PHOTO regional festival of Ukrainian culture in Moldova returns to Glodeni district, after 30-year break

Chisinau, 11 November /MOLDPRES/ - The Regional Festival of Ukrainian Culture, which brought together Ukrainians from northern Moldova, took place in the Iabloana commune, Glodeni district on 10 November, for the first time in the last 30 years.     
The festival was organized by the National Congress of Ukrainians from Moldova and the mayoralty of the Iabloana commune, with the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Interethnic Relations Agency from Moldova. ‘’The festival has become a platform for the consolidation of the cultural and social relations between the Ukrainian and Moldovan communities. Presently, the festival is planned to be organized annually,’’ the organizers said.    
The event brought together the Ukrainian and Moldovan cultural traditions. The guests enjoyed folk songs and dances, authentic cuisine and workmanship, which contributed to the mutual understanding and cultural enrichment of both sides.      
The festival’s goal is to preserve the cultural traditions, develop the inter-cultural dialogue, as well as strengthen the tolerance and mutual respect. ‘’Iabloana was chosen as place to hold the event, where a significant number of ethnic Ukrainians live, thus emphasizing the region’s cultural diversity,’’ according to the quoted source.  
At the festival, the National Congress of Ukrainians from Moldova organized a consultation meeting with the Council of Mayors from Moldova’s northern region. The participants in the meeting unveiled the region’s development strategy till 2030, which regards the protection of the rights of the Ukrainian community, economic development, improvement of the access to education and medical assistance, as well as the backing of cultural initiatives.     
In July 2024, the Interethnic Relations Agency launched the National Programme, Consolidation of interethnic relations in Moldova in the context of the European integration – CRIn, with the support of Moldova’s government. Informing, cultural and artistic events have been so far organized in various regions of Moldova, where preponderantly representatives of ethnic minorities live, in order to promote the intercultural dialogue, in the context of the European integration.