Thousands of young people across the capital actively responded to an initiative by Ion Ceban, joining a large-scale spring cleanup campaign that combined civic engagement with creativity and social media.
On March 27, schools across Chisinau operated on a reduced schedule, with students invited to take part in sanitation activities after their fourth lesson. The initiative, proposed by the mayor and implemented through municipal education authorities, aimed not only to improve the city’s environment but also to encourage social interaction and civic responsibility among young people.
According to the mayor, the activities were designed to be accessible and educational rather than physically demanding. “We all remember from our school years how we used to go out and clean the schoolyard together with our teachers,” Ceban noted.
The response exceeded expectations. Around 60,000 students – from primary grades to high school – along with approximately 3,000 parents and teachers, participated in cleanup efforts around schools and in nearby green areas. Municipal services provided gloves, bags, and necessary tools to support the action.
Beyond participation, students brought a creative twist to the campaign. Many school groups shared videos on TikTok, showcasing before-and-after transformations of cleaned spaces, often using humor, editing, and trends to highlight their work.
To further boost engagement, the mayor also launched a contest dedicated to Chisinau students. Participants were encouraged to post photos or videos from cleanup activities using the hashtag #ChisinauCurat2026 and tag his Facebook page.
“Post your entries between March 27-31, until 3:00 PM, and send them to us as well. Prizes for the most active institutions will be awarded by a jury: first place – 10,000 lei; second place – 5,000 lei; and third place – 3,000 lei,” the mayor announced.
He also urged participants to document visible results: “Post 10-20 photos or videos ‘before and after’ and show the change. Let us make Chisinau cleaner together!”
The cleanup drive is part of the municipal campaign “Spring General Cleaning,” which invites residents to join sanitation activities every weekend leading up to Easter.
City authorities say the strong turnout and online engagement reflect a growing willingness among Chisinau’s youth to take part in community initiatives – both offline and online – turning a traditional cleanup into a shared civic and digital experience.