UzhNU honored the memory of Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu

On Wednesday, January 14, the Uzhhorod National University held a ceremony to unveil a bust of Romania's national poet Mihai Eminescu, a figure who symbolizes Romanian culture, spirituality, and national identity. The event was significant for the academic community and an important gesture of mutual respect and cultural dialogue between Ukraine and Romania.The event was timed to coincide with the 176th anniversary of Mihai Eminescu's birth and is seen as another step in the development of long-standing humanitarian cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

The celebrations were attended by representatives of the regional authorities and university management, as well as distinguished guests from Romania: Alexandru Victor Micul, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to Ukraine, Gabriel-Valer Zetea, Chairman of the Maramures County Council, Florian Valeriu Selejan, Prefect of Maramures County, and other officials. The event was moderated by Taras Datsio, senior lecturer at the Department of Romance Languages and Foreign Literature at UzhNU.In his speech, Volodymyr Smolanka, rector of Uzhhorod National University, emphasized the symbolic significance of the moment:

"Today, our university witnessed a landmark event — the unveiling of a bust of Mihai Eminescu, the most prominent figure in Romanian literature. This is, first and foremost, a tribute to the memory and respect for the great poet. It is symbolic that the event takes place on the eve of the 176th anniversary of his birth.Ukraine and Romania have been engaged in active dialogue in various fields for many years, and today's event is a vivid example of cultural cooperation between our peoples. I would particularly like to note the support that Romania — as a state and as a people — is providing to Ukraine in the face of Russia's full-scale aggression. We sincerely appreciate this and are deeply grateful for it.I am convinced that the unveiling of the bust of Mihai Eminescu will be another step towards strengthening friendship and partnership, in particular within the framework of our university's cooperation with educational and cultural institutions in Romania."

Alexandru Victor Micul, Romania's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ukraine, addressing the participants of the event, emphasized the importance of mutual understanding and common European aspirations:“Today we are talking about our common future within the European Union. This place is a reminder of the cultural and institutional ties that unite our countries. I would like to thank the university management and local authorities for supporting this project. I hope that it will serve as an example for similar initiatives in both Romania and Ukraine.”In their speeches, Yurii Huzynets, Deputy Head of Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration, and Vasyl Demianchuk, Deputy Head of Zakarpattia Regional Council, emphasized that since the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression, Romania and the Romanian people have stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, providing comprehensive support. The role of cultural diplomacy as an important tool for strengthening inter-state relations was also highlighted.It was also noted that Zakarpattia is a unique multinational region in which the Romanian community is an integral part of public life and, together with other citizens of Ukraine, actively participates in the defense of the state.

Renowned Zakarpattia sculptor Roman Murnyk worked on the image of the outstanding poet for two months. The master sought to complete the work by this significant date so that Ukraine and Romania could jointly honor the memory of Mihai Eminescu.The performance of the artists of the Honored Zakarpattia Academic  Folk Choir added a special solemnity to the event. They performed the anthems of Ukraine, Romania, and the European Union as a symbol of shared values, solidarity, and unity.Throughout the event, words of gratitude were repeatedly expressed to Romania and the Romanian people for their support of Ukraine in the context of full-scale war, and the importance of further developing Ukrainian-Romanian cooperation was emphasized.

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