Eight personalities from different fields will win this year's National Prize. Among the winners are canoeist Serghei Tarnovschi, film producer Sergiu Cumatrenco, general director and first conductor of the National Opera and Ballet Theater "Maria Biesu" Nicolae Dohotaru, IPN reports.

The National Prize for 2024 is to be awarded to performer Maria Mocanu, folklorist, writer, journalist, artist of the people, for her outstanding contribution to the promotion of national values.

Another laureate is the plastic artist Sergiu Galben, who is being honored for his prodigious work in the field of fine arts and the realization of works of great value with a remarkable impact in promoting cultural values at national and international level.

This year, the award also goes to Nicolae Dohotaru, General Director and Principal Conductor of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre "Maria Biesu", artist of the people, Knight of the Order of the Glory of Labor, master of arts, teacher. He is awarded for outstanding achievements in the development of national culture, promotion of artistic values and cultural management. Ion Ciutac, Ph.D. in medical sciences, university lecturer, coordinator of emergency surgery at the "Holy Trinity" Municipal Clinical Hospital, was awarded the National Prize for outstanding achievements in surgery, being the founder of a new direction - laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery, which opened new horizons, with major impact in the treatment of two serious pathologies - acute cholecystitis in patients at risk and acute destructive pancreatitis.

Denis Nica, Ph.D. in Physical Sciences, Associate Professor, Department "Theoretical Physics "Iurie Perlin", State University of Moldova, Head of Laboratory and Senior Research Scientist of the Scientific Research Laboratory "Physics and Engineering of Nanomaterials "Evghenii Pokatilov" of the State University of Moldova. He is honored for his significant contribution to the development of the fundamental theory of thermal transport in nanostructures, the promotion of the positive scientific image of the Republic of Moldova in the world, as well as for the cycle of scientific papers "Phononic engineering in graphene and semiconductor nanostructures".

The writer Nicolae Negru, playwright, political analyst, columnist of the National Newspaper, is awarded for the national message and the depth of his literary, dramatic and publicistic work, which probes the dramas of Bessarabia in the 20th century, as well as for the autobiographical book "An Enemy Progeny".

Serghei Tarnovschi, emeritus master of sport, participant and medalist at the Olympic Games, world champion and medalist at the European Games/Championships, three times world university champion, is awarded for his outstanding sports performances and contribution to the promotion of the image of the Republic of Moldova.

The National Prize is also awarded to Sergiu Cumatrenco, film producer and distributor, for his outstanding merits and artistic contribution to the distribution and promotion of cinema art in the Republic of Moldova, as well as for his contribution to the development of the country's cultural heritage.

The draft on the awarding of the National Prize is to be examined and approved on Wednesday at a cabinet meeting. The award includes the diploma, the medal and a monetary reward worth 100 thousand lei.