What the Saxon communities in Transylvania are doing is sustainability not only from the perspective of environmental protection, but especially in the sense of preserving traditions and culture, Michael Schmidt, president of the M&V Schmidt Foundation, organizer of the Haferland Week Festival, told AGERPRES on Sunday, write Agerpres.

„The fact that, every year, thousands of tourists arrive at the Haferland Week, attracted by the variety of dozens of events hosted by this manifestation, means that, although the preservation of the material and cultural heritage belonging to the Saxon communities represents a major challenge, it is worth the effort,” said Michael Schmidt.

The organizer of the Haferland Week Festival recalled that the idea of creating such an event was born in 2012 when, together with Peter Maffay, the founder of the Tabalunga Foundation, they had the idea of the event, by wanting to promote Saxon culture, traditions and tourism in the area between Rupea and Sighisoara, called Land of Oats or Haferland.

He said that, if at the beginning of the event there were only three villages from which it started – Crit, Viscri and Rupea – over time, along the eleven editions, other communities were added, reaching, at present, in ten localities, over 37,500 participants – Saxons, members of local communities, Romanian and foreign tourists – and for the anniversary edition in 2022 – over 15 million online visitors.

„The Haferland week, through the longevity of the event, the multiple events hosted over the years and the constantly increasing number of visitors, is living proof of the vitality of the Saxon communities in Romania. The return of the Saxons, in the summer, who come back every year to their native lands, has thus become a new and dynamic tradition that carries on the life of the Saxon communities in Tara Ovazului and beyond, thus enriching our common cultural heritage,” said Michael Schmidt.

He thanked Prince and Princess Alexander von und zu Liechtenstein for the decision to offer the event their high patronage.

Princess Astrid von und zu Liechtenstein said that in Transylvania „the future and the past meet”, and „the Transylvanian Saxons, with all the difficulties they have had over the centuries, have preserved their community”.

The German Ambassador in Romania, Peer Gebauer, said on Sunday, in Crit, on the last day of the Haferland Week Festival, that this event „is a unique event, a focus, an entry into the fantastic culture of Transylvania, of the Saxons”.

„Today I had many discussions with many people who come to this festival with an open heart and turn it into a unique event. Haferland Week is part of the German community in Romania and brings the culture of the Transylvanian Saxons here. As the ambassador of Germany, I am glad that this event is recognized at the highest level by the German community,” said Peer Gebauer.

The diplomat added that both president Frank-Walter Steinmeier and chancellor Olaf Scholz, who visited Romania this year, were impressed by the recognition enjoyed by the German minority in our country.

The ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Romania, Andrew Noble, in his turn, thanked Michael and Veronica Schmidt for making such a festival.

It’s something unique, it’s absolutely essential. If it didn’t exist, someone had to invent it, and I can say that from my heart. I have a difficult mission, I work for a boss who knows the region better than I do. For 25 years he has been in all corners of Romania. He has been the owner of a house in Viscri since 2006 and is the first citizen of Viscri to become King of Great Britain. Haferland Week, in the last five years, was for me a moment when I learned what my king already knew. One thing the king loves this region for is sustainability. Sustainability along with preservation, with the physical aspects of the culture and the human aspects of the culture, said Andrew Noble.

On the last day of the Haferland Week Festival, the historian Adrian Cioroianu, manager of the National Library of Romania, Irina Cajal, undersecretary of state in the Ministry of Culture, Liviu Jicman, manager of the Romanian Cultural Institute, Reuven Azar, Israel’s ambassador to Romania, were present in Crit. Emil Hurezeanu, the ambassador of Romania in Austria, Dan Mihalache, the ambassador of Romania in Cyprus, Laura-Iuliana Scântei, judge at the Constitutional Court of Romania, Andreas Huber, honorary consul of Austria in Sibiu, Daniel Zikeli, bishop-vicar of the Evangelical Church C.A. from Romania, were present at Crit.

The 11th edition of the Haferland Week Festival took place this weekend in ten localities from the region historically known as Oat Land (Haferland): Archita, Saschiz, Homorod, Rupea, Crit, Roades, Mesendorf, Cloasterf, Bunesti and Viscri.