Play in memory of deportations staged outside government building; parliament speaker says Moldovans must know country's history, in order to avoid its repeating

The play, Homework, performed by the actors of the Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre from Balti, on 25 July evening was presented outside the government building. The event was organized in memory of the victims of the Stalinist deportations and brought to the stage one of the most emotional stories inspired by the drama of the Soviet Gulag.

Present at the play, Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, emphasized the importance of transmitting the historical memory to the young generations.

"Such plays are important for the youth. For them, this is a new, unknown page, a page we need to know, present and talk about it as often as possible. This is the tragedy of our grandparents, told to us in whispers. We must know our history, in order to avoid repeating it," Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu has told MOLDPRES.

The play, based on the novel by Nicolae Dabija, was presented as part of the traveling exhibition of railway carriages titled, State Terror in Soviet Moldova. Scale, Victims, and Perpetrators. A similar event took place outside the parliament building, where the open-air documentary titled, Siberia from Bones, directed by Leontina Vatamanu, was screened.

"We must acknowledge that such plays, such public moments have been lacking. They have existed, but probably not enough, in this format. We had something similar at the parliament, where we saw many people eager to learn about their past," Igor Grosu added.

The government’s spokesperson, Daniel Voda, expressed his appreciation for the actors of the Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre from Balti, who brought the play Homework to the public in center of the city. The official highlighted the importance of the theatrical art in transmitting collective memory.

"Hundreds of people applauded the actors from the Vasile Alecsandri Theatre of Balti, who presented the play, Homework, in the open air. Let's remember. Let's honor their memory with respect," mentioned Daniel Voda.

The event was organized by the government, in the context of commemorating 75 years since the largest wave of deportations from Bessarabia, on July 6-9, 1949, when over 35,000 people, including almost 12,000 children, were forcibly relocated to Siberia.

The exhibition, State Terror in Soviet Moldova. Scale, Victims, and Perpetrators, featuring two railway carriages similar to those used for deportations, as well as various archival materials, was open until July 27 inclusively.