Diaspora Days open with book launches, painting exhibition: art, culture bring Moldovans home together

The Diaspora Days have opened in Chisinau with a focus on promoting reading and art. The tenth edition of the event was inaugurated at the National Library of of Moldova (BNRM) today through book launches and a painting exhibition by compatriots settled abroad.

Writers Dina Vrâncean, Iurie Cojocaru and Tamara Șchipu presented their latest volumes in Chisinau, while artist Olga Chilat opened a painting exhibition titled, Beyond the Threshold – Folklore Translated into Contemporary Illustration. According to the head of the Diaspora Relations Bureau, Violina Donu, the four creators contribute, through their works, to strengthening the ties between Moldova and communities of compatriots abroad.





The Diaspora Days are organized by the Diaspora Relations Bureau, under the patronage of Moldova’s government.

“Today you will meet four personalities who, through their art, bring Moldova closer to the communities abroad and bring the experiences of those who left closer to us, those who remained at home in Moldova. For us, this is a beginning, a debut of Diaspora Days, and we will have activities over the next few weeks. The schedule includes events dedicated to young people, and on August 7, we will organize a workshop with Diaspora associations. We will also have working sessions with local public authorities, hikes and excursions. In parallel, 31 workshops are taking place, organized together with 20 public authorities, ministries and agencies, which are opening their doors on this period,” said Violina Donu.







“A Holiday in Lipnic”

Having lived in France for 11 years, Dina Vrâncean, a mother of four, is deeply concerned with children’s education and the preservation of roots and traditions. She said that the inspiration for her latest book came after noticing how the youngest daughter of the family, born in France, discovered for the first time the authentic village life in the locality of Lipnic.





 

“When she came to her grandparents in the village, every single thing was a discovery for her: the eggs in the nest, the chicks hatching from the eggs, the animals in the yard she could freely play with. This was the strongest impulse for me to write this book. Their childhood is now dominated by gadgets and technology, whereas we had a carefree childhood. It was hard to get us to come home from the neighborhood streets. Every holiday I try to go back to the grandparents’ house, so that my children can also experience these beautiful moments,” said Dina Vrâncean.







On this occasion, the author launched in Chisinau the volume, A Holiday in Lipnic, a book that had already had its first launch among the community of Moldovans from France.

 

“The World We Lived In”

Another book launch came from our compatriot Iurie Cojocaru, who lives in the United Kingdom. An entrepreneur by profession, Iurie has found refuge in writing, and in Chisinau he launched the pocket‑sized volume, The World We Lived In, a book that brings together 13 stories about the world we live in and about each person’s power to change it. The author says he wanted the volume to be easy to carry and to give away, like a business card.





 

“This world exists when you create it yourself. The book includes 13 stories. It is a harsh world, which we can easily shape and transform. Why is it such a small book? Last year, I took part in a book launch in London, where the guest was writer Iulian Filip. A lot of people came up to take a picture with him, and no one left without a little book. He had many pockets and in each of them a book. I thought there could be no nicer format than a small book you can always carry with you. I set out to have one of my own and I want to give this little book to everyone; in a way, it is my business card,” said Iurie Cojocaru.





“My Vegan Farm Food”

Based in the United Kingdom, Tamara Șchipu has been promoting healthy eating and organic farming for many years. In Chisinau, our compatriot launched the volume titled, My Vegan Farm Food, a book that combines vegan recipes with Moldovan culinary traditions and the experiences lived on an organic farm. The author says that the work is more than a simple cookbook and encourages readers to rediscover local products and traditional food.





 

“For me, the gastronomic treasure means not so much the recipes as the principle of consuming what we have, what our parents also consumed—foods with their own ‘genetic’ load, if I can put it that way, which contribute to a healthy diet. I consider it a mistake to try to eat healthily with products that travel great distances and only create the illusion of a proper diet. I wrote this book in 52 weeks. I started in January, and by Christmas, every week I had added recipes with vegetables. In this way, 12 months or, more precisely, 52 weeks of recipes came together. However, the book contains more stories than recipes. It speaks about life on an organic farm. In total, I worked for about three years on this book,” said Tamara Șchipu.





“Beyond the Threshold – Folklore Translated into Contemporary Illustration”

Olga Chilat came from Brussels, where she works on economic analyses at European institutions and, in parallel, develops her passion for art. In Chisinau, Olga opened the exhibition titled, Beyond the Threshold – Folklore Translated into Contemporary Illustration, a collection of works inspired by the cultural heritage, symbols and folk traditions of Moldova. The artist says she does not see such a big difference between her professional activity and her artistic creation, as both stem from the desire to understand and explain the world we live in.





 

“Drawing and painting have accompanied me throughout my life, since school and university. In fact, my field of work is not that different. In Brussels, I do economic analysis, and my art is based on folklore. What is folklore? It is the sum of our ancestors’ wisdom, passed down through stories. These stories influence the way we make decisions, how we organize our family, economy and society. They are things that shape us without us realizing it. It is precisely this search for the essence that is reflected both in my artistic creation and in the analyses I carry out,” said Olga Chilat.







“Bessarabian Authors Around the World”

As part of Diaspora Days, the National Library of Moldova also opened a book exhibition, Bessarabian Authors Around the World, which brings together volumes by writers who were born in Moldova and settled abroad. The exhibition can be visited throughout August, and the displayed books can not only be browsed, but also borrowed for reading.







Contacted by MOLDPRES, the BNRM deputy director, Veronica Borș, emphasized that such initiatives help strengthen cultural ties between the Diaspora and those who remain at home.

“This is a very important moment, because through books our authors carry the culture of Moldova in their hearts and take it further throughout the world. In their works, we find testimonies, feelings and emotions that speak about our identity and our connection with our native places. At the same time, the National Library aims to bring these books closer to readers of Moldova, so that the younger generation can learn about the experiences and feelings of our compatriots in the Diaspora. Through these writings, the authors lay down on the pages of their books the emotions they experienced when they left the country and the homesickness they feel,” said Veronica Borș.





The Diaspora Days schedule continues on August 4, with a string of activities dedicated to young people. Among them, there is the debate titled, Young People Change the World, during which participants from Moldova and Diaspora will discuss civic engagement, leadership and the European future of the country. The event will be attended by Nicoleta Colomeeț, Daniel Vodă and Alexandru Ghețan.

Also on August 4, the Diaspora Quiz will be organized, an interactive event dedicated to the Diaspora, culture, identity and the ties that unite Moldovans at home and those settled abroad.