Bucharest plans to celebrate 1918 Union with fleet set to sail to London

The Bucharest City Hall is looking to spend around RON 2.3 million (almost EUR 495,000) on several events that will mark the 1918 Union centennial and the city days celebrations. The Bucharest General Council (CGMB) is set to discuss the project next week, News.ro reported. Besides various concerts and performances, the sum will cover the launch of a flotilla of boats representing each historical region of Romania. The fleet is set to sail to London in order to take part in The Great River Race, taking place on the Thames. The "most spectacular" boat in the fleet will represent the province of Ţara Românească. The project, called the Great Union Regatta – Romania 2018 Centennial Flotilla, will take place in a partnership with the Ivan Patzaichin – Mila 23 Association and the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) in London. The association proposed the project, which aims to promote cultural tourism in the capital. The project has three parts: the launch of the flotilla, the participation at the London event, and the Bucharest Days celebration, covering various concerts and shows. The small fleet will take to the water on the Danube and sail all the way to London, where it will stop in front of the National Theater. The Bernie Spain Gardens Park will host a performance dedicated to Romania. The park will host various stands, thematic, historical and touristic exhibitions and Romanian crafts workshops, as well as pop and folkloric music concerts delivered by Romanian artists. The fleet will then take part in the race on the Thames, set for September 8. In the capital, the Bucharest Days event will see concerts take place on a floating stage set up on the Dâmboviţa river, in front of the National Library building. A parade of traditional Romanian boats, a lights show and the screening of a film dedicated to the 1918 Union centennial are also scheduled. The City Hall is set to allot RON 2.3 million for the project, out of which almost RON 788,000 (EUR 169, 462) for the participation to the London race and RON 1.5 million (EUR 322,580) for the Bucharest Days. The Ivan Patzaichin – Mila 23 Association will provide the project’s management and technical implementation. It will cover expenses of some RON 70,000 (EUR 15,000) for the transport, allowance and accommodation of the crew taking the boats on the route Tulcea-Bucharest-London. In its turn, the ICR will contribute RON 115,000 (EUR 24,731) for the activities dedicated to the centennial in the Bernie Spain Gardens park. editor@romania-insider.com