Moldovan president’s message at international conference dedicated to Gagauz language

Your Excellencies,

Mr. Minister,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is symbolic that we are meeting just two days after the celebration of Gagauz script and language – and shortly before Hederlez – to discuss a subject that is existential for the Gagauz community of Moldova.

Just as on other occasions, I insist on the fact that the current generation has the responsibility to do everything in its power to ensure that the Gagauz language does not disappear. If we do not act now, later it will be too late. And you, those present in this hall, understand this very well.

That is why, I welcome the fact that today’s event aims to create a platform for dialogue between representatives of the educational, institutional, scientific fields and civil society, in order to identify concrete and sustainable solutions to revitalize the Gagauz language.

I appreciate the fact that, in recent years, the Education and Research Ministry has boosted its efforts to this end and the adoption of the National Action Plan for Learning and Promoting the Gagauz Language in the autonomous region for the period 2026–2027 is part of this series of measures.

I also welcome the presence of international experts, from whom we can learn how other countries have managed to valorize their linguistic heritage and turn diversity into an advantage.

However, I must emphasize – no strategy, no plan, no platform can replace the essential condition for a language to survive: that it be spoken in everyday life, in as many contexts and fields of activity as possible.

Therefore, the only real chance for the Gagauz language to endure for future generations is a profound change of paradigm and mentality.

Everything starts at home. The mother tongue is learned from parents, from the very first words. Then, we must continue this in kindergarten and further at school, placing real emphasis on studying it. This is the only way we can preserve it – through people, through family, through education.

Unfortunately, for too long this objective has been undermined by the promotion and predominant use in the region of another language, to the detriment of the mother tongue.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Two days ago, we marked 165 years since the birth of Mihail Ciachir, who wanted the Gagauz people to be able to read the Scripture in their mother tongue. Just as the forebears of the Gagauz who settled in the southern part of our country did, in order to be able not only to preserve their culture and traditions, but also to pass them on to future generations.

It is our common mission to carry this effort forward – and to transform the legacy we have received into a living future.

All the more so since a strong country can be built only on strong communities.

But no community can live in isolation. Development involves dialogue and active participation in the life of society as a whole.

That is why, we must understand that preserving the Gagauz language and learning the Romanian language are two sides of the same coin: identity and opportunity, roots and openness, belonging and future.

They must be pursued in parallel, so that the Gagauz autonomy and its people can fully enjoy the opportunities provided by our European course, a course on which no one, regardless of mother tongue or ethnic belonging, must be left behind.

I thank all those who contribute to the efforts to restore the Gagauz language to the place it deserves in society and in the cultural heritage of Moldova.

I dare to hope that, one day, through our joint work and through the mobilization of its speakers, UNESCO will be able to remove Gagauz from the list of languages in danger of extinction.

Thank you!