On the occasion of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, last May 21st, the Centre for the Studies on the Islamic Madrid (CEMI) participated in an activity of cultural and environmental awareness in collaboration with the Community Orchard Magerit.
This new orchard, which takes the original name of the city, is located in the Park Salvador de Madariaga, in the district of San Pascual. The Community Orchard Magerit is an initiative of sustainable environment and social participation that involves different neighborhood associations and social groups from the district, parent associations, and all individual neighbors that want to get involved in the project.
The initiative, which holds a strong community and inclusive dimension, relies on the ancient Andalusi knowledge to promote a sustainable development and to create a social space that allows for the promotion of knowledge and culture, and for the development of initiatives aiming at social participation and tolerance.
This Orchard is part of the Network of Urban Orchards of Madrid, coordinated by the Environmental and Mobility Area of the City Council of Madrid, and it is promoted voluntarily by its population with the goal of creating a community agriculture in the capital. Among its main goals, we find its use as a meeting point and contact among citizens, its answer to the urban orchards needs, and its role as a network to share knowledge and experiences.
Cultural diversity through the scents of Al-Andalus
In the frame of the activities carried out for the World Day for Cultural Diversity, FUNCI organized the workshop “The scents of Mayrit”, a cross-generational activity that invites its public to discover Al-Andalus through its smells.
In collaboration with the Association La Rueca, the activity involved teenagers, children and adults, more than thirty people working with the plants and spices of Andalusi origin. The activity aimed at arousing the interest and awakening the senses on the different Andalusi species, through the identification of scents from plants such as the rose, basil, cumin, orange blossom, thyme, bay, etc. The location where it took place couldn’t have been better as well, as the Orchard Magerit will have a small plantation of aromatic species, where the district neighbors will be able to learn about this Andalusi heritage.
The Islamic Culture Foundation will continue collaborating in the development of the Community Orchard. In the frame of this collaboration, FUNCI will provide seeds, counselling, and educational activities related with the cultural diversity and the raising of awareness on the Islamic culture still present in the region.
This post is available in: English Español