On 16 April, an exhibition representing Gagauz personalities, customs, and traditions was inaugurated at the premises of the Parliament. The event was organised in the context of the Day the Gagauz Writing and Language, which is celebrated annually on 27 April. Igor Grosu, chairman of the Parliament, Katarina Fried, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Moldova, members of the Parliament, representatives of CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, representatives of academia and civil society from ATU Gagauzia attended opening of the exhibition.
Language, traditions, history, religion – these are the things that characterise any nation, any ethnos. We need to see what has been done, what has not been done and what still needs to be done in order to appreciate and popularise the Gagauz language, to give children and adults an opportunity to study it and pass it on to future generations.
said Igor Grosu, President of the Parliament
For her part, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Moldova Katarina Fried said that promoting a deeper awareness and understanding of the Gagauz language and culture can pave the way for social cohesion and harmony.
We should celebrate ethnic diversity as a source of strength and inspiration, that contribute to mutual respect and understanding among all peoples. In recognition of this, with financial support from Sweden, CMI is launching a communication campaign to raise awareness about Gagauzia.
said Katarina Fried
Katarina Fried also said that the Swedish Embassy remains open to further supporting the institutionalized and sustainable dialogue between Chisinau and Comrat and will continue fully supporting Moldova’s European path and modernization efforts.
MP Larisa Voloh, co-chair of the Parliamentary working group on Gagauzia, said that Gagauzia is an integral part of Moldova’s cultural, social, economic and political life. She also mentioned that in 2010, the UN declared the Gagauz language an endangered language.
The solution of this problem requires a common approach, serious efforts on the part of all decision-makers in order to preserve the Gagauz language and culture for future generations.
noted Larisa Voloh
The exhibition presented outstanding personalities who contributed to the development of the Gagauz history, language and culture. The priest and writer Mihail Chakir was the initiator of the first newspaper in the Gagauz language, the author of the Gagauz-Roman dictionary and the first translator of the Bible into the Gagauz language. Maria Marunevich was a researcher, ethnographer, public figure and politician. Dimitri Karachoban, priest, writer, teacher, and author of the first Gagauz films, is also the founder of the first museum of Gagauz culture, the museum is located in Besalma. Another exponent of Gagauz writing is Nikolai Baboglu, a writer, poet, pedagogue, and folklorist who translated the works of Mihail Eminescu, Ion Creanga, and others into the Gagauz language. He also took an active part in the development of the first Gagauz textbooks for national schools. Dionis Tanasoglu, a writer and pedagogue who contributed to the development of the Gagauz alphabet and was the rector of the Comrat State University, was also a populariser of the Gagauz culture. The exhibition also presents elements of the Gagauz material culture – folk costumes, kilims, towels, beadwork, vases, etc.x
After the opening of the exhibition videos showing important information about the history of the Gagauz, the origin of the Gagauz language, and folk costumes were presented. At the end, a group of children from Tomai village sang some songs in the Gagauz language.
The exhibition will be open to visitors until 22 April, from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibition will be open to the public.
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This year, 2024, marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of Law 344 on the Special Legal Status of Gagauzia. On this occasion, the CMI has developed, within the framework of the activities of the Parliamentary Working Group on Gagauzia, an extensive information and communication campaign, which will include events, broadcasting and dissemination of video, audio, and printed materials.
The objective of the campaign is to contribute to social resilience and inter-ethnic peace in the country. At the same time, the campaign plans to use these products to help the public at large to better understand the Gagauz specificity, reasons for the establishment of the autonomy, and existing platforms for communication between central and local authorities.
