“Right to be human”

“Right to be human”

Nina Slutu dialogue with Renata Verejanu

Nina Slutu: Mrs. Renata Verejanu, we have heard that this summer in our capital took place a new edition of International Festival-Contest „Little Prince”, whom initiator and director you are. How is it to launch, in Moldove, a nice idea and to fight for acomplish it? Who helps you? Who isn’t?
Renata Verejanu: The 14th editinon of the International Festival-Contest „Little Prince”, developed at the beginning of the summer, is aleady in history, as we are preparing the 15th edition. If you’ll check my blog (festival.weblog.ro) you’ll see that we already have personalities who confirmed their membership for international jury. These great personalities of the european culture, which I spent a lot of time for finding them, they help us, as they pay for their own expenses, and give us their time for working in Moldova, for its prestige. Usually, they come for the first time, but leave inspired of the talents joy they discover, and always come back. Now I am working only with Daniel (the project author). Then, when untill the contest remain 3-4 months, other 3-4 volunteers come to help, members of WOTC network, students, only during their free time, after lessons.
Me and my son – help, prepare the International Contest at 70%. Then is coming the volunteers team, jury members, sponsors, partners, spectators, media and participants – each with their percent is helping the contest. A citizen just watches the Awarding Ceremony and becomes a participant of the event. In a magazine issue we had an article „Everybody loves us, nobody helps us”. Even only by the title I responded, if you referring to support from state institutions. Partners or friends we have, very few, but we find them....or else how could we pay faboulous amounts of money for office rental, concert halls, publishing, maintenance, trophees etc...

N.S: You put to work a lot of people...
R.V: Yes, we are. Such a dialogue between cultures and people – deserves our effort, everyone. Of course it breaks my heart to pay a thousand for publishing a book, but to give 13800 an hour for using National Palace how do you think I feel... And how much time we spent raising the money... How many years of my life costs me to keep someone at work... Here is the attitude of state institutions regarding Civil Society, especially to children... But I enjoy running, it kept me young...


N.S: As you may have seen, this interview title is „Mandate of human” – is a phrase I read in your book. Explain please how one obtains a mandate of human?
R.V: Sometimes in early childhood, or during youth you discover you have a special mission, a mandate of youth... and you are glad you are not garbage...


N.S: You’ve created, in 1991-1995, several NGOs. Looking back, which is their fate now?
R.V: I have founded and am founding during 15 years of independence new and new structures of Civil Society, at the end of each program – we launch a new organization lead by our young people, this is the way the WOTC network strenghtens, first network of NGOs at local, national and international level, created spontaneously, without receiving some indication from a ministry or another entity, with which to unite or tu serve etc.
All NGOs created by me work fruitfully, only on volunteer work. Last year we have celebrated 15 years since first project: Young Journalists Agency „AMP-Internaţional”, this year we celebrate by hard work multiple anniversaries:
5 years since we have obtained status with Council of Europe,
10 years since we publish Newspaper „Children of Europe”, the first cross-border newspaper, published by children for children, which fights the corruption,
15 years of Little Prince Magazine (first magazine who challenged a revolution in the media for youth, well-known worldwide); and at UNESCO (recently at World Congress of UNESCO Clubs from Athens, Greece, our magazine exhibition have amaized all the delegations, and at Council of Europe and... even at the White House. First publications with NGO status, truly free and independent, where nobody is paid.

N.S: I know you are not pride and cocky, although, for what you’ve acomplished, you deserve not only good words, but some mention, some distinction, at official level I mean. Does anyone appreciated at true value your effort of discovering and promoting talented children, of creating the country’s prestige at international level so many years, or they are trying to stop you?
R.V. It depends who offers their help, under which terms... I would be feel not so well if the government would offer to repair my house, to buy carpets or blankets. If a friend who got rich over night, wants to help me, is a help, but when someone steals money from budget, and wants to shake his fatness over peasants sick and hungry faces – it-s imoral.

N.S: You have a royal behavior, madam...
R.V. In my blog (renataver.weblog.ro) I wrote once: „There are billionars who live like beggars, and other people who have only their name but live as if they were billionars”. I have involved after me in high society so much youth, children, who shake their hands with ambassadors, heads of states, officials from UNESCO, Council of Europe, General Secretary of UN... I have taught them to be proud of their name. By the way, the children from WOTC received passport of Ambassadors of Culture of Peace from the General Secretary of UN himself. Since 2000 we are offering the title of Ambassador of Culture of Peace to young volunteers and personalities from Civil Society... I am used to bring joy... Who knows, may be someone important will find himself to offer me some joy, especially I have a nice anniversary this autumn.

N.S: Envy, it’s known, is non-productive...
R.V: Let’s drop this subject...especially because these days a woman came to me and asked me if I’m not afraid to create myself such a prestige... Some other people just asked me a million...
N.S: Your words: „only I have name and live as billionar...”
R.V:...
N.S: Let’s say you would be appointed in the leadership of some culture institution, how and what would you promote?
R.V: For humanity. Ofrand of humanity is a title I think God whispered to me.


N.S: Let me rephrase: you are already ahead of our culture! By initiating international contests, cross-border conferences, decades of publishing, you giving impulses to these NGOs, you are member of Writers Union, recently you created a Club of Women Poetesses... I saw at one cultural event how our colleagues asked you to organize for them events in Renata Verejanu style... How is it to be in the center, or if you want – in the center of culture?
R.V: I don’t think I am the only your colleague who made contact with civilized world. But I know a thing: when a lot of people were stealing the country’s economy, I created its prestige, being a popular ambassador of this people... And all I’ve created was for my country... Today many magazines are being published, but we were the first who implemented democracy in the media from Moldova. Journalists non-contaminated by totalitarianism you can convict them, like some traitors... Today there are a lot of festivals and contests, the kids launched by us are already launch international contests... But if you are looking closely, from where are coming money for financing it, somebody else promotes its name, some other – his own kids... I have promoted country’s children, after that European children. Over 50,000 young talents participated at local and national levels of Little Prince Festival. May be I could have written that time a lot of novels and poetry books...

N.S: In a poem („La Cetatea de Scaun”, chapter III, collection „Ofrandă Omeniei”, page 91, Chisinau, Universul Publishing House, 2006): „Gândul trage greu în plug...”. As a woman, you are working hard – as a proof is all you’ve acomplished by now. As a pet, is the poetry something hard for Renata Verejanu or what is it?
R.V: The poetry is the most beautiful world. I could not imagine how would I live if I wouldn’t be poet. I thank to my mother for my character and God for inspiration... I want to believe, as a leader of Civil Society, as fighter for democracy, as ideal mother – it’s been very hard for me... As a woman, no, although I had a special destiny. Me, the poet, it’s never been hard for me. I get so much joy, so much energy from writing every thought – that after that I have power to give to the leader of Civil Society, myself, and to ideal mother, to fighter for democracy...

N.S: And I want to quote you again, as in 9 books I am refferring to, you have many fresh, unordinary thoughts... I was astonished by a title – „The right to be mother”. Tell me about your children, how will break the Europe, how is it to ensure them a bright future, in the full sense of the word?
R.V: From this experience of almost 20 years, I can say for sure: every child want to be famous, want prestige... This makes him work. The most important investitions are the ones made in our children. Who didn’t understand this thing – lives for nothing. Only our children will remember us, only through them we will live through another century.


N.S: Renata, I was present when you launced your three chapters in collection „Ofrandă omeniei” at „Onisifor Ghibu” Library...
R.V: ...many thanks to its head, Mrs. Elena Vulpe, for goodwill of hosting poets and poetry at this institution...
N.S:...speaking of launching... Acdemic Mihai Cimpoi, who attended that event, underlined that (quote): „ Renata Verejanu’s poetry is ethical, of social involvement”. Poetry – of involving... Activities – of involving... Could you give me a definition of Poet-Citizen?
R.V: It looks like I was involved too much and I forgot about me, the woman... This involving in the community life, is a challenge of censorship existent in society. I am a very independent woman, as I was my entire life... When I see that a children can’t reach to the world, I remember my books who were stopped for decades of publishing..and I help him. I have a neighbour who can’t understand how I can pay for my flight ticket a yearly budget, only to participate at sessions of NGOs Conference with participatory status and Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe.

N.S: I am closing by thanking you for your goodwill, wishing you health, successes and hope!
R.V: Thank you, dear madam and poet, and I would like to meet this kind of respect among all our colleagues.