In February, activities began for a small-scale project under the Interreg Slovenia-Hungary program, titled “Joint Activities for the Preservation of the Tradition of Mills and Milling in the Cross-border Area SI-HU” with acronym “Mills – Our Mutual Value.” The project’s goal is to strengthen the cooperation of three non-governmental organizations and, through this, involve as many members of the target groups as possible in activities focused on the popularization and re-evaluation of the milling heritage on the Mura and Raba rivers. Through this project, Pomurje and Vas County highlight and strengthen the tradition of milling as an existing unifying element between the two nations.

The project partners, MMP Cven and CSIKE, each contacted local educational institutions (principals) on their respective sides of the border. Through regular classes or extracurricular activities, teachers or mentors introduced students to the history, tradition, and significance of milling. During these sessions, students learned about milling and mills on the Raba and Mura rivers and then transferred their knowledge to paper in the form of drawings, paintings, or other artistic expressions.

Each project partner organized an event on the theme of milling on their respective sides of the border. The first event took place on June 22, 2024, organized by the project partner Csörötneki Ifjúsági Kulturális Egyesület in Csörötnek (CSIKE), and the second was organized by the project partner Zavod Multimedija Panonija (MMP Cven) on the Slovenian side on July 27 in Veržej. At both events, a roundtable discussion on the tradition of milling was held in the morning, with three experts present. As part of the project, a petition was prepared on each side of the border to secure appropriate funds for the restoration and preservation of both mills. After the roundtable, visitors were invited to the opening of an exhibition of awarded artworks on the theme of mill traditions, in which students and children from Slovenian and Hungarian schools and kindergartens participated.

At the events, visitors could enjoy various cultural performances, participate in a langoš-making competition (on the Slovenian side), bread baking (on the Hungarian side), social and milling games, and attend children’s workshops on mills.

With this project, we aim to bring the significance of mills and milling closer to kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and others. We wish to emphasize their broader social functions, importance for the preservation of cultural and technical heritage, significance for local self-sufficiency, and, lastly, the role mills play in utilizing alternative energy sources.

Photos by Mills – our mutual value