Several personalities from the political scene, including President Nicușor Dan and interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, but also from the Romanian Orthodox Church, sent special messages on the occasion of the Day of Romanians Everywhere.
“Every year, on the last Sunday of May, we celebrate the Day of Romanians Everywhere, an opportunity to celebrate our traditions and culture wherever we are in the world. This special day reminds us that being Romanian doesn’t just mean the place we call “home”, but the way we carry our homelands, language, memory and longing for all our loved ones with us in our hearts everywhere. The millions of Romanians who live and work far from home carry with them the identity and values of a strong, proud and resilient people every day. Dear Romanians from everywhere, I send you all respect and appreciation. Your effort, your sacrifices and your achievements are part of our shared story. Romania feels close to you, regardless of the distance. happy birthday”the head of state sent in a message published on the Facebook page of the Presidential Administration.
For his part, interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan expressed his opinion “respect and gratitude” compared to the Romanians who went abroad for “the way it keeps the connection with Romania alive”.
“Through what you do every day, through the values you pass on to your children and through the way you represent our country, you contribute to the image and strength of the Romanian community around the world. I know that the road far from home often comes with sacrifices and trials. That is precisely why Romania must stay close to its citizens wherever they are, listen to them and build real bridges of support and collaboration. Thank you for everything you do and for never forgetting of your roots. Happy birthday to all Romanians everywhere”the head of government wrote on his page.
And the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a special message. The representatives of the institution stated that “The Day of Romanians Everywhere is a moment of celebration and solidarity with the millions of compatriots who live far from the country and who build their destiny by contributing substantially to the societies of which they are a part, keeping alive the attachment to the country and to the Romanian identity”.
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“Perhaps geographical distances sometimes separate us, but today, more than ever, the relationship between Romania and communities of Romanians outside the borders is dynamic, direct and deep. Romanians everywhere are an integral part of Romanian society and an important pillar of connecting Romania to the international space and of our image in the world. They are a resource of energy, creativity and professionalism that directly contribute to the economic and social development of our country. Through our network of missions diplomatic and consular offices, we always stay close to Romanian citizens abroad, to protect their rights and interests, in the spirit of solidarity, responsibility and duty”it is stated in the message sent by the MAE.
At the same time, Cristina-Lavinia Arnăutu, director with attributions of state secretary within the Department for Romanians Everywhere, sent: “For many of you, Romania means the voice of your parents and grandparents, the traditional holiday meals and the language in which you enjoy or express your longing. Wherever you chose to work and live, you took a part of our identity with you, and by taking care to preserve Romanian culture and traditions you outline a Romania with much larger borders. Because belonging does not only depend on the place where we live, but also on the connections we choose we keep.”
Also, the Blessed Father Patriarch Daniel sent a message in which he spoke about faith.
“The Romanians who left the country for various reasons took the ancient faith with them to the whole world, they carried the home church in their souls and lived the spirituality and the holy Orthodox faith far from the country”he said, quoted by the official news portal of the Romanian Patriarchate, Basilica.
The Day of Romanians Everywhere is celebrated on the last Sunday of May. This holiday was instituted in 2015. Initially, before 2014, the Day of Romanians Everywhere was marked on November 30, simultaneously with the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the First Called, the Protector of Romania, according to Law no. 299 of November 13, 2007.
The change in the date of the celebration came at the request of the communities of Romanians in the diaspora.
This law represents the legal framework for regulating the rights of people who freely assume their Romanian cultural identity – people of Romanian origin and those belonging to the Romanian linguistic and cultural vein, outside Romania’s borders, according to Agerpres.
