Moldovan wine and traditions showcased at event in Italy
Moldovan wine, traditional food and folk music were showcased in Chiavari, Italy, at the first Moldovan Wine Day, organized by the Floarea Soarelui Cultural Association for Moldovans and local residents.
Moldovan traditions meet Italian community
The celebration took place in one of Chiavari's squares as part of the "Home Lives Within Us" project, supported by Moldova's Bureau for Diaspora Relations.
Olga Ciobanu, president of the Floarea Soarelui Cultural Association, told Radio Moldova's "Zi de Zi" programme that organizing the inaugural event had proved challenging. Preparations had taken months, while unfavourable weather threatened to disrupt the celebration.
"Organizing an event in one of the most beautiful squares in Chiavari, after preparing so thoroughly for days and months, only to face the challenge of rain at the last moment, was indeed a major concern," Ciobanu said.
The event also attracted members of the local Italian community, with whom the association has developed cooperative ties. Visitors sampled Moldovan wines and traditional dishes, including pies and stuffed cabbage rolls prepared by association members.
Ciobanu said promoting Moldovan wines in Italy was important, particularly as local producers were gaining recognition at international competitions.
"Our wines have recently been attracting considerable interest abroad. Moldovan winemakers are working hard to produce outstanding wines, rich in flavour and aroma. They have won various medals, so why not promote them here in Liguria as well?" the association's president said.
Wine promotion supports a charitable cause
Alongside promoting Moldovan culture and traditions, the event also had a charitable purpose. Organizers collected donations to help build a centre for older people in Ermoclia, the village where Ciobanu was born.
She said participants had supported the initiative, with some making donations even without purchasing tickets.
"I am very glad that the members of the Floarea Soarelui Cultural Association have agreed to promote this initiative and raise funds to build this centre in my home village," Olga Ciobanu said.
According to the association's president, promoting Moldovan traditions abroad helps preserve national identity and pass cultural values on to younger generations.
"We promote who we are, and in this way our children learn who they are. (...) It is very important to promote our culture. By showcasing our culture, we demonstrate the values instilled at home, which should never be absent from anyone's upbringing," Ciobanu said.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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