O Bichinho de Conto and the Óbidos Town Council invite us to the presentation of the European project The Tales Along the Way that will take place on 30th, January at 18:00 in the Church of São Tiago of Óbidos.
The Tales Along the Way makes up the book and the reading, the revival of the immaterial heritage, plastic arts and music. Coordinated by OQO editora, these activities are supported by the Thyssen- Bornemisza Museum Foundation (Spain), the publishers O Bichinho de Conto (Portugal) and La Compagnie Créative (France).
This initiative was selected in 2009 in the 2007 – 2013 European Union cultural programme, achieving one of the highest scores among all the European candidates, with 32 points out of a maximum total of 35.
Intended for children in primary education, The Tales Along the Way look to encourage in the infant public the knowledge of the Pilgrims’ Rout to Santiago, the first cultural itinerary that crosses Europe and congregates people from distinct cultures, races and countries.
Five cities through which the Pilgrims’ Rout to Santiago passes:
1. Évora (Portuguese Rout): city in the south of Portugal, capital of Évora, having a population of 46,700 inhabitants.
2. Bordeaux (French Rout): with a population of 230,600 inhabitants in the city centre and 1,200,000 in the urban areas of Bordeaux-Libourne-Arcacho. It is the fifth largest populated area in France.
3. Óbidos (Portuguese Rout): in the district of Leiria, Portugal. Óbidos is a medieval town watched over by its castle, with a great religious architectonic heritage and remains of historic monuments. The last population census was of 11,187 inhabitants. The activities in Óbidos also accommodates for school children from other Portuguese towns such as Pombal and Beja.
4. Santiago de Compostela: capital of Galicia, with a population of 92,919 inhabitants. It is one of the three holy cities next to Rome and Jerusalem. It forms part of the World Heritage Group of Cities.
5. Madrid (The Rout from Madrid which links up with the French Rout): capital of Spain with a population of 3,232,463 inhabitants in its municipality and 6,043,031 in the metropolitan area. It is the third largest populated urban area in the EU.
Hosting from January to June 2010 storytelling sessions, creative artistic workshops and promoting reading.
More than 25,000 school children, teachers and companions from France, Portugal and Spain shall cover the Pilgrim’s Rout through the traditional oral tales from distinct countries and their works of art within the activities held on a significant date for the Pilgrims’ Rout to Santiago, 2010, the year of Saint James.
The Tales Along the Way intend to awaken and feed the curiosity for travelling, meeting people from other cultures and to bring them closer to the tales and oral tradition of the artistic and cultural European heritage.
Eager to respect differences, besides the teaching centres, in each of the five cities, immigrant collectives will be contacted along with associations that take care of the younger ones in situations of deprotection.
