​EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO GAGAUZ CULTURE HELD IN PARLIAMENT

An exhibition dedicated to the personalities, customs, and cultural traditions of the Gagauz people has opened in parliament. As related by INFOTAG, the exhibition opened on Wednesday as part of the Day of Literacy and the Gagauz Language, celebrated annually on April 27. The exhibition is organized by the Parliamentary Working Group on Gagauzia with the assistance of CMI - the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation (former President of Finland) with financial support from Sweden.

“Language, traditions, history, religion - these are things that characterize any nation, any ethnic identity. We need to see what has been done, what hasn't been done, and what else needs to be done to appreciate and promote the Gagauz language, to give children and adults the opportunity to study it and pass it on to future generations,” said Speaker of Parliament Igor Grosu at the exhibition opening.

The exhibition features video materials that gather important data from the history of the Gagauz people, the origins of the Gagauz language and homemade wine, as well as traditions and customs associated with the Hedirlеz holiday, which symbolizes the beginning of the new agricultural season.

The opening ceremony was attended by Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, Swedish Ambassador to Chisinau Katarina Fried, MPs, representatives of the academic community, and civil society of Gagauzia. The ceremony concluded with songs in the Gagauz language performed by a group of children from the village of Tomai.

The Working Group on Gagauzia is currently inactive, as the members of the People's Assembly have suspended their participation in it. Several deputies of the People's Assembly recently initiated the resumption of the group's work. However, Bascan of Gagauzia Evghenia Gutul blocked the resumption of dialogue on this platform, presenting a number of ultimatum demands to the Moldovan leadership.