Embassy of Sweden celebrates 300 years of Swedish presence in Varnita and Bender

The Embassy of Sweden in Moldova celebrates the 300th anniversary of the four-year Swedish presence in Varnita and Bender between 1709 and 1713. On this occasion, a conference will be staged in Chisinau on February 1 to mark the anniversary. There will be also opened an exhibition at the National Museum of Archeology and History in Chisinau, while on February 2 at the Bender Fortress, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the Embassy. The conference will include presentations by researchers from Sweden, Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine, which will offer an interdisciplinary and intercultural prospect on the Swedish presence. The activities are organized within the international project “When Sweden was Governed from Moldova”, managed by the Swedish Royal Armory (Livrustkammaren). The project aims to extend knowledge about King Charles XII, the Swedish presence in Moldova, and the Ottoman Empire. It is also designed to strengthen and develop contacts between researches from Sweden, Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine. This conference is the first of the three conferences planned for 2013. The other two will be organized in Istanbul and Stockholm. The event will continue with a series of international projects centering on the Great Northern War and its consequences. The conference is co-organized by the National Museum of Archeology and History of Moldova, the Swedish Royal Armory, and the Embassy of Sweden in Chisinau. The exhibit at the National Museum in Chisinau will be open during February 1-15, while at the Bender Fortress between February 2 and March 2. The project received financial support from the Swedish Royal Armory, King Gustaf VI Adolf's Foundation for Swedish Culture, the Royal Patriotic Society of Sweden, ÅkeWiberg Foundation, the Embassy of Sweden in Chisinau, and the Swedish Institute.