actors are strongly attached - this event was an occasion for "opening up" the discussion about the key ingredient: the white lingot bean. Participants debated the practices around and perceptions of the bean as a stand-alone food. Fostering such dialogue and debate led to a better understanding of citizens' uses and barriers to use of the bean. This is useful information for both experienced and future farmers interested in the crop. As practical recommendations to value the EHDs: in accordance with the annual topic, identify suitable content and spatial configurations; build on existing spaces and monuments/sites that are already identified and esteemed by citizens (museums, associations, etc.); build on existing relations and ties with local farmers and contact them in advance to increase chances that they participate; design an interactive, participatory format catering to citizen/consumer tastes if possible; consider such events as opportunities for collecting data in a more convivial format.