The first edition of the Brussels Diplomatic Bazaar will take place in Brussels from May 13 to 15, 2023. The event is organized under the patronage of the embassies of Romania and the Republic of Moldova in the Kingdom of Belgium.
The diplomatic bazaar will bring together artists, creators, artisans, and craftsmen from Romania and the Republic of Moldova who promote the concept of the slow movement, showcasing eco-friendly local products made in accordance with principles of environmental respect, natural cycles, biodiversity, and authenticity.
The inaugural session of the “Diplomatic Bazaar” will be held in the Marble Hall of the Free University of Brussels. The organizers aim to promote well-established handmade or semi-industrial products and brands that embody the ingenuity and inventiveness of Romanian and Moldovan engineers and inventors, as announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MAEIE).
The diplomatic bazaar will unite artists from the fields of music, visual arts, philosophy, and literature. Each artist will present their own choices to integrate themselves into a natural rhythm that respects the creative process and highlights the quality of raw materials and the finished product.
The program includes:
- Slow manufacturing: Unique handmade pens will be presented at Brussels through the POENARI manufacturing workshop from northern Moldova, continuing an ancient Romanian tradition that began when Petrache Poenaru, a Romanian, patented the invention of the “endless carrying pen, self-fueled with ink” in France in 1827. We will have the pleasure of unraveling the intricacies of writing together with the workshop manager, Mr. Lucian Poenari.
- Slow music: Live piano + vocals will be performed by Martina Meola, the youngest student of the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory of Music in Milan, and Laura dos Santos, a Brussels-based student passionate about the songs of Maria Tanase.
- Slow art: The art of painting will be unveiled by three accomplished painters – Anca Medrea, Ana Maria Mincu, and Cezarea Kolesnik – who will have a permanent exhibition within the bazaar. They will also participate in a panel discussion on the supreme act of creation – painting!
- Slow fashion: Quality and uniqueness will be emphasized, showcasing traditional and urban embroidered blouses, traditional and neo-traditional attire, and identity-themed t-shirts presented by contemporary designers who are authentic preservers and promoters of eternal beauty, including Adrian Oianu, Anda Ene, Mândra Chic, Șezătoare Bruxelles, and Elena Renta. Special guest: Victoria Mincu. All this beauty and authenticity will culminate in a fashion show, where models will walk to the unmistakable live mix of Nico de Transilvania’s neo-traditional music!
- Slow reading: Romanian literature and the Romanian language will be honored throughout May 15, in the presence of illustrious writers from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, including Lilia Calancea, Emilia Ivancu, Radmila Popovici, and Dora Alina Romanescu. Additionally, a conference titled “Norm and Usage in the Romanian Language II – Case Study: DOOM3” will be attended by Prof. Daiana Theodora CUIBUS from Babeş-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca. An academic book presentation will also be organized.
- Within the Bazaar, Nico de Transilvania will present the INTERBEING Project, which won the 2022 Endangered Landscapes Programme Arts Prize offered by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative.
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The official opening of the “Diplomatic Bazaar” will take place on Saturday, May 13, at 14:00, at the Free University of Brussels. There will be present the ambassadors of Romania and the Republic of Moldova, other ambassadors, and diplomats accredited to the Kingdom of Belgium, representatives of the European institutions based in Brussels, business people, and lovers of the “slow movement” concept.
The fair will be open both to representatives of the community from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, as well as to the general Belgian public, daily, between 10:00 and 19:00 (address: ULB’s Marble Hall – Av. Franklin Roosevelt 50, 1050 Brussels).