Celebrating spring’s arrival on the 1st of March

To highlight the first day of spring, Charity Center for Refugees (CCR) participated in the Children’s Art Fair organized by United Nations (UN) within the global edition of Zero Discrimination Day campaign, on the 1st of March. Together with orphanages and children from Taraclia district, the CCR beneficiaries sold handicraft that was produced in previous workshops held earlier. 

Before the commerce started, the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Dafina Gercheva gave a speech on the importance of involving children of Moldova to take part in society. After the speech participants could enjoy traditional Moldovan singing and dancing performances, presented by young talents. Then Ms. Gercheva encouraged the participants to express their support for the work with children by buying handmade products from the organizations participated. 

Mărţisor workshop on the 27th of February

The Charity Centre for Refugees organized on 27 February 2016 a workshop for the beneficiaries to create Martisor.

First of all, a presentation was shown to the public, where they found out about the meaning, the origins and tradition in Moldova of the Mărţişor. 

We encouraged them to wear it on the 1st of March, as a traditional symbol of Spring´s arrival and wishes of good luck for the coming year, which gave them additional opportunity to get more familiar to the local habits and values, by practicing by themselves this tradition which will bring them closer to the local people.

Elenore Andersson – EVS volunteer from Sweden at CCR

Maria Pîslaraş - CCR Project Assistant

Mărţişor workshop at the Temporary Accommodation Centre

On the 22nd of February 2016, the team of the Charity Centre of Refugees (CCR), with the help of the European volunteers, organized a workshop for asylum seekers and refugees at the Temporary Accommodation Center (TAC).
The aim of the day was offering to the beneficiaries a window to the Moldovan typical traditions and an opportunity to spend a nice afternoon together.
The art teacher Tatiana Presneacova taught the participants how to create the traditional talisman used to celebrate Mărţişor, an old tradition celebrated all over Moldova and Romania every year, on the 1st of March (in fact the name Mărțișor is a diminutive of March, Martie in Romanian). 

Within a short introduction to the Moldovan tradition of Martisor, the participants were told about the fact that this red and white threads tied into a bow to which a small talisman is attached, means the rebirth of life after the hard winter. 
They also learned that  it is believed that the person who wears the red and white string would enjoy a prosperous and healthy year.
The participants at the workshop, among them many children, got familiar to the tradition that we have in Moldova, while enjoying the relaxed afternoon.

Refugees’ traditions presented at the Global Village

On Saturday 20 February 2016, at Shopping MallDova, the Charity Centre for Refugees participated in "Global Village"- an AIESEC event organized annually in more than 126 countries of the world with the aim of promoting tolerance, free thinking and intercultural communication.

Many young internationals coming from countries such as Mexic, Algeria, Tanzania, Nigeria, Poland etc. presented their countries through traditional songs and dances, food, clothing, and music. In this framework, UNHCR persons of concern from Iraq, Syria, India alongside CCR presented their culture and traditions through dance, food, interviews.

Exhibition “A place to call your own”

On 28 January 2016, the opening ceremony of the exhibition “A place tocall your own” took place at the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts in Chisinau. The exhibition was organized by the CCR’s volunteers Fedrica Pulcini, Celeste Panno and Marco Residori, in collaboration with Paul Garcia (EVS volunteer at Center for Contemporary Art) and Kinga Lendeczki (freelance journalist and curator). 

The project started in June 2015 with the aim to provide asylum seekers and refugees the possibility to express how they conceive the moment of their life in the Republic of Moldova. During several meetings, the refugees talked about their impressions and experiences in the host country and through their stories, the organizers got to know not only about their life in Moldova, but also the tough and long journey that led them here.