Comrat hosts Moldova's first unity festival
The southern Moldovan city of Comrat holds the distinction of being the first locality to host the "Unity Through Diversity" ethnicities festival.
This event is part of the National Program "CRIn," which aims to strengthen interethnic relations within Moldova as the country progresses towards European integration. Similar ethnocultural events are planned for other parts of the country.
The festival brought together a vibrant display of cultural heritage. The stage showcased the Gagauz folk dance Kadınja, the Romanian hora, the Bulgarian dance, alongside Jewish, Gypsy, and Ukrainian melodies and songs. Comrat warmly welcomed ethnofolk groups from across the country.
"We come from the northern municipality of Bălți," said Vlada Rusnac, a participant at the festival. "Our regional collective performs Gypsy, Russian, and Ukrainian folk dances."
Lidia Ostaș, a resident of Comrat, expressed her delight at the event. "The concert was beautiful," she said. "I'm glad so many people from other parts of Moldova joined us today for this celebration."
Another attendee, Ecaterina Ostaș, shared her experience: "I came here today with my mother, grandmother, and our guests from Turkey. It's a wonderful opportunity to share our customs and culture. We showcase our folk dances and songs. I especially enjoyed the performance by the violinist."
Serghei Anastasov, the mayor of Comrat, highlighted the significance of the event. "This is the first government-sponsored event featuring representatives from various ethnicities in our country," he declared. "Over 10 different ethnic groups are likely present here. Our own group, Kadınja, is performing our Gagauz dances and songs. This festival is intended to be an annual event."
Veaceslav Reabcinschi, the head of the Agency of Interethnic Relations, emphasised the program's goals. "Today, we celebrate together," he declared. "This is the first event under the CRIn Program, supported by the Moldovan government. This program specifically aims to create conditions that foster interethnic dialogue, allowing all Moldovan citizens to connect more effectively. We are delighted that Comrat is the first city to participate in this program."
The events organised under the National Program "CRIn" strive to strengthen interethnic relations and promote cultural diversity.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
