Director, actor, publicist and ex-minister of culture Ion Ungureanu was commemorated by an event staged at the National Library one year after his death. On the occasion of the commemoration event, there was presented the book “Long road to ourselves – notes of a Bessarabian Romanian”, which includes all the works of Ion Ungureanu, edited by Victoria Fedorenco, IPN reports.
Minister of Education, Culture and Research Monica Babuc said the appearance of the book was possible together with the support of the institution she heads and represents a debt paid by the current generation to the frontrunners of the national liberation movement. “Ion Ungureanu was, is and will be the minister of culture and a symbol of this county and this nation,” stated Monica Babuc.
According to writer Nicolae Dabija, Ion Ungureanu distinguished himself by cultural acts of a major importance that detached Moldova from the Soviet area and the country started to follow its road to liberty. “He was the one who made many love the Romanian language. Ion Ungureanu had extraordinary human qualities. If he had written poems, he would have been one of the greatest Romanian authors,” noted Nicolae Dabija.
Academician Mihai Cimpoi said he had a real relationship of friendship with Ion Ungureanu, whom he considered a man of culture of a great value. “He was exceptionally talented. He fully devoted himself to the national renaissance process. He was a real fighter who struggled for the Romanian language,” he stated.
Ion Ungureanu was born in Opaci village, currently Causeni district, on August 2, 1935. He played in 25 films made at “Moldova-film” and “Mosfilm”. He worked as an actor and stage manager at the Central Television in Moscow. In 1991, he served as Minister of Culture and Cults of Moldova. As a minister, he created theaters, installed the statute of the Capitoline She-Wolf in the square of the National Museum of History and restored the monument to Ruler Stephan the Great to its former place.
In recognition for his activity, Ion Ungureanu was conferred the honorific titles of Emeritus Master of Arts of the Russian Federation, the People’s Artist of the Republic of Moldova, State Award Laureate, Knight of the Order of the Republic, Doctor Honoris Causa of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, etc. He died in Bucharest on January 28, 2017 and was buried at the Central Cemetery on Armeneasca St in Chisinau. Information about his work is accessible on the website ion-ungureanu.com.
