Photos from the Monster Tomato Tour in Bulgaria

Sofia

Plovdiv

Smolyan

On Sunday July 22nd, the tomato tour came to Smolyan and Smilyan as part of the campaign for GM free Rodope Mountains.
Organisers included local people and associations from Smolyan and Smilyan, national NGO Agrolink, and the Friends of the Earth Europe network.

Burgas

Local children dressed up in traditional costume and danced in front of  the tomato. They also sang, and later drew the tomato on yellow balloons  that were then allowed to fly away (left).

In the morning, Dr Svetla Nikolova, Director of Agrolink, spoke at a press  conference to announce the tour and explain concerns about GMOs in  Bulgaria and in the European Union (right).

Varna

The tomato drew large crowds in Varna (left).

A local youth centre specially wrote and performed a play on GMOs. The characters included a pumpkin, mother nature, a genetically modified tomato, a carrot, a normal tomato, a cucumber and Professor Cabbage!(right)

Poster advertising the play on GMOs and food written and played by a local  youth group, specially for the tomato tour.

Dobrich

Throughout the day, members of the public stopped for information and to sign a petition for GM free regions (left).

Children were invited to draw pictures about GMOs and food.  Their pictures were displayed next to the tomato (right).

As well as the activities with the general public, a press conference  and a debate were held. Agronomists from a research institute nearby came  to the meeting and there was an interesting discussion and exchange on  food and farming.

The organisers of the tour blew up balloons showing the tomato for  children and gave information on GMOs to them and their families (left).
Children made drawings and a papier mache tomato and carrot in Tynovo(right).