It is true. We're living a cosmopolitan life. A lot of people live disconnected from the countryside, hardly knowing where our food is coming from. Right now, a mass of people in France is heading down to Paris to see how the most mundane of all boulevards, Les Champs-Elysées are transformed into green.
More then 150.000 threes, plants and flowers and 8000 parcels of ground, 300 kilograms each are brought to Paris tonight to build a green, agricultural boulevard. it is the initiative of les Jeunes Agriculteurs (a member based organisation with more then 55000 young farmers) Their objective is to show the world what efforts are needed tot produce the food we eat. Their aim is to establish a dialogue with the public: They both want to express what they do, reconnect with citizens and ask what the general public expects from agriculture in the future.
To my point of view, a positive attitude, experience and conversation starter leading to a positive image. French Farmers go trough difficult times these days, and this big momentum is at least more remarkable and will generate more societal backup then just another strike.
On top of that, (smart again) they connect with the chauvinistic nature of the French, as it is also seen as a 'live exposition' of what rich and broad series of agricultural products France has to offer.
A fine initiative - and a remarkable example of how dialogue and community-learning can be established in public space ...
ReplyDeleteGie Van den Eeckhaut