Radio Free Europe in the evening of February 27 brought together listeners and friends at the launch of the traditional volumes “Reality in retail” by Iulian Ciocan, which reached the tenth edition, and the “Weekly journal” by Valentina Ursu that is at its 12th edition. The books will be traditionally distributed to different regions of the country, IPN reports.
Iulian Ciocan said the volume “Reality in retail” tells about the reality in the Republic of Moldova, especially the daily life and environment, and makes reference to what is very important for an ordinary person. “The most exciting and most dramatic things happen there, in the daily surroundings. This is what interests me and to that environment I direct my attention and try to detect things that are somehow emblematic for the way of living in the Republic of Moldova,” he stated.
The writer added that he daily sees things that mark him, starting with the fissured sidewalks, littered streets, gray buildings and all kinds of contrasts in Chisinau. “It is enough to go to the Central Market and you will have 1,000 themes and reasons for writing,” he stated, noting that his target readers are very different and his “radio pills” (episodes) develop dynamically so that they are not boring and are accessible to everyone.
Valentina Ursu said that more than 1,000 people told the stories of their lives during the 12 years of the “Weekly journal” and the number of those who want to tell their stories increases. At the beginning, she didn’t have power to find people who could write, but now she finds a lot of such people and these include priests, doctors, ministers or diplomats.
According to Valentina Ursu, among the journals that marked her are the journals of a priest and of a mother who was to give birth during the week she was writing the journal and related what she went through. During 12 years, the book has been distributed to lyceums, mayor’s offices, libraries and many people ask for it, especially librarians. This year the book will be launched in ten settlements in Falesti and Ialoveni districts, being issued in 2,000 copies.
Director of the Radio Free Europe Office in Chisinau Vasile Botnaru said the “Weekly journal” is the type of writings that turns into history in exactly 24 hours. “A journal lives first a period of topicality, when it is presented or when the author reads it on the microphone. Afterward, it is immediately swallowed by history and this happens yearly. It seemed a joke to us at first, but now the reality makes us shiver,” he stated.
Vasile Botnaru noted that Iulian Ciocan is our Umberto Eco, who provided a diary a week. ”Reality in retail” focuses on realities that we do not like, but has such a great power of persuasion namely because of its simple language.
Radio Free Europe president Thomas Kent, who came to Chisinau, said the “Weekly journal” is a joint project and, together with other services, this started in Croatia and now is developed in Moldova and Georgia. “The project “Reality in retail” is an exclusive product of Radio Free Europe, made by the team from Chisinau and writer Iulian Ciocan. The weekly journals try to promote, as honestly as possible, an image of the current Republic of Moldova, with its problems, successes and hopes, and to speak about very special people. The project reflects our belief that everyone has the right to opinion and is able to disseminate important messages during life,” stated Thomas Kent.
He also said that Iulian Ciocan’s “Reality in retail” is a kind of anthology with episodes detached from the daily life, while the Moldovan citizens can see the things around them differently and these can inspire them with a dose of hope in a country that should benefit from the ideas of the freedom of expression.
