Romanian Language Day was marked for the first time in Chernivtsi on Saturday.


Photo: (c) CRISTIAN LUPASCU / AGERPRES


Representatives of the Romanian authorities, the Romanian diplomatic mission in Ukraine and the Romanian community in the Chernivtsi region laid wreaths at the statue of Taras Shevchenko and the statue of Mihai Eminescu in the city centre.

Photo: (c) CRISTIAN LUPASCU / AGERPRES


Moreover, candles were also lit at the Heroes' Memorial in Chernivtsi's Central Square.

Photo: (c) CRISTIAN LUPASCU / AGERPRES


The event was attended by Romania's Ambassador to Kyiv Victor Micula, Romania's Consul General in Chernivtsi Irina Loredana Stanculescu, State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture Diana Baciuna, Iasi County Council President Costel Alexe, as well as Chernivtsi Region Military Governor Ruslan Osipenko and the acting President of the Chernivtsi Regional Council, Mykola Guitor.

Photo: (c) CRISTIAN LUPASCU / AGERPRES


Later, the Romanian officials met with leaders of the Romanian community at the National Palace.

Photo: (c) CRISTIAN LUPASCU / AGERPRES


'We are witnessing a historic moment because, for the first time in our history, Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine are celebrating Romanian Language Day on the same day. And I am pleased to see the response that President Zelenskyy's decree in March has generated among the Ukrainian authorities,' Ambassador Victor Micula said.

Photo: (c) CRISTIAN LUPASCU / AGERPRES


State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture Diana Baciuna also welcomed the designation of 31 August as Romanian Language Day.

Photo: (c) CRISTIAN LUPASCU / AGERPRES


The government official thanked Romanians in Ukraine for preserving and promoting the Romanian language.

'I want to thank all the parents who passed the Romanian language on to their children, all the artists who sing in it, all the writers who express their thoughts using Romanian, all the journalists, everyone who has managed to pass it down from father to son and from mother to daughter. It is the merit of all members of the community in Ukraine that they have preserved the Romanian language,' Diana Baciuna said.

Photo: (c) CRISTIAN LUPASCU / AGERPRES


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree in March establishing Romanian Language Day in Ukraine.

'In order to develop mutual understanding, mutual respect and cooperation in Ukrainian-Romanian relations, encouraging intercultural dialogue, with a view to preserving identity and developing the linguistic and cultural identity of Ukrainian citizens, I decree: Romanian Language Day is hereby established in Ukraine and shall be celebrated annually on 31 August,' according to the decree signed by Zelenskyy. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Cristian Lupascu; EN - writing by: Rodica State)

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