October 27

A roundup of news from Romania

România Internațional, 27.10.2013, 13:02

Danube strategy Bucharest is hosting the annual Forum of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region on the 28th and 29th of October. Attending the meeting are the Austrian foreign minister Michael Spindelegger and the European commissioners Dacian Ciolos and Johannes Hahn, among others. The event also brings together government representatives from the 14 Danube states, alongside European officials, representatives of Danube regions and cities, and members of the academic and business communities and civil society. Talks will focus among others on the role played by the Danube Strategy in terms of boosting economic growth, creating new jobs and managing environmental threats.

Visit The speaker of the Romanian senate Crin Antonescu is paying an official visit to Poland from Monday to Wednesday. He is due to meet Polish president Bronisław Komorowski, the marshal of the Polish Senate, Bogdan Borusewicz and the Marshal of the Sejm, Ewa Kopacz. Crin Antonescu will also give a talk at the Polish Institute for International Relations on Romanian-Polish cooperation as part of European and Transatlantic relations. During his visit, the Romanian official will be having talks with teachers and students from the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, where he will speak about the common values of the two states.

Anniversary The Radio Concert Hall in Bucharest is playing host to a series of concerts to celebrate the 85th anniversary of Romanian radio broadcasting on the 1st of November. This date marks the anniversary of the foundation, in 1928, of public radio and Radio Romanias Orchestras and Choirs, with the former being established at the initiative of the conductor Mihaill Jora. The public radio is one of the few institutions in Romania with such as long-standing activity.

Daylight saving time Starting on Sunday, Romania is on daylight saving time. Clocks were turned back on Sunday night, when 4 am became 3 am. The day of 27th October is thus the longest day of the year, with 25 hours. Daylight saving time was first introduced in a number of European countries in 1916, during World War One, when clocked were turned forward in March to make the most out of natural light and reduce electricity consumption. Romania introduced daylight saving time in 1931.

Patron saint Orthodox Christians in Romania today celebrate the Feast of Saint Dimitri the New (Basarabov), whose relics are to be found at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. Many believers are taking part in a pilgrimage to celebrate Saint Dimitri, who is considered the patron saint of Bucharest. Dimitri Basarabov was born in the 13th century and led an ascetic life, most of which he spent in a hermitage located close to his native village of Basarabov, south of the Danube, near what is today the Bulgarian city of Ruse.

Film Les Films de Cannes a Bucarest, a cinematographic event now in its 4th year, has got under way in three cinemas in Bucharest. The festival brings together over 60 productions, 20 of which were screened this year at the Cannes Film Festival. 13 of them won important awards, including the Palme d’Or trophy and the awards for best director, best screenplay and best actor. Most of the titles are screened for the first time in Romania.