Anniversary exhibition dedicated to departed Moldovan writer opened at National Library

Chisinau, 3 May /MOLDPRES/ - An exhibition of documents and publications from collections of the National Library of Moldova (BNRM) titled, Ion Vatamanu – symbol of national dignity, occasioned by the 85th birth anniversary of the departed poet translator, chemist and politician Ion Vatamanu, was opened at BNRM today.       

Contacted by MOLDPRES, the director of the Library, Elena Pintilei, said that the exhibition comprised about 100 documents. 

According to Pintilei, the documents are systematized in five divisions.  

The exhibition could be visited till 3 June.

Ion Vatamanu was born in the Costiceni village, Hotin county (presently the Noua Sulita district, Chernivtsi region, Ukraine) on 1 May 1937. In 1960, he graduated from the Moldovan State University, Chemistry Faculty, and in Lviv in 1971 the departed writer maintained the thesis of doctor in chemistry. Starting from 1973 till the end of his life, Vatamanu held the position of head of laboratory at the Chemistry Institute of Moldova’s Academy of Sciences (ASM). He is author of over 150 scientific works in the analytical chemistry field.     

In 1990, Ion Vatamanu was elected MP in the first parliament of Moldova and led the commission for culture and cults. During 1987-1991, he actively participated in the process of national revival. Along with poetess Leonida Lari, Vatamanu founded the magazine Glasul (The Voice) (later on named The Nation’s Voice), the first publication written in Latin script in Moldova, after 1944. He was editor-in-chief of the Columna magazine (1991-1993).    

The poet published his first poems in the years spent at the University.  

Ion Vatamanu translated from works of Pushkin, Rainis, Ziedonis, Draci and from more American poets, editing the collection Poezia americană (American Poetry).  

Ion Vatamanu died on 9 August 1993. He was posthumously awarded the Mihai Eminescu medal and the Order of the Republic.