Two writers, one painter from Moldova awarded honorary diplomas of International Board on Books for Young People

Chisinau, 19 October /MOLDPRES/ - The Ion Creanga National Library for Children today hosted a festivity on awarding Honorary Diplomas of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) to laureates of the 2018 year – writers Vasile Romanciuc, Nicolae Rusu and painter Violeta Zabulica-Diordiev.  

The director of the aforementioned library, president of the IBBY National Section Claudia Balaban said that writer Vasile Romanciuc had been given the IBBY Honorary Diploma for his book „Puiul mamei, dragul tatei” (Mother’s little baby, dear child of father). Painter Violeta Zabulica-Diordiev got the award for the illustration of the book „Lola cea frumoasă” (Lola the beautiful) by Claudia Partole and writer Nicolae Rusu – for the translation of the book „Când părinții nu-s acasă” (When parents are not at home) by Miroslava Metleaeva. Also, this international diploma was handed to the publishing houses Prut and Arc, which published the concerned books.  

The IBBY Honorary Diploma has been awarded since 1956 for the best books edited in IBBY member countries. Till 1974, the diploma was called Hans Christian Andersen Honorary Diploma. Moldovan writer Spiridon Vangheli holds the Hans Christian Andersen Honorary Diploma for the book „Ministrul bunelului” (Grandfather’s minister) for 1974. On the period of the former USSR, only the departed writer Grigore Vieru also got this distinction in 1988.       

At present, those 79 IBBY member states, among which Moldova beginning with 1996, are able to submit, once in two years, the best books for children in three sections, Author, Illustrator and Translator, for the IBBY Honorary Diploma. Starting from 2002, the IBBY National Section in Moldova has been constantly submitting the best books for children and youth for this international distinction. There are 22 laureates of the IBBY Honorary Diploma in Moldova in all. Some of them have already two diplomas (Spiridon Vangheli, Vasile Romanciuc, Arcadie Suceveanu and Violeta Zabulica-Diordiev).      

IBBY is an international organization set up in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1952, the main goal of which is to promote the editing and spread of valuable books for children and youth.  

(Reporter N. Roibu, editor A. Raileanu)