Ala Mîndîcanu, who heads the Community of Moldovans in Quebec (CMQ), was awarded the Silver Academic Medal of the Governor General of Quebec for remarkable involvement in volunteering activity for the benefit of the community. Ala Mîndîcanu is the first Moldovan laureate of such a medal.
According to an article published in the Montreal paper “Accent Montreal”, which is quoted by IPN, Ala Mîndîcanu emigrated to Canada in 2008, having experience of journalist, politician, MP, editor-in-chief of the hebdomadal “Democracy”, university dean at the ULIM Faculty of Journalism and Communication, communication leader and promoter of gender equality at the national and foreign levels behind.
Ala Mîndîcanu, who is a holder of the Order of Honor of the Republic of Moldova, settled in Montreal and at the end of 2008 registered the association CMQ, the first NGO of the citizens native of the
Republic of Moldova in Quebec. During over 12 years, she has volunteered, devoting her time to the expatriates who needed support to accommodate in Canada during the first years of the emigration. In 2009-2014, over 1,000 Moldovans emigrated annually to Quebec. Currently, the CMQ networks have over 7,000 beneficiaries and subscribers. In the period, Ala Mîndîcanu, alongside the CMQ team, worked to integrate the newcomers into the economic, social and cultural life of the province. Since 2009, she has cooperated with the Romanian Cultural Association and since 2012 has served as the vice president of this association.
She took an active part in the creation of the Golden Club for older persons, which continues work. Since 2009, Ala Mîndîcanu, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Canada, has organized consular services for the Moldovan citizens who settled in Canada. In 2012-2015, she worked for the Administration Board of the organization Table de Concertation pour les Aînés de l’Ile de Montreal. In time, she mounted intercultural exhibitions and presented community performances involving local artists and invitees from Romania and the Republic of Moldova. She also initiated the International Festival of the Romania Language and, together with Romanian language associations based in Montreal, organized multiple cultural events that involved famous artists.
She published numerous articles in the Romanian language press in Canada and is a laureate of the Union Centenary medal that is conferred by the Romanian language associations of Montreal.
Ala Mîndîcanu’s contribution during 12 years of activity can be followed in the annual Brochures of CMQ (2009-2019) that depict annual community events and also on www.moldovaquebec.ca.