European investments minister deplores cleavages tearing Romanian society apart

Minister of European Investments and Projects Dragos Pislaru declared on Wednesday that the city of Iasi is "a living symbol of the continuity between the past and the aspirations of the future", although "a large part of the diaspora originates from the region of Moldavia", and underscored the importance of national unity against the backdrop of ever-widening social and economic cleavages.

"Iasi is a perfect bridge, and not just symbolic. It is the city of great beginnings, of cultural resistance, of critical thinking. Today's meeting takes on a special significance, because we are also discussing partnerships, getting closer to our brothers across the Prut, everything that our commitment to the community means. A large part of the diaspora originates in the region of Moldavia," Pislaru said during his video-call intervention at the conference "Diaspora Celebration - Iasi is HOME!"

In the minister's opinion, the themes tackled during the conference - education, cultural values, national identity for all Romanian citizens, regardless of where they live - are crucial.

"They are all the more important because Romania's very social fabric is suffering. We are a society fraught by major divisions both at territorial level, and (...) regarding income polarization - which is the largest since 1989; divisions related to nostalgia for the past - just look at those polls that revealed a quite strong nostalgia for the period before 1990 versus those who look towards the future," the minister of European Investments and Projects said.

"Our society is currently suffering from this point of view, and I think there is no better day than this to discuss how to unite, how to stand together, how to find ourselves. Today is also a grand celebration, the Transfiguration of the Lord, which I believe, is symbolically very appropriate for a look into the future and the need to have every step we take brightly illuminated," Pislaru mentioned.

The Iasi City Hall is organizing August 6 - 7 at the "Vasile Pogor" Hall of the Roznovanu Palace the conference "Diaspora - Cultural Interferences and Education". The event is part of the annual program "Diaspora Celebration - Iasi is HOME!" and is dedicated to Romanians everywhere who want to get involved in their homeland's development projects.

Attending the event, which takes place in a hybrid format, are representatives of the central and local public administration and the Romanian diaspora communities, journalists, teachers, and Romanian-language writers from abroad.