AGP Executive Report

Community & Environment: Moldovan NGOs completed 28 projects in more than 30 communities, restoring 32 wells, installing over 2,000 waste bins and planting about 11,300 trees and shrubs. Cultural Heritage: Moldova’s government is expected to approve withdrawal from a 1992 CIS agreement on returning cultural and historical property to its countries of origin. Identity & Inclusion: Around 210 people joined Moldova’s National Forum of Ethnic Minorities to discuss cultural and linguistic identity, education and equal participation. Arts & Language: Chișinău’s Week of the Italian Language opened with a book exhibition celebrating 20th-century Italian writers; a university exhibition also invites visitors to explore portraits and stories of people with Down syndrome. Education: About 50 Chișinău schools are receiving more than 1.1 billion lei for renovations, modern facilities and improved energy efficiency.

Cultural Diversity: Ukrainian community representatives joined about 210 people at Moldova’s National Forum of Ethnic Minorities to discuss language rights, education and preserving cultural identity. President Maia Sandu stressed respect and social cohesion. Arts and Inclusion: Chișinău’s Nicolae Testemițanu University is hosting The Art of Being, an exhibition of portraits celebrating the individuality of people with Down syndrome. Language and Heritage: The Week of the Italian Language opened at Moldova’s National Library with a display of 20th-century Italian writers and events celebrating ties between the two cultures. Moldova is also preparing to leave a 1992 CIS agreement on returning cultural and historical property to countries of origin. Education: Around 50 schools in the capital are benefiting from more than 1.1 billion lei in renovations and upgrades. Sport: Moldova’s weightlifting team claimed 13 medals at the European Junior and Youth Championships, including six gold.

Culture: Chișinău opened the 26th Week of Italian Language with a book exhibition celebrating Italian writers and the cultural ties between Moldova and Italy. Inclusion: The Nicolae Testemițanu University is hosting six illustrated portraits of people with Down syndrome, inviting visitors to reflect on identity, acceptance and belonging. Education: Around 50 Chișinău schools are benefiting from more than 1.1 billion lei in upgrades, including renovations and energy-efficiency improvements. Heritage: Moldova plans to denounce a CIS agreement on returning cultural and historical property to countries of origin, signed in 1992. Sport: Moldovan weightlifters brought home 13 medals from the European Junior and Youth Championships, including six golds. Children’s rights: Promo-LEX warns that students in Transnistria face growing military indoctrination and restrictions on Romanian-language education.

Education: Around 50 schools in Chișinău are benefiting from more than 1.1 billion lei in upgrades, including renovations, better energy efficiency and improved hygiene facilities. Cultural Heritage: Moldova plans to withdraw from a 1992 CIS agreement on returning cultural and historical property to its country of origin; the government is expected to consider the move on October 21. Sports: Moldova’s weightlifters won 13 medals at the European Junior and Youth Championships in Albania, including six golds. Identity & Community: At Moldova’s National Forum of Ethnic Minorities, President Maia Sandu called for mutual respect and unity, saying communities can preserve their traditions while sharing a sense of belonging to the country. Food Traditions: A Moldovan shepherd family set a national record with a 30.7-kilogram cheese, showcased at an agricultural exhibition that paired local gastronomy with modern farming technology.

Identity & Memory: Former prime minister Ion Sturza says Moldova has never been closer to breaking from its Soviet past, pointing to EU accession progress and a stronger European direction. Ethnic Heritage: At the National Forum of Ethnic Minorities, President Maia Sandu urged unity and mutual respect, saying EU integration can strengthen security while helping communities preserve and promote their cultures and traditions. Chișinău at 590: Romania’s ambassador marked the capital’s anniversary by praising its distinct identity and calling for European development that respects its heritage, public spaces and community. Food Traditions: A Moldovan shepherd family set a national record with a 30.7-kilogram cheese at Moldexpo, where organisers paired local food heritage with modern farming technology.

Lost Heritage: Adakaleh, a Turkish-speaking island on the Danube shaped by Ottoman culture, now lies beneath the Iron Gates reservoir. Its submerged streets and fortress preserve the story of a community erased by hydroelectric development. Cultural Identity: At Moldova’s National Forum of Ethnic Minorities, President Maia Sandu called for mutual respect and unity, saying EU integration should help communities protect and promote their cultures. Chișinău at 590: Romania’s ambassador marked the capital’s anniversary by urging development that respects its heritage, public spaces and distinctive identity. Food Traditions: A Moldovan shepherding family set a national record with a 30.7-kilogram cheese at Moldexpo, pairing a traditional food with a showcase of modern farming technology.

Cultural Identity: At Moldova’s National Forum of Ethnic Minorities, President Maia Sandu called for unity and respect, saying every community should be able to preserve and promote its culture. Chișinău at 590: Romanian Ambassador Cristian-Leon Țurcanu marked the capital’s anniversary by urging development that honours its heritage, public spaces and distinctive identity. Food Traditions: A Moldovan shepherding family set a national record with a 30.7-kilogram cheese, celebrated at Moldexpo alongside modern farming technology. Heritage and Arts: More than 7 million lei has gone into Taraclia’s museum, while an exhibition at Parliament brings together books, photographs and stories from interwar Chișinău.

Table Tennis: Andrei Putuntica and Vladislav Ursu won bronze in men’s doubles at the European Championships—the first senior European medal for an all-Moldovan pair. Food Traditions: A family of Moldovan cheesemakers set a national record with a 30.7-kilogram cheese, showcased at Moldexpo alongside modern farming technology. Women in Agriculture: Moldova’s UN report will, for the first time, examine gender gaps in access to land, water, finance and drought support, highlighting barriers faced by women farmers. Capital’s Heritage: An exhibition at Parliament brings together books, photographs and stories from interwar Chișinău, while a separate feature explores lesser-known traditions of the capital. Education and Culture: Moldova plans €80 million in upgrades for 25 vocational institutions, including workshops, laboratories and dormitories; Taraclia’s museum has also received investment to support local heritage.

Food Traditions: A Moldovan shepherd family set a national record with a 30.7-kilogram cheese at Moldexpo, pairing a traditional food with a high-tech agricultural drone display. Women in Agriculture: Moldova will include gender gaps in access to land, water, finance and drought support in its UN desertification report for the first time, highlighting barriers faced by women farmers. Local Heritage: Taraclia’s Bulgarian Cultural Heritage Museum has reopened after a 7.1-million-lei renovation, improving space to preserve and display the region’s traditions. Education: A planned reform will give future teachers more practical training, with new university programmes expected from 2027.

Education: Moldova has published plans for an €80 million upgrade of 25 vocational schools, renovating classrooms, workshops and dormitories used by more than 21,000 students. A separate reform would give future teachers more practical training from 2027. Cultural Heritage: Taraclia’s Cultural Heritage Museum has reopened after a 7.1 million lei renovation, improving space to preserve and display the history and traditions of the region’s Bulgarian community. Local Traditions: Chisinau’s city museum is sharing stories passed down through generations, including why families once cut mamaliga with thread rather than a knife—a custom tied to respect for food and memories of scarcity.

Education: Moldova plans to reshape teacher training from 2027, giving future educators more classroom practice and linking undergraduate study more closely with specialized master’s programmes. Separately, an €80 million investment will renovate 47 buildings at 25 vocational schools and colleges, improving classrooms, workshops and dormitories for more than 21,000 students. Local Heritage: Taraclia’s Cultural Heritage Museum has reopened after a 7.1-million-lei renovation, with improved heating and spaces to preserve and display the history and traditions of the region’s Bulgarian community. Chisinau Culture: City Day coverage spotlighted local lore, including the tradition of slicing mamaliga with thread, and lesser-known stories preserved by the capital’s history museum.

Chişinău at 590: The capital marked its anniversary with fairs, children’s performances and concerts, celebrating the city’s history and culture. A museum curator also shared a local food tradition: cutting mamaliga with thread, not a knife, as a sign of respect for a once-essential staple. Education: A €80 million investment will renovate 47 buildings at 25 vocational institutions, upgrading classrooms, workshops and dormitories for more than 21,000 students. Regional Culture: During a visit to Taraclia, Culture Minister Dan Suruceanu discussed staff shortages, low salaries and renovation needs with local cultural institutions; grants are also available to help attract young professionals. Publishing: Government-backed tax proposals would extend VAT relief to book publishing services and related copyrights.

Chisinau at 590: The capital marked its anniversary with fairs, children’s events and concerts, while President Maia Sandu called for a greener city that protects its historic heritage. Old Chisinau: A museum curator shared the story behind the tradition of cutting mamaliga with thread, a legend reflecting the food’s importance to generations of families. Culture Beyond the Capital: In Taraclia, Culture Minister Dan Suruceanu heard concerns about staff shortages, low salaries, building repairs and funding for local projects. Restoring Heritage: Vadul Rașcov’s historic bell tower has been restored with EU and UNDP support.

Chișinău Celebrates: The capital marks its Temple Holiday and 590 years since its first recorded mention, with fairs, children’s events and concerts by local artists and bands. Regional Culture: Culture Minister Dan Suruceanu met cultural institutions in Taraclia to discuss staff shortages, low salaries, renovations and funding for local projects. City History: A new Parliament exhibition brings interwar Chișinău to life through rare books, photographs and a 1925 city map. Roma Holocaust Remembrance: Moldova’s first monument to Roma victims of the Holocaust is planned for Cosăuți, where a memorial cross was consecrated on the Dniester. Safer Schools: Authorities are developing a 2026–2030 plan to prevent and address bullying and violence, after reports that one in four pupils had been involved in such incidents.

Regional Culture: Culture Minister Dan Suruceanu met Taraclia’s cultural institutions to discuss staff shortages, low salaries, renovation needs and support for local projects. Grants of up to 120,000 lei are available to eligible graduates entering the sector. Chisinau Heritage: A parliament exhibition brings together around 100 books and photographs portraying the capital’s interwar cultural life. Roma History: Moldova’s first monument to Roma Holocaust victims is planned for Cosăuți, where a cross marking the site was consecrated. Education: Authorities are preparing a 2026–2030 plan to prevent and respond to school bullying; one in four pupils has been involved in bullying or physical aggression. Separately, an €80 million project will renovate 47 buildings at 25 vocational institutions. Restoration: The historic Vadul Rașcov bell tower has been restored with EU and UNDP support.

Moldovan Culture Abroad: A mural celebrating the hora, by Moldovan artist Radu Dumbrava, has opened in Italy’s Aielli as part of an open-air art project, with local guests also sampling Moldovan wine and food. Heritage: Vadul Rașcov’s 17th-century bell tower has reopened after EU- and UNDP-supported conservation, including repairs to its stonework and traditional shingle roof. Arts Community: Lilia Dragneva, director of Moldova’s Center for Contemporary Art, died in a road crash in Romania. Colleagues remembered her as a mentor who helped generations of artists and built connections across the art scene. Language and Learning: Just 26 of 3,500 participants earned a perfect score at Moldova’s National Dictation, held to celebrate Romanian and featuring a text by writer Gheorghe Urschi. Wine and Tradition: Moldova’s 25th National Wine Day drew more than 116,000 tastings and 114 wineries, setting new national records.