Romanian Language Day was celebrated for the first time simultaneously in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, according to a message posted by Romanian president Nicușor Dan on Facebook on Monday, August 31.

The president said that “protecting the rights of Romanians everywhere and promoting our language and culture remain essential objectives of the Romanian state beyond its borders.” He also highlighted the importance of the Romanian language. “We are united by this valuable bond of the Romanian language, which anchors us in history and opens our future,” the head of state said. 

Nicușor Dan ended the message with a greeting addressed to those who speak, write and keep the Romanian language alive: “Happy Romanian Language Day and happy Romanian Language Day to all those who speak it, write it and keep it alive!”

In the Republic of Moldova, Romanian Language Day has been marked on August 31 since 1990. In Romania, Romanian Language Day has been officially celebrated since 2013, following the adoption of the law establishing August 31 as a day of celebration. Ukraine is officially marking Romanian Language Day for the first time in 2026. The decision was made through a decree signed by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 12.

Celebrations in Romania

Aside from the Romanian head of state, numerous public bodies, officials, and personalities mentioned the event within the country. Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted in a message that “promoting the Romanian language abroad is a mission with a permanent mandate.” 

The institution noted that “August 31 is therefore also the symbol of the defeat of artificially fabricated formulas such as the ‘Moldovan language’, which does not exist de jure,” the message posted on the MFA’s Facebook page says.

According to the cited source, “today, Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine are more cohesive, demonstrating that we bring unity through a vector of communication, language and culture, in a period marked by an unjust and illegal war that should never have taken place on the European continent.”

The US embassy in Romania marked the day in a video posted on Facebook.

Events and celebrations were moreover organized throughout the country for Romanian Language Day. To mark the event, president Nicușor Dan decorated the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations in Paris and university professor Alexandru-Daniel Mardale, head of the institute’s Romanian Language Department, on the occasion of Romanian Language Day. The decorations were in appreciation of the outstanding merits in promoting the Romanian language in the French Republic, and for the contribution to deepening bilateral relations and strengthening the Romanian-French dialogue.

Romanian Language Day in Moldova

In Moldova, the Romanian Language Day has a special significance, as the country was long subjected to a process of Russification before the fall of the USSR, of which it was a part. In 1989, following pressure exerted by tens of thousands of people gathered at the first Great National Assembly, Romanian was proclaimed the state language of the Moldavian SSR and the Latin script was restored. In 2023, Moldova recognized Romanian as its national language.

Romanian Language Day was marked in Chisinau, Moldova’s capital, throught the fourth edition of the Great National Dictation and other cultural events. The former brought together more than 3,500 participants from across the country. This year, participants had to transcribe a fragment from the work of the late Gheorghe Urschi, the beloved actor, director, playwright and humorist, nicknamed the “king of humor” in the Republic of Moldova.

Present at the Dictation, Moldovan prime minister Vasile Tofan spoke about the importance of the Romanian language, as well as the sacrifices of those who fought for the return to the Latin script and the recognition of the Romanian language in the Republic of Moldova. He paid tribute to those who fought for the Romanian language and national identity and paid a price for this.

“The Romanian language survived here despite the Soviet occupation, the foreign alphabet that was imposed on it and the enormous pressure of the Russian language in education, administration and public life. It survived because it could not be removed from people. It was the language spoken at home, the language of grandparents, the language of songs, the language in which people shared their joys and sorrows. It was in the marrow of this nation,” the Moldovan prime minister said, cited by Agerpres.

“The Romanian language should not be a barrier; it should be a bridge. Knowing the Romanian language means the possibility of fully participating in the life of this country; it means access to education, work, culture, institutions, the possibility of speaking to one another and building the same society together,” he added.

Moldovan president Maia Sandu also sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of Romanian Language Day, highlighting the role of the Romanian language in preserving the identity and memory of generations.

“The Romanian language is part of our being. [...] Today we can speak it freely, without fear. All the more, we have a duty to take care of it. And, above all, to pass on to our children the love for the Romanian language, just as we received it from those who came before us. Let us leave them this precious heritage: a living language, beautifully spoken, in which they can tell their stories, sing their doinas and express their longing. Happy Romanian Language Day!” Maia Sandu said.

Romanian Language Day in Ukraine

Romanian Language Day was marked for the first time in Ukraine on Saturday, August 29, in Chernivtsi, in the southern part of the country. 

Representatives of the Romanian authorities, the Romanian diplomacy in Ukraine, as well as the Romanian community in the Chernivtsi region laid wreaths at the statue of Taras Shevchenko and the statue of Mihai Eminescu in the city center. Candles were also lit at the Heroes’ Memorial in Chernivtsi’s Central Square, according to Digi24. 

The event was attended by Romania’s ambassador to Kyiv, Victor Micula, Romania’s consul general in Chernivtsi, Irina Loredana Stănculescu, State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture Diana Băciuna, president of the Iași County Council Costel Alexe, as well as the military governor of the Chernivtsi region, Ruslan Osipenko, and president of the Chernivtsi District Council, Mykola Guitor.

Later, the Romanian officials held a meeting with the leaders of the Romanian community at the National Palace.

Back in March, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree establishing Romanian Language Day in Ukraine. “To develop mutual understanding, mutual respect and cooperation in Ukrainian-Romanian relations, encouraging intercultural dialogue, taking into account the preservation of identity and developing the linguistic and cultural identity of Ukrainian citizens, I decree: Romanian Language Day is hereby established in Ukraine, to be celebrated annually on August 31,” the decree said.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Julien Viry|Dreamstime.com)