Bridging cultures: The Diplomatic Bazaar's debut in Chișinău
An event that's unique to Chișinău, though it has reached its fifth edition in Brussels, was held for the first time in the Moldovan capital.
It was the "Diplomatic Bazaar," organized under the auspices of the Embassies of the Republic of Moldova and Romania in Belgium. The project's goal is to be a bridge between the diaspora and the most prominent figures in all fields from back home, in both the Republic of Moldova and Romania.
At the event entrance, visitors admired a portion of Karolina Nikolai's fashion collection titled "Traveling Culture," which had previously been showcased at the Diplomatic Bazaar in Brussels.
"My work is inspired by our traditions. After being abroad for so many years, I missed my roots deeply and wasn't sure how to draw the best from our ballads, stories, poems, and legends to create a collection," said Karolina Nikolai, a fashion designer.
Last year, the event was organized for the first time in Romania.
"It's a very interesting concept. It's a special opportunity to bring many talented people from back home—writers, poets, performers, fashion designers—basically everyone interested in promoting their well-done work," mentioned Liubovi Cibotaru, the organizer of the Diplomatic Bazaar.
"I think this has a significant impact because when we go there, we meet the diaspora, and today is a sort of consolidation and a reunion at home. We come and showcase what each of us is doing, exchanging opinions and ideas for projects," said Maria Pilchin, a writer.
The exhibition "Ana Aslan. The Genius Who Stopped Time," created especially for the Diplomatic Bazaar by the team at the Brăila "Carol I" Museum, also came to Chișinău.
"The goal is to bring some of Romania's most prominent figures to the attention of everyone there—both the diaspora and foreign citizens. We specifically highlighted Ana Aslan, the genius and scientist, one of the foremost brands of Brăila and, especially, of our country, Romania," declared Costin Croitoru, manager of the Brăila "Carol I" Museum. Fashion designer Eugen Reabenchi launched the book "Fashion Illustration in the Republic of Moldova."
"It's the first book that, to some extent, illustrates the history of contemporary costume for the last, as I've called it, 30 years, during which designers appeared who laid the foundation in the field of the costume creation industry," says Eugen Reabenchi, a fashion designer.
The Diplomatic Bazaar will be a recurring event.
"The Diplomatic Bazaar has transformed into a platform for promoting talents, ideas, and thoughtful, well-made things. We have sessions dedicated to journalism, art, culture, but also to, for example, tourism and the promotion of economic interests," says Viorel Cibotaru, the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Belgium.
Entrepreneur Daria Turcu from Trușeni showcased her traditional-style clothing in Brussels, while the three girls held a musical recital.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
