The Corneliu Coposu Gala starts in Chisinau on November 1 with an exhibition on the fences of the Museum of History of Moldova which will present the life and image of politician Corneliu Coposu, the leader of the opposition in post-Communist Romania, and his close connection with his mentor Iuliu Maniu, who served three terms as Prime Minister of Romania between 1928 and 1933. The exhibition will be accessible until December 1, when the National Day of Romania is celebrated. Ion-Andrei Gherasim, executive chairman of the organizing foundation Corneliu Coposu, has told IPN that the events that will be staged will treat the developments in Bessarabia starting with 1918 and the personality of Corneliu Coposu.
“Corneliu Coposu was a person who, immediately after the bloody events of December 1989, spoke about the importance of not forgetting our memory and history, mentioning in particular what happened when Bessarabia was taken away. From my viewpoint, Chisinau was a city that should have hosted the Corneliu Coposu Gala by all ways. Corneliu Coposu, his struggle, the 17 years and a half that he sacrificed for particular principles and ideas deserve to be known by all the Romanians from everywhere. Therefore, we decided to stage this Coposu Gala in Chisinau,” stated Ion-Andrei Gherasim.
On November 10, a debate with students will be held at the Faculty of History of the State Teacher Training University “Ion Creangă”. Famous Romanian writer and poet Ana Blandiana is the special invitee of the event. Ion-Andrei Gherasim expressed his confidence that as many young people willing to know ‘our tumultuous history’ as possible will come to the event.
On November 11, a trip will be staged to Mereni village of Anenii Noi district where a Museum Complex in the open air in memory of the victims of political repression is being developed with support from the Corneliu Coposu Foundation. The Corneliu Coposu Gala will take place at the Organ Hall starting at 6:30pm. In the event, the winners of the essays contest intended for young Romanians from everywhere will be awarded. Money will be collected for the open-air museum in Mereni. The evening will culminate with a piano and cimbalom concert by artist Cătălin Răducanu. Tickets are available from www.iticket.md.
The Corneliu Coposu Gala is organized by the Corneliu Coposu Foundation in partnership with the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the Cultural Foundation “Memoria”, the Museum of History of Moldova, the Embassy of Romania in Moldova, the Museum of Communist Horrors of Romania, the Mereni mayor’s office, the State Teacher Training University “Ion Creangă” in Chisinau, and the Association of Former Deportees and Political Prisoners of Moldova.
