The „Food for Life” Food Assistance Program for the Poor joined a new European learning grant program in November 2013. The project, called “Pizza Effect,” is being carried out as an international partnership and involves national organizations from six other European countries besides Hungary: England, Germany, Slovenia, Poland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

The theme of the project is a healthy, simple vegetarian diet, which is one of the core values of Food for Life and which seeks to bring participants together through gastronomy. Vegetarian meals are a very important part of the program, as they in and of themselves express compassion and nonviolence toward other living beings—in other words, ensuring that what ends up on the plate does not come at the expense of other living beings’ lives.

Why pizza, of all things?
A Pizza Effect The esteemed reader may look at this title with some puzzlement: how did pizza end up in a nutrition program that promotes a healthy diet? Few people in our country know that pizza was originally the food of the poor, but thanks to its simplicity and delicious taste, it eventually became popular among other social classes and ultimately gained worldwide fame. The hearty dough could be prepared in a variety of ways even with just a few toppings and was filling; today, however, pizza brings to mind not poverty, but rather a nation’s culinary tradition. The creators of this project use this analogy to convey that even those living in modest and simple circumstances should not underestimate their abilities, but rather put their knowledge to good use, no matter how small it may seem. Even our simplest opportunities, which may seem insignificant at first glance, can hold immense value in our lives. Let’s learn to make the most of them!

A Bridge Between Cultures: Food
At the same time, food and gastronomy easily bring representatives of different groups closer together, since a single traditional dish reflects the traditions and —and while we might not realize it, the conversations that arise around cooking and baking provide the perfect setting for education and learning, passed down from generation to generation. Just as our grandmothers used to share their experiences while standing over the pot. So we don’t need to discover anything new; we simply need to draw from our traditions. After all, the wisdom of different cultures comes to life on the plate in one way or another…

The parties participating in the project have agreed to observe and thus learn about the cultures of neighboring countries and ethnic groups workshops, and exchanges of experiences, thereby getting to know one another and the cultures and traditions of neighboring countries and ethnic groups, and thus learning to appreciate each other’s traditions. Food is closely linked to the festivals and folk customs of the annual cycle, which encapsulate a people’s history and way of thinking, along with their conceptual relationship to themselves. The various groups—teachers and students—can also learn about each other’s teaching methods, workflows, and practices. This is how the Pizza Effect also becomes an educational program.

Foods from Every Country
As a result of this international partnership, our combined efforts will ultimately lead to the creation of a „European vegetarian cookbook” featuring the finest elements of regional cuisines, which will be available in every language to anyone interested.

As part of the project, five international seminars will be held, serving as genuine forums for the exchange of experiences. One of these meetings will be hosted by Hungary in the capital.

A Venue for Social Integration
In addition to international exchanges of experience, the organizers also hold numerous programs in each member country individually. The participating organizations strive to share the experiences gained here and to involve disadvantaged or marginalized groups (the elderly, people living in poverty, minorities, etc.) as well as individuals, whom they train using non-formal learning methods. By building around the theme of cooking, they are given the opportunity to develop their inherent abilities and values, thereby promoting their social integration. People of all ages are represented in the organized programs, which helps bridge generational gaps and facilitates the exchange of experiences. A total of 200 students are involved in the domestic programs.

The main objectives of the project:

• Promoting a healthy vegetarian diet.
• Preserving and jointly representing European values—strengthening European solidarity.
• An opportunity for participating organizations to introduce themselves.
• Establishing a communication network between the parties.
• Jointly promoting future projects.
• Promoting the integration of small communities and their members.

For more information about the program: https://www.facebook.com/PizzaEffectLearningPartnership?fref=ts