An event celebrating values created by family

 Almost 30 000 people gathered in Chisinau, Balti and Cahul on 17 May 2009, to celebrate together the Family Holiday, reported „Echinox” agency, one of the organizers of the festival. The event was organized by the Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child (MSPFC) with the support of the UN Agencies in Moldova, particularly of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

"It is a great pleasure for the UN Agencies to be associated with this event. We cooperated closely with the Government representatives, with civil society and with all involved institutions to solve the problems families of these days are facing. I am happy that finally this festival is taking place in Moldova, as well”, Kaarina Immonen, the UN Rezident Coordonator în Moldova declared.

 The family has degenerated over time on account of some universally true problems the Moldovan society faces, even if the family is considered the basic cell of the society, the environment in which the values are born and forged. “Couples do not rush to formalize their marriage, often preferring just to live together rather than make this crucial step. The number of persons applying for divorce is also high”, Octavian Mosin, press secretary of the Metropolitanate of Chisinau and Whole Moldova declared during a press conference preceding the event.

 Galina Balmos, the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child, confirmed that the family, as the social entity in Moldova, faces a series of challenges among which the high ratio of divorces, abandon. “If in the past it was a shame to hear that somebody has abandoned a child in a boarding school or an old person in an asylum nowadays this is a widespread practice. It is for this reason that we decided to organize a Family Festival. We wanted to focus the attention of our society on these problems, to encourage people to turn back to traditional family values, when parents respect each other and take care of children”, the Minister said, specifying that the "first Family Festival will be welcomed and from this time onward will be organized regularly every year".

 The aim proposed by organizers was mainly achieved as thousands of spectators that came to the Festival remained deeply impressed by the things they saw and welcomed so much expected event. “We have heard on the radio that Moldova will celebrate the International Family Day and rejoiced much" This holyday raises my spirits, makes me smile and feel at home”, Mrs Tamara said, who came at Chisinau from as far as Orhei to participate in the Festival.

 And to complete the holiday, the couples that in 2009 celebrate their golden wedding, as well as those who formalized their marriage on 15 May were awarded diplomas of honour and given gifts. “We decided to get married on this particular day as it is a special event for us”, Eugen Ciur and Natalia Panfilov said, who got married on the International Family Day. “We want to have a happy family, with many children to grow up in harmony and love.” In their turn, Raisa and Cozma Nicoara, who on 26 January accomplished 50 years of marriage, stated that these years have almost flown, but they feel happy as they together have raised four children and now have five nephews. “Formerly, families were more united, while now they divorce, children remain in the streets. We advise the youth to love, to listen and to forgive each other. Only thus they will manage to reach their golden wedding together”, said the old spouses. 

 The cultural artistic program of the event included also other actions, among which the children’s hour, the grandparents' hour, the family lunch, the final of the family album and the family song competitions.

 In the end, the organizers also initiated a great concert, inviting some music duets to perform, among whom were Zinaida and Zanica Julea, Georgeta Voinovan with her daughter, Natalia Barbu, Geta Burlacu with her children and others.

 The festival costs amounted to EURO 15 thousand, this sum being covered by the MSPFC and UN Agencies, among which the greatest share belonged to the United Nations Population Fund. 

 Family indicators in Moldova, 2008

Source: The National Bureau of Statistics