The National Library’s collections that reflect the history of 70 years of the founding of the Council of Europe were displayed at an exhibition that can be visited in the course of May. The visitors could also learn about the steps taken by the Republic of Moldova to obtain the status of member of the Council of Europe. The exhibits are in Russian and Romanian, IPN reports.
In the opening of the event, National Library director Elena Pintilei said the goal of the exhibition is to raise the people’s awareness of the importance of Moldova’s entry into the Council of Europe. It is presented the history of this European organization that in time formulated policies to ensure the observance of human rights and development in the Council of Europe member states.
The Head of the Council of Europe Office in Moldova William Massolin reminded that the Council of Europe was founded in London on May 5, 1949, its foundations being laid in the middle of World War II. “The membership status is open to all the states that seek cooperation, protection of human rights, democracy and that plead for the rule of law, supremacy of the law and are ready to respect these principles,” stated William Massolin.
According to Tatiana Molcean, secretary of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, since its founding, the Council of Europe has played an important role in ensuring peace and stability on the continent, creating an inclusive community and offering its members an occasion for being proud. “The Council of Europe was and continues to be a reliable partner of the Republic of Moldova, which substantially contributed to strengthening the rule of law in the Republic of Moldova,” stated Tatiana Molcean.
The Council of Europe brings together all the European Union member states and other Central and Eastern European states. It is independent from the European Union and is different from the European Council or the Council of the European Union. The headquarters of the Council of Europe are in Strasbourg. Moldova joined the organization on July 13, 1995.
