How is excellence achieved? What connects people who have succeeded in building something lasting? What keeps us moving forward when success does not happen overnight? Which values truly lead us to success? A conversation about the journey from an idea to a meaningful achievement.

At the 14th edition of Haferland Week, held under the theme “Longing for Transylvania”, we had the privilege of bringing Nadia Comăneci and Michael Schmidt together for a conversation about excellence, hard work, discipline, values and the responsibility of passing on what we have inherited.

Different journeys and fields of achievement, yet a shared belief: the things that truly matter are built over time, through perseverance, discipline and respect for enduring values.

Nadia Comăneci was the guest of honour at Haferland Week 2026, and her presence was one of the defining highlights of the festival. From meeting the children participating in the After School programme in Criț and attending events dedicated to local heritage to taking part in the festival’s main event, Nadia discovered Haferland beyond its identity as a place – through its people, traditions and stories.

This encounter became the inspiration for an episode of Haferland Talks, a conversation exploring what lies behind success and the values that never go out of style.

About hard work and discipline, the courage to follow your own path and the price of excellence. About defining moments and the strength to keep moving forward when excellence becomes not merely a goal, but a standard.

But also, about roots.

About Transylvania and the memories held within its villages and landscapes. About what we inherit from previous generations and our responsibility to preserve, nurture and pass on that legacy.

Because beyond the achievements that make history, one essential question remains: What do you leave behind?

And the answers offered by Nadia Comăneci and Michael Schmidt come together around one fundamental idea: the true value of something lasting is measured not only by what we have achieved, but also by what we choose to give back and pass on to others.

Haferland Talks is a series about people who have built something meaningful, experiences that matter and ideas that inspire.

The conversation between Nadia Comăneci and Michael Schmidt is now available on YouTube (Haferland Talks)!

Enjoy watching!