Moldova, Romania to cooperate on creating joint visual archive

A Joint Declaration of Cooperation on the creation of the Romania–Moldova Joint Visual Archive was signed in Bucharest on May 6, the parliament's press service has reported.

The Declaration was signed by the head of the commission for culture, education, research, youth, sports and mass media of Moldova’s parliament, Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei, and her Romanian counterpart, Cristian-Augustin Niculescu Țâgârlaș. The document stipulates the commitment of both sides to implement a strategic project for the conservation, digitization and accessibility of visual materials relevant to the shared history and identity of the two countries.

The visual archive will contribute to preserving the collective memory of essential moments in the bilateral relationship, promoting democratic and European values, and press freedom, as well as supporting academic and journalistic research in the Romanian cultural space on both banks of the Prut River. The signatories committed to actively collaborate with specialized institutions—including national news agencies, public archives, museums and cultural institutions—, in order to support this initiative, both at the legislative level and through cultural and educational partnerships.

The Declaration was signed during the working visit of the Moldovan parliament’s delegation to the Romanian Senate, which took place on May 5-7. The delegation included deputies Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei, Virgiliu Pâslariuc, Adela Răileanu, Marcela Adam, Larisa Novac, Efimia Bandalac and Artemie Cătănoi.

During the visit to Bucharest, Moldovan officials also attended the opening of a photographic exhibition titled, From the Bridge of Flowers to the Museum of the Press – Pages of History, an event organized under the aegis of the Senate's Culture and Media Committee.

The photographic exhibition, organized by the State News Agency Moldpres and the National News Agency Agerpres, evokes the symbolism of the Bridge of Flowers and represents a moment of cultural diplomacy, collective memory and shared identity affirmation. An identical exhibition is also hosted by the parliament of Moldova on these days.