Free trainings on "Implementing European Union Good Practices" were held from October 1st to 3rd at the specially created Training Center under the project in Blagoevgrad.

The investment is under the VINESOS project for endangered traditional vine varieties under the Interreg V-A program "Greece-Bulgaria 2014-2020" and includes modern furniture and multimedia equipment in three premises, which will provide interactive lectures and their broadcast in real time on the Internet.

Follow the project website at www.sosgrape.eu for more updates, information and life streaming. Lead beneficiary is the Executive Agency for Vines and Wine and partners are the “Prosperity and Development for Bulgaria” Association, the Exhibition Research Institute, Greece and the Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki-Dpt. of Agricultural Technology, Greece.

The main purpose of the trainings in held in the Training center in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria was to present tried and tested European and World practices in protecting endangered local vine varieties.

The participants of the three-day event had the opportunity to work, share experiences and knowledge and help protect the disappearing vine varieties. Free accommodation, food, trainers, training materials and transportation were provided for each enrollee. The program envisaged the organization of wine dinners to present traditional local varieties.

The trainings were a kind of platform for cooperation and partnership between representatives of the industry, local and national institutions and all stakeholders in the cross-border region. For this reason, the group was made up of an equal number of Greek and Bulgarian participants: winemakers, NGOs, local and national authorities, local, regional and national authorities, representatives of local and national media.