OPEN CALL: SEND A RECIPE FOR APPLE PIE
We invite you to share your family’s apple pie recipes and the personal story connected to them. Where is your orchard—back home? By exchanging recipes, we aim to uncover personal and intimate narratives, celebrating the diverse backgrounds and traditions that shape our communities. Sharing something as universal as apple pie allows us to find common ground, honor our heritage, and foster empathy for those whose cultural identities have been affected by displacement. Through this inclusive project, we hope to connect people across Sweden and around the world, building a sense of belonging and solidarity among participants from various backgrounds.
This culinary exchange was launched at Global Bar Festival in Stockholm on August 20th, 2024, and has continued through the fall, celebrating the local apple harvest. The project has given Ukrainian refugees the opportunity to express their baking skills by preparing Belarusian recipes using Swedish apples. The initiative has helped unite, strengthen, and heal the shared experiences of people from many displaced nations.
In 2025, we plan to publish a book featuring best apple pie recipes from political prisoners. This project aims to raise awareness about the individuals who have been arrested and tortured in Belarusian jails. Through these personal recipes, we hope to shed light on their stories and struggles, providing a poignant connection between the act of baking and the broader fight for justice and human rights.
WE HAVE PLANTED AN APPLE TREE FOR DEMOCARCY IN BELARUS
On June 1st, 2024, Belarusian female artists planted an apple tree as a symbol of democracy and hope. This public art project signifies the patience and resilience necessary for meaningful change and the eventual end of dictatorship. The exact location of the “Tree of Democracy” in Belarus will remain confidential until it is safe to reveal. The project stands as a testament to the strength of the opposition movement and the enduring hope for a democratic future.
Following the planting, a series of events have been organized to celebrate the apple tree’s symbolism through the medium of apple pie. In Sweden, curator Ludmila Christeseva has scheduled a series of Swedish fika art talks that feature apple pie, infused with themes of ecology and democracy. These events aim to engage the art and activist communities in discussions that blend apple pie recipes with personal stories about childhood memories, family traditions, and cultural identities affected by displacement.
MANIFEST OF BELARUSIAN ARTISTS
The story of Belarus today can be understood through the act of baking an apple pie without its main ingredient. The apples are not from my garden or tree, so it will never taste the same. And I have no one to share it with—my friends are in jail. My country, once abundant in culture and outstanding souls, is now under siege. My home, filled with family narratives, has been taken away. Such emptiness is impossible to fill.
I stand under the shadow of an apple tree, longing for my Belarus—a land stripped of its native language, with people who have no roots and no place to return to. I try to enjoy the apple pie. I swallow. The taste is hollow, not the same. The experience is incomplete. It embodies the pain and loss the Belarusian people endure as we wait for the day when the apple tree our grandparents planted will once again bear fruit, and the essence of Belarus will be restored for each of us.
Until then, I hold onto sharing my story, my heritage, and my dream of a homeland through baking apple pie that doesn’t taste the same.
MY APPLE TREE BEHIND BARS
The video “My Apple Tree Behind Bars” is a powerful expression of the experiences of Belarusians living in exile. It’s an animated documentary created through a cross-cultural collaboration. We aim to draw attention to the injustices of the Lukashenko regime and support political prisoners by raising awareness and fostering solidarity. Through our initiatives, we strive to amplify the voices of those affected and advocate for their rights and freedom.
