Ukrainian House inaugurated in Moldovan capital

Chisinau, 23 August /MOLDPRES/ - The Ukrainian House has been inaugurated in Chisinau on the eve of the marking of Ukraine’s Independence Day on 24 August. This is the first institution of this kind on the territory of Moldova, meant to provide support to Ukrainian refugees who flee the war. Attending the event were ambassadors, representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Moldova, Ukrainian citizens who integrated into Moldova’s society.    

The Ukrainian House is the first space for the Ukrainian society created just by Ukrainians, the president of the National Congress of Ukrainians from Moldova, Dmitry Lecartsev, has said. ‘’By opening the doors of the first Ukrainian House in Chisinau, we open the way to a space of solidarity and support, development and opportunities for the Ukrainian and Moldovan communities, which found more common points in the wake of the war.’’     

„The opening of the Ukrainian House in Chisinau has been an unachievable dream for our community for many years. Namely therefore, in the short existence of this space, we managed to provide support for thousands of refugees from Ukraine and members of the local community. In the Ukrainian House, they have access to opportunities of employment, psychological and legal assistance, education, creative activity, new knowledge and skills, opportunities to defend their interests and to be heard,’’ Lecartsev noted.  

Svetlana is mother of two children. One year ago, the woman along with her children took refuge to Moldova from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. ‘’We are quite happy to be in Moldova; we thank you for having received us. I offer thanks to all those who helped and backed us. I came with two rucksacks and one suitcase. The Ukrainian House is part of us, of our soul, of our heart, where we can feel in safety, comfortably, without being afraid of something. We know that our people are here and we feel a spiritual warmth, we feel good,’’ Svetlana said, quoted by MOLDPRES.      

The Ukrainian House was inaugurated with the support of UNHCR and UNICEF Moldova. This is a successful initiative, Lecartsev said, noting that the efforts of the Association of Teachers of Ukrainian Schools and of the Education and Research Ministry to overcome challenges dealing with the education in the mother language for the Ukrainian children.   

„When we speak about a house, we always have quite warm feelings; we have the feeling about the place where people wait for us, where we can solve our problems, the place where there are the closest people. I would like to congratulate the initiators and all those who contributed to the fulfillment of this dream – a dream of the Ukrainian community from Moldova; this is the house where Ukrainians will meet. I am firmly sure that the Ukrainians are a very hospitable nation, good managers; therefore, Moldovans and other ethnic groups living in Moldova will find themselves here. We want this place to be a place of inter-ethnic communication, a place where people coming will find the support needed,’’ the director general of the Interethnic Relations Bureau, Veaceslav Reabcinschi, said.    

Ambassador of Romania to Moldova Cristian-Leon Turcanu highlighted the European spirit of this project, which means ‘’interethnic harmony and love for peace.’’ ‘’The Ukrainian House is an anchor of stability and good understanding for those who fled the horrors of the war waged by Russia against Ukraine. This is  shelter, place of calm and peace, where ethnic Ukrainians can connect to traditions and where we can learn from the Ukrainian culture. The European spirit is felt here, as to be European means to give and receive respect; the European spirit means interethnic harmony and love for peace,’’ Ambassador of Romania to Moldova Cristian-Leon Turcanu said.        

All guests of the Ukrainian House were invited inside to see how this institution is arranged, which is thought out and conceived as close as possible to the soul of the Ukrainians. A workshop of crocheting small angels according to the old tradition of the Ukrainians is at the House. Also, the guests attended a master-class of Ukrainian housekeepers who cooked dumplings.