On the Royal Domain of Săvârșin, the second edition of the Soul of Romania festival took place, an event that encourages artisans from Romania to connect with the community and helps us discover the small local producers, traditions, and authentic customs of the Romanian village.

Initiated by Profi, the event brought together small local producers, workshops with skilled craftsmen, an open-air cinema showing Romanian films, folk dances, concerts, as well as a medical caravan where 30 doctors and medical staff from Timișoara provided free consultations.

The official start was given after a tour of the small producers and artisans conducted by Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, Prince Radu, several central and local officials and authorities, and Călin Costinaș, Deputy General Manager of Profi, alongside Gabriela Sîrbu, Corporate Sustainability Director at Profi.

All activation areas within the festival bear names reminiscent of the traditional Romanian village, from Children's Alley, passing through the Village Fair and the Tavern of Merchants, to the Artisan Road. Several non-governmental organizations supported by Profi in their mission to do good are present at the festival, offering interested parties details and concrete examples of involvement in Culture, Education, Health, Environment, Sports, Innovation, and Community, more precisely in the seven CSR pillars towards which Profi's support is directed, the largest retailer created and grown in Romania.

Participants in the Soul of Romania festival are invited to enjoy performances by Narcisa Suciu, Vasile Șeicaru, Ducu Bertzi, Florin Chilian, and Romulus Cipariu. Father Constantin Necula offers, from the stage of the Soul of Romania, a concentrated dose of inspiration for beautiful souls seeking to learn to do good together.

Access is free and can be made from DC74, complete orientation indications, as well as the schedule for the two days of the festival, available at profi.ro/suflet-de-romania.

"What makes us feel good and beautiful is concentrated in this festival where we put our heart, just as we do every day in everything we do at Profi. After a first edition with an impressive number of participants, we hope to gather even more friends now at the Royal Domain of Săvârșin, to enjoy music, workshops, films, and products prepared with much heart, but above all, to meet the authentic values of the Romanian village and the small producers who carry on the traditions. The sun that showed up after rainy days is the best sign that we manage to bring the light within us to the surface at the Soul of Romania festival, and from Above, we receive a smile that confirms that we are in the right place, with the right people," declares Călin Costinaș, Deputy General Manager of Profi.

The Soul of Romania festival offered participants the opportunity to travel to a timeless village, to the times of ancient gatherings. In the space of the Royal Domain of Săvârșin, near the Old Oak Alley, small local producers, supported by Profi, offered for sale their traditionally prepared products, made from fresh and healthy ingredients. Workshops for all ages are also open here, offering experiences to connect with the Romanian village and its values, bringing together several organizations that, like Profi, put their heart into the community.

"We have a framework steeped in history, the Royal Domain of Săvârșin, a moment when we bring together thousands of people here to connect with each other, with organizations that do good every day, and on which we pride ourselves in supporting, bringing together small producers, craftsmen in open workshops for all ages, traditions, and good music to help us feel good together. In the end, all these beautiful experiences give us the energy to do even more and to believe in the good Romania where each of us continues to put our heart," says Gabriela Sîrbu, Corporate Sustainability Director at Profi.

The event encourages the community to connect with authentic values, good tastes, and the traditions of the Romanian village. Profi's initiative is part of the tripartite agreement "Growing Communities," signed by the Association of His Majesty's House, the University of Life Sciences "Mihai I" in Timișoara, and the Profi store chain, to support local producers and preserve authentic and traditional Romanian craftsmanship.

Tradition for supporting local producers

For Profi, community involvement is a tradition to which it dedicates time and resources, including the Local Goodies Shelf, the most comprehensive program to support small local artisanal producers. Beyond the presence at the Local Goodies Shelf in selected Profi stores, small local producers tell their stories and present their offerings on the most comprehensive national platform promoting them, Via-Profi.ro, where anyone can embark on a journey full of the flavors of Romania.

With 28,000 employees in more than 1,713 own stores and Partner stores present in over 850 urban and rural localities, Profi is the largest private employer in Romania. PROFI SUPER, PROFI CITY, PROFI GO, and PROFI LOCO, the four store formats of the network, offer a range of 5,000 products appreciated by over 1.2 million customers who do their daily shopping in these stores. More than 94% of these products come from suppliers in Romania.