Romanians in Serbia have high expectations from Romania and wish to preserve the Romanian language, which they consider a gift and inheritance from their parents, a treasure not to be forgotten. They strive to promote their traditions through music, dance, and beautiful speech, which for us back home may sound different yet remains familiar. Their dedication to talking about their past and hopes for the future shows their determination to express themselves and show who they are — Romanians like us, only born abroad. They tell us they cannot do it alone.
To support them, a delegation from the Ministry for Romanians Abroad (MRP) visited Vârșeț and Glogoni on September 22–23, 2019. With the support of the Romanian Consulate General in Vârșeț, the ministry team donated 30 traditional costumes from the Banat region to three associations: “Luceafărul” Cultural-Artistic Society – Vârșeț, “3 October” Cultural Center – Satu Nou, and “Steaua” Cultural-Artistic Society – Ovcea.
On this occasion, representatives of local associations spoke about the communities’ needs and expressed hope that in the future there will be dedicated funding for historic communities, which face challenges very different from those of the Romanian diaspora.
As part of the visit, the awards ceremony for the winners of the "My Romania" contest took place, an initiative of the MRP under the ARC Camps Program, 2019 edition. Five young women from different areas in Serbia were recognized with symbolic prizes and a heartfelt award: a place in the 2020 ARC Camp.
The young women attending the ceremony, alongside the series coordinators, shared that the Camps Program unites them and motivates them to learn Romanian, keeping them connected to Romania.
The delegation also visited the “Libertatea” editorial office in Pancevo and the Romanian Orthodox Cathedral in Vârșeț.
– Press release by MRP
