Moldova dazzles visitors with wines, crafts at Osaka World Expo
Moldova has been captivating visitors at the World Expo in Osaka, showcasing its renowned wines and traditional handmade crafts, including intricate embroideries.
The national pavilion has become a magnet for hundreds of guests keen to discover the country's culture, traditions, and economic potential.
On Romanian Language Day, a celebration of Moldovan culture was held for Japanese and international visitors. Long queues formed two hours before Moldovan artists were due to perform. A reporter from the public broadcaster, Teleradio-Moldova, spoke to visitors to gauge their knowledge of the country.
One visitor said: "I knew nothing about Moldova before this exhibition."
Another commented: "I heard Moldova is famous for its wines. I want to taste the Moldovan “wines”.
"The traditional Moldovan costume," said a third. "I visited the Moldova pavilion and I loved the national costume and the handmade embroideries."
The event was officially opened by Yuichiro Koga, Japan's State Minister for the World Expo and for Economy, Trade, and Industry. He said Moldovan wine, "made from the best grapes in the finest wineries, is highly appreciated."
Prime Minister Dorin Recean added that while Moldova and Japan were geographically distant, they were "close in their values." "The foundation of our relationship," he said, "is a friendship built over years of partnerships and cooperation."
The performances by Moldovan artists, including Violeta Botezatu, Cezar Moldovan, Pasha Parfeni, and the folk dance ensemble "Fluieraș," were met with a warm reception from the audience.
The World Expo opened on 13 April, and since then, the Moldovan pavilion has attracted more than 400,000 visitors from across Japan and around the world. The event is set to run until 13 October.
"The Japanese are very enthusiastic about the World Expo because Japan is an island, and it can be expensive for them to leave the country," said Maria Oleacu, a guide at the Moldovan pavilion. "They see it as an opportunity to connect with and discover the world."
According to Zinaida Popa, the acting director general of the Moldexpo International Exhibition Centre, the event provides an important platform for Moldova to connect with other countries. "What we can take away is the dialogue, the relationships, and the opportunity to connect Moldovan business leaders with their Japanese counterparts," she said.
In total, more than 150 countries are taking part in the event, with an estimated 28 million visitors expected over six months.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
