MIDEU Closing Conference in Chisinau
On the 14th December 2017, the MIDEU Closing Conference “Towards a Civic Identity in the Republic of Moldova” took place in Chisinau. Around 80 participants discussed their views on how to strengthen inter-ethnic relations in the Republic of Moldova and to promote the concept of a civic identity, based on equal rights for all citizens living in Moldova.
Key notes were delivered by Dr. Julia Monar (Head of Mission, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Republic of Moldova), Dumitru Diacov, Member of the Parliament, Honorary Chairman of the Democratic Party and Sergiu Mihov (Head, Council of Europe and Human Rights Division, Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration).
During the three thematic panels, the speakers discussed the regional specificities of the discourse on identity and ethnic inclusion, as well as how the concept of civic identity can bridge the polarization of the identity question in Moldova. Furthermore concrete policy recommendations were discussed with politicians, representatives from media, civil society and the international community present in Moldova.
Michael Scanlan, Head of the OSCE Mission in Moldova was thanking the project partners for the opportunity to share his assessment on the recent developments in Moldova. He emphasized the importance to continue working on the regional level in order to support the implementation of the Strategy for the consolidation of inter-ethnic relations 2017–2027.
The conference took place in the framework of the Project “Strengthening the National Identity in Moldova within the EU association process“, implemented by the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP) and its Moldovan partners the Institute for Strategic Initiatives IPIS (IPIS) and the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), and was kindly supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.
