PHOTO // Museum Night at Parliament: Over 1,600 visitors discovered history and activity of legislative institution

Over 1,600 people spent their Saturday evening at the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. The institution opened its doors to the public in the context of Museum Night and Parliament Day. The program included interactive and educational activities dedicated to all ages.

Visitors’ experience began in the Parliament square, where the institution’s vintage cars were exhibited and a photo area with national symbols was set up.

Inside the building, participants had the opportunity to discover the evolution of the legislative institution and to take part in activities simulating the decision-making process.

On the ground floor, in the “Parliament over Time” area, visitors could see at the institution’s Museum representative documents for the history and European path of the Republic of Moldova: a copy of the Declaration of Independence, editions of the Constitution, the first issue of the Official Journal, as well as the original Association Agreement with the European Union. In the same area, visitors participated in interactive contests and put forward proposals for a more transparent Parliament, closer to the people.

On the second floor, in the thematic space “Democracy in Action”, an exhibition was presented about the transformation of the Parliament building over time. Visitors had the opportunity to deliver a speech from the central rostrum of the Legislature, while children took part in recreational and educational activities such as puzzles, coloring sheets, and themed games. Special interest was shown in the plenary hall, where citizens watched video materials about the legislative process. At the same time, students from the Faculty of Law of Moldova State University, coordinated by civics teacher Oxana Antonov-Loghin, presented their own legislative initiatives.

The young people’s proposals concerned the evaluation system in education, merit scholarships for pupils and students, as well as equipping schools with individual lockers for each pupil.

The Parliament tour concluded on the third floor, in the “European Future” area, where future-oriented projects developed by students and teaching staff from the Technical University of Moldova and the “Ion Creangă” State Pedagogical University were displayed. Visitors also had access to the Europe Hall, one of the most important spaces of the institution, intended for meetings with officials from various countries and for meetings of the Standing Bureau.

Museum Night is an international cultural event organized under the auspices of the Council of Europe, UNESCO, and the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Thus, every year in May, museums and cultural institutions in numerous countries open their doors to the public.