Romanian Language Day: Celebrations in Moldova and Romania
On the occasion of Romanian Language Day, representatives from the European Union and the United States embassies in Chișinău conveyed their congratulations to the citizens.
The EU Ambassador paid tribute to the language by reciting a poem composed by writer Ionela Hadârcă titled "Dialogue with the Ruler," while the representatives from the US embassy demonstrated their linguistic skills by attempting to pronounce some challenging Romanian tongue twisters.
In his message, Mazeiks emphasised the importance of cultural and linguistic identity.
"Cultural and linguistic identity is a precious gift that unites us and makes us stronger. Congratulations on Romanian Language Day," stated Mazeiks.
Additionally, the US Embassy issued a message expressing its appreciation for the Romanian language.
"Today, we join you in celebrating Romanian Language Day! The Romanian language is not only beautiful and melodic but also full of challenges for those trying to learn it. We invite you to watch our diplomats try their luck with some of the most difficult Romanian tongue twisters—a performance that deserves all the praise! Let’s enjoy ourselves together and celebrate the richness of the Romanian language!" the embassy's message read.
Representatives of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Moldova also sent a special congratulatory message for Romanian Language Day. The diplomats recited the poem "Our Language" by Alexei Mateevici.
Today, August 31, the Republic of Moldova celebrates 35 years since the return to the Latin script, an event considered the first major victory of the national liberation movement advocating independence, freedom, and a return to national values.
Romanian Language Day was officially established in the Republic of Moldova in 1989, within the context of the National Revival Movement, a wave of civic and political initiatives promoting the Romanian language and national culture. On August 31, 1989, the Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSR adopted laws that enshrined the Romanian language's status as the state language and recognized the Latin alphabet as the official script. These changes represented an important symbolic victory in the struggle to reaffirm Romanian identity in the Republic of Moldova.
Romanian Language Day is also celebrated today in Romania. For the first time, this celebration was marked across the Prut River in 2011, and since then, the event has been held annually in various cities throughout the country.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
