The fourteenth Polish Spring Festival in Moldova started in Chisinau on May 17. The event brought together at “Ginta Latina” Theater artistic groups representing the Polish diaspora in Moldova and craftsmen who showed how rich the Polish culture is, IPN reports.

Moldova’s First Lady Margareta Timofti said that this festival is a large-scale cultural event in Moldova. “The Polish Spring is not a festival for showcasing the talents, but a nice occasion for the Moldovans to know Poland in all its cultural splendor. Such events significantly contribute to developing relations of friendship and reciprocal esteem between our peoples,” she stated.

For her part, Poland’s First Lady Anna Komarowska said that Poland was among the first countries that recognized Moldova’s independence and it supports the country’s European course. She thanked the Moldovan authorities for the assistance offered to the Polish diaspora.

Oxana Bondarciuc, head of the public organization “Polish spring in Moldova” which organized the festival, said that the Polish Spring Festival represents a visiting card of the Polish diaspora in Moldova and aims to popularize the accomplishments of the Polish people in the areas they populate densely, namely the northern districts, Gagauzia, Transnistria, and Chisinau municipality. This year’s festival is special owing to the presence of the First Lady of Poland, who will take part in a number of cultural events within the festival.

Moldova is home to about 10,000 Polish people.