Folk artisans from both sides of the Prut River have come together for the Festival of Romanian Traditions, taking place in Chisinau’s Botanical Garden, to present their works to the Moldovan public and guests of the country. Romanian traditions will be intertwined with modern technologies, such as VR goggles and robots, which will offer immersive “visits” to historical areas in Romania and the Republic of Moldova.

Nicolae Ivășchescu, secretary general of the Romanian Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova (DRRM), noted that the Festival brought together 35 craftsmen from Romania and five craftsmen from the Republic of Moldova with various specialties. “We created this event so that the people of the Republic of Moldova can get familiar with the traditions of Romania, so that the traditions of the Republic of Moldova are promoted and so that we don’t forget our roots. It is very important to keep our traditions alive and to remember the customs of the olden times”, Nicolae Ivășchescu said.

Adrian Dupu, state secretary at the DRRM, declared that the Festival is the largest event aimed at promoting Romanian folk art in the Republic of Moldova. “The recent actions by the Department and the impressive number of people who participated in our actions showed us that there is this desire for knowledge and rapprochement between the citizens of Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Throughout our history, traditions did not take borders into account, they traveled, were borrowed, and experienced by the people of each era”, the official said.

Adrian Dupu added that for three days the event brings traditional Romania to the heart of the Republic of Moldova. Along with folk craftsmen from all regions of Romania who will meet for the first time with folk craftsmen from the Republic of Moldova, visitors will be able to discover the secrets of pottery, carving, glass painting, weaving, music, folk dances and last but not least, the secrets of the traditional Romanian cuisine. “The uniqueness of the Festival will be complemented by modern technology through which we want to arouse the interest of children and young people in these ancient, sometimes less known customs. We are proposing a trip to the most famous tourist attractions of Romania and Moldova, but also a history lesson with the help of modern technologies”, explained Adrian Dupu.

“Romanian traditions are at home here. We the Romanians from either side of the Prut River live special moments. We have reached a normality, as in Chisinau, and in Bucharest we feel close. This was due to the fact that Romania has always been close to the Republic of Moldova”, said Igor Grosu, Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament.

During the next two days of the Festival, Saturday and Sunday, starting at 10:00 a.m., visitors will have free access to exhibitions and creative workshops of the most famous folk craftsmen from Moldova and Romania. There will also be workshops on dyeing techniques on natural materials (wool, silk, cotton), spinning and weaving carpets, sewing folk costumes, as well as making traditional Romanian hats, masks and peasant moccasins called opinci. Cooking and egg decorating sessions will complement the program.

The Festival of Romanian Traditions opens the “Ciprian Porumbescu Anniversary Program in Chisinau”, initiated and financed by the DRRM, under the High Patronage of the President of Romania, H.E. Klaus Iohannis.