Four communities of Moldovans and Romanians in Ottawa, Canada, staged the first Festival of Winter Customs and Traditions “Fire in Fireplace” on January 16. The event was organized by the Embassy of Moldova in Canada in cooperation with the Embassy of Romania in Canada and with support from the Honorific Consul of Moldova in Ontario, IPN reports.

In a press release, the Moldovan community in Quebec says this cultural event initiated by the Embassy of Moldova ensured the continuation of the cooperation relations between the two embassies established last year with the aim of jointly organizing large-scale cultural events dedicated to the Romanian-language speaking communities in Canada. The first Festival “Fire in Fireplace” was popular with the Moldovan diaspora in Canada. The program of the event was thought up with the participation of the Moldovan communities in Ottawa, Gatineau, Montreal, and Toronto.

In her welcoming speech at the Festival, Moldova’s Ambassador Ala Beleavschi congratulated the compatriots on the results achieved in 2015 in strengthening the diaspora organizationally, by founding the first association of Moldovans in the area of the National Capital – the Association of Moldovans in Ottawa and Gatineau. She thanked them for their contribution to organizing events to promote the Moldovan culture in Canada, such as the first North-American tournament of the famous Moldovan composer Eugen Doga and panpipe player Vasile Iovu and the celebration “Autumns in Moldova”, and to representing the country at different contests and exhibitions mounted in Ottawa.

Within the Festival, film and puppet theater actress from Moldova Aliona Munteanu, who settled in Montreal, presented a puppet play for children. There was staged the screening of the documentary “On New Year – Customs from Moldova” by Luminita Dumbraveanu, which was possible due to the cooperation between the Embassy of Moldova and the Chisinau film studio “Flacara” (“Flame”).

The Festival also included two painting exhibitions – one dedicated to the paintings in wine made by well-known Moldovan journalist Vasile Botnaru and another one dedicated to the works of Moldovan painter who settled in Canada Vasile Mosanu. The folk music orchestra “Great Masters from Montreal”, conducted by Master of Arts Nicolae Margineanu, created a holiday atmosphere.

The Embassy of Moldova said it plans to organize the Festival of Winter Customs and Traditions “Fire in Fireplace” each year.