Every year, the Center for Education and Development (CED) brings the community together by celebrating one of the region’s most popular crops, beans. Not only does Beans Day celebrate the tradition and popularity of beans in the Polog region, but it also celebrates the cultures of the region. Hundreds of people from the region, the country, and abroad, came out to enjoy themselves in the sun for the day. One of the CED Volunteers, Yllza Eshtrefi, commented that the best part was “that there were lots of people from different places” and that she “enjoyed seeing their art and presentations,” adding, “also the food!”
The day started with a diverse and entertaining program of events, which included traditional, cultural concerts of music and dance, presented by the cultural associations in Tearce, as well as performances by the primary schools of "Bratstvo Migjeni"-Tetovo and Simçe Nastovski. Students and teachers from other schools, such as “Kiril Pejçinoviq” in Tearce, “Ismali Qemali” from Nerasht, and “Eqrem Çabej” from Slatino, also contributed by preparing food and booths to celebrate the day and show their pride in their schools. Additionally, the local museums from Xhepcisht and Vratnica brought local artifacts and had exhibits of the rich history of the region. American Peace Corps Volunteer, Conner Anderson, commented that, “it’s great to see the whole community gather together. Children, adults, schools, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and such diversity from the region all gather together to celebrate culture, share food, share cultures, and enjoy a beautiful day.”
After the program, the activity shifted from music to food. Volunteers served the community the wonderful and delicious beans, which had been prepared earlier that day by local chefs of different nationalities. This, paired with the dishes prepared by the various schools, ensured that all guests had their fill of food. To top it all off, a traditional dessert called Alva was served to all, guaranteeing a sweet end to the event.
Beans Day was organized by CED, with the help and support of the “Macedonian Ecological Society”, the “Friends of Sharr Platform”, the Municipality of Tearce, and “I am Water”. CED presented tokens of gratitude to all that participated and contributed. CED also would like to thank the hundreds of guests that came this year and made the event a success.