Socializing: CANADA Day 2025 – Morning Coffee Talks

The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

Meanwhile, from me only the best!

PARTNERSHIP: June 2025 – The ROMANIAN BLOUSE Day

 Heartfelt appreciation to all Romanians who participated on June 21 at “ZIUA IEI 2025” event!

Although it was a cloudy day, with few brief showers, many of us went through it with glowing hearts!

Soon I will publish a detailed summary for this occasion, but until then I leave here a relevant group photo as well as the opportunity to share your comments about this beautiful event aimed at bringing to everyone's attention the beautiful cultural richness of Romania.

Also, I would like to highlight that the partners who contributed to the realization of this event are (listed in alphabetical order):

ALICE & Friends Circle™, BC Romanian Chamber of Commerce, Consulate General of Romania in Vancouver, “Dacia” group, 
Holy Trinity Church & St. George Church. Media partner: RompostTV.

It is important to emphasize that this event has been put together exclusively by local Romanians from Vancouver, for the Romanians from the Greater Vancouver metropolitan area. A beautiful group achievement, which promises an encouraging future!

Until you hear from me again, I wish you only the best!

Alice

Calde mulțumiri tuturor acelor români care pe data de 21 iunie au participat la ZIUA IEI 2025!

Cu toate că a fost o zi cu nori și pe alocuri chiar și cu ușoare averse de ploaie, mulți dintre noi am parcurs-o cu mult soare în suflet!

În curând o să public un rezumat detaliat pentru această ocazie, dar până atunci vă las aici o relevantă fotografie de grup cât și posibilitatea de a transmite în direct comentariile dv. la adresa acestui frumos eveniment menit să aducă în atenția tuturor frumoasa bogăție culturală a României.

De asemenea, doresc să aduc în prim plan că partenerii care au contribuit la realizarea acestui eveniment sunt (listați în ordine alfabetică):

ALICE & Friends Circle™, BC Romanian Chamber of Commerce, Biserica Sf. Gheorghe, Biserica Sf. Treime, Consulatul General al României la Vancouver
și grupul “Dacia”. Media partner: RompostTV.

Este important de evidențiat că acest eveniment a fost realizat în exclusivitate de către românii localnici din Vancouver, pentru românii din zona metropolitană a Vancouverului.  O frumoasă realizare de grup, ce promite un viitor încurajator!

Până la proxima revedere, vă doresc la toți numai bine!

Alice

Here is the promotional talk show that RompostTV put together for this event...enjoy!

COLLABORATION: 2025 – “Eminescu Year”

 The complete briefing will be available very soon. Thank you!

Philosophers’ Café with ALICE & Friends: Spring 2025

 The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

7 Years Anniversary of ALICE & FRIENDS CIRCLE™

 The complete briefing will be available very soon. Thank you!

Meanwhile, please continue to enjoy and appreciate this beautiful spring!

Alice’s Book Club – SPRING session of 2025

Spring is peacefully unfolding in our part of the world, allowing me to organize on Friday (April 11, 2025) the session of the current season for my Book Club series, having as guest speaker a dear friend – Daciana Healey (her biography in comments section), who spoke to our fairly large group about retirement planning and investment opportunities.

“It is not always easy to think about retirement because retirement plans do not carry the excitement usually associated with one’s life ambitions and professional goals. Yet any prudent person knows retirement planning is one of the most important decisions in life, even more now as people are living longer and social security system may not be sustainable in the long term. Planning for the long term may continue to evolve according to life circumstances which are naturally hard to predict.”

Our guest speaker this evening graciously delivered an interesting presentation, adopting the interactive approach - addressing questions as arise.

It was clearly understood that retirement planning is a very structured process, and in order to do it right you need to have a proper framework and access to a trusted financial advisor.

On the other hand, briefly talking about investment/s it helps to refresh that investing is “the act of putting money into something with the expectation of gaining a profit or income”. It can involve purchasing stocks (stocks represent ownership in a company; when you buy stocks, you can earn money if the company does well), bonds (bonds are loans to companies or governments; you earn interest over time), real estate (real estate involves buying property to rent or sell at a higher price), or even starting a business.

“The goal of investing is to grow wealth over time. However, it does come with risks….understanding these risks and potential rewards is crucial for anyone considering investment options. It is important to understand that people invest for many reasons. One common reason is to build wealth for the future. Many individuals want to save for retirement. Investing can help grow their savings over time. Others may want to reach specific financial goals, such as buying a home or funding education. Some investors seek to generate additional income through dividends or rental payments. Understanding personal financial goals helps determine the best investment strategy.”

Every investment carries some level of risk (risk refers to the chance of losing money or not achieving the expected returns).

Generally, higher potential returns come with higher risks. For example, stocks can provide great returns, but their prices can also fluctuate significantly. On the other hand, bonds are usually considered safer, but their returns are often lower. Balancing risk and return is essential for successful investing. Before investing, it’s important to conduct thorough research. Understanding the market, companies, and economic conditions can help make informed decisions. For instance, when investing in stocks, knowing a company’s performance, industry trends, and competition can be beneficial. Many investors also analyze historical data and financial statements to gauge potential risks and returns. Knowledge is key to successful investing.

Diversification (involves spreading investments across different asset types or industries) is a strategy to reduce risk. By diversifying, investors can protect themselves against losses in one area. For example, if someone invests only in technology stocks, a downturn in that sector could lead to significant losses. However, if they also invest in bonds, real estate, and other stocks, they may not lose as much. Diversification can lead to a more stable overall portfolio.

Time plays a crucial role in investing. The longer you invest, the more potential your money has to grow. This is due to a concept called compound interest (compound interest means you earn interest on both your initial investment and the interest that accumulates over time). For many, starting to invest early can lead to a more comfortable financial future, as the effects of compounding can be significant.

In summary, investing involves putting money into various assets with the hope of earning a profit. Different types of investments come with unique risks and rewards. Understanding personal financial goals and conducting research is vital. Diversifying investments can help manage risk. Finally, leveraging time can significantly enhance the growth potential of investments. Making informed choices can lead to successful investment outcomes.

Wrapping up my briefing, for your convenience, here is a “retirement financial checklist” (offered by the Government of Canada) which might help you with the process. Additionally, here is another document, called “Basics of investing” (also offered by the Government of Canada) which might bring along supplementary insights. Once again, dear friends, thank you for joining our event this evening! Until next time, from me, only the best!

Alice

“Retirement is wonderful if you have two essentials: much to live on and much to live for.”

Alice’s Book Club – WINTER session of 2025

“Reading gives life more life.”

Before the astronomical winter it is completely over in our part of the world, on Wednesday (March 19, 2025) I was happy to be able to organize the winter session of the year for the Book Club of our Circle.

I truly enjoyed the company of those 16 beautiful and intelligent ladies, and together (using an open voting system) we chose three books this time (yes, you’ve heard it well…3 books were chosen to read as a group), books which we will discuss (together) by the end of the year….needless to say how interesting those sessions are!

On the other hand, while at this page, I would like to quickly mention again few valid points the scholars usually emphasize in their papers about the benefits of reading (in essence, why it helps to read at least a bit every day):

 - Reading books allow readers to gain better insights into human nature (you could gain interesting and helpful knowledge that never can be taken away from you)

- Readers become more sensitive to the emotions of other people, quality which seems to disappear in today’s world

- Good literature of any language improve and expand the comprehension skills; also, at the same time, by considering all the aspects involved, you could become even more versed with your critical and analytical thinking (the more skills you have, the better equipped you are to tackle any challenges that sometimes life might present). Additionally, a well written novel could 'transport' you to different places, while an engaging article might distract or keep you in the present moment allowing relaxation to occur. 

- A book always stimulates the brain (amazingly enough, through reading new brain pathways are created and the existing ones become even stronger, facts that assist with the short-term memory recalls as well as mood stabilization).  

So, dear friends, please be kindly reminded that the journey of a life time starts with the turning of a page. 

Once again, I am grateful to share that it is a true delight to continue to stay in touch with likeminded fellows who are passionate about arts and culture, about reading and harmonious conversations. Until next time, dear beautiful readers and members of our Book Club, my warmest regards to each of you!

Alice

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

Socializing: 2025 – INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’s Day

Classical music for INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’s DAY

(celebrating women composers)

On Saturday (March 8, 2025) I was delighted to organize a morning gathering with a number of 16 dear friends and loyal supporters of our literary and socio-cultural Circle, featuring the International Women’s Day for the current year. Generally speaking, this particular day it is super busy for most women (none of us being an exception), but despite the busyness, we still did manage to put some time aside to meet and wish one another only the best as we each are further progressing with our lives.

At this gathering, my special guest was Deputy Consul General, Hon. Stefana Rotaru & Plenipotentiary Minister of Romania in Vancouver (who is participating for the 2^nd consecutive year at the International Women's Day organized by our Circle), who brought a beautiful message – as an official diplomat representing Romania abroad, and as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, dear friend & valuable supporter of our literary & socio-cultural group.

Our meeting was simply delightful, each of us being showered with several cultural manifestations! For instance, few of my beautiful guests recited poems (original compositions - an original poem posted in comments & few from classics), a dear lady sang a little heart-touching song we all remembered from our young days, others shared old words of wisdom (either from personal life experience or from scholars) & other ladies shared meaningful remarks about life in general & about women in particular.

The honest and generous messages of gratitude I’ve received at the meeting and then privately (after the meeting) from all the participating ladies, denoted appreciation, loyalty, trust, hope, and an urge to continue with these activities (with the already known perseverance) because they all consider that the existence of our Circle it is increasingly beneficial to more and more souls!

Over the last seven years of existence (yes, year 2025 marks the 7^th consecutive year that "ALICE & Friends" Circle is organizing a fairly large diversity of events, in various formats, including the International Women's Day), our literary and socio-cultural Circle has become a tangible oasis of peace and joy, inclusivist and culturally driven, where meaningful discussions (mutually respectful) are truly heart and mind opening!

For me, as a simple human being, who laid the first brick (metaphorically speaking) at the foundation of this wonderful group, the shared comments were music to my heart and all that remains (for me) to do at this moment it is to pass along a heart-felt THANK YOU to all those who have been, are and will continue to be by my side, because only together we can travel far!

Until our paths will meet again on the same wave length, my warmest personal regards to all my friends!

● Prominent feminine personalities:
Since the focus of this meeting was International Women’s Day, here I’m glad to share with you few more new names of famous women who changed the world.
This is something I do each year, in order to further promote the achievements of women throughout the world and throughout time!

    ✰ Few prominent WOMEN who adopted Romania as their own country:

– Queen Marie of Romania (1914 – 1927): She was the wife of Ferdinand I of Romania and Former Queen Consort of Romania. She was a descendant of Queen Victoria and born as the Princess of Edinburgh, before she married King Ferdinand I and became the last queen of Romania. A visual artist and a patron of the Art Nouveau movement, she was also a skilled equestrian and driver.

– Queen Anne of Romania (1923 – 2016): Princess Anne Antoinette came to be known as the Queen of Romania after her marriage to Romanian king Michael I. However, she was actually an uncrowned queen, since her husband was forced to abdicate by the Communists shortly before their marriage. She had also been a Free French forces nurse.

– Helen of Greece and Denmark (1896 – 1982): She was the Queen Mother of Romania during the Reign of Her Son King Michael I (1940–1947). Considered a Romanian hero, Helen of Greece and Denmark is remembered for her selfless act of saving Romanian Jews during World War II. She was also the daughter of Greek king Constantine I.

    ✰ Few prominent ROMANIAN WOMEN:

– Maria Tănase (1913 – 1963): she was a Romanian actress and singer. As a versatile singer, Tănase's music ranged from operetta to traditional Romanian music. During her long and illustrious career, Maria Tănase became known as Romania's national diva. She was admired for her voice, charisma, originality, and good looks. She is widely regarded as one of the 20th century's major cultural icons.

– Maia Morgenstern (1962 – present): she is best known to fans as “the Virgin Mary” from the 2004 biblical drama “The Passion of the Christ”. She has also appeared in series such as “Aniela” and “Las Fierbinți”. She has also won multiple awards for her role in “Balanța”, or “The Oak”.

– Elisabeta Polihroniade (1935 – 2016): she was a well-known Romanian chess player holding the title of “Woman Grandmaster” (WGM), and an “International Arbiter” (1986). She won the “Romanian Women's Championship” in 1966, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976 and 1977. Polihroniade played for Romania in the “Women's Chess Olympiads” of 1966, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986 and 1988. Her peak rating was 2391, achieved in February 1992. Polihroniade was a journalist and broadcaster, with her own daily radio programme on contemporary culture. She was the editor of “Gambit” (the Romanian chess magazine), and wrote many books.

    ✰ Few prominent WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD: 

– Charlotte Brontë (1816 – 1855): she was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood and whose novels became classics of English literature. She is best known for her novel “Jane Eyre”, which she published under the male pseudonym “Currer Bell”. “Jane Eyre” went on to become a success in publication, and is widely held in high regard in the gothic fiction genre of literature.

– Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886): she was an inventive American poet and a recluse. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. She was born into a prominent family with strong ties to its community. Evidence suggests that Dickinson lived much of her life in isolation. Although Dickinson was a prolific writer, her only publications during her lifetime were one letter and 10 of her nearly 1,800 poems.

– Elizabeth Blackwell (1821 – 1910): she was an English-American physician, notable as the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States, and the first woman on the Medical Register of the General Medical Council for the United Kingdom. Blackwell played an important role in both the United States and the United Kingdom as a social reformer, and was a pioneer in promoting education for women in medicine. Her contributions remain celebrated with the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal, awarded annually to a woman who has made a significant contribution to the promotion of women in medicine.

● Reference ARTICLES about International Women’s Day:

“Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on International Women’s Day” (Source: Government of Canada – Office of the Prime Minister)

“International Women's Day: 8 March” (Source: United Nations)

 “International Women’s Day: What is it and why do we need it?” (Source: World Economic Forum)

“International Women’s Day is a celebration and a call to action. Here are things to know.” (Source: The Canadian Press)

“Why do we have International Women's Day?” (Source: BBC News)

● Previous events I organized on the same theme:

Socializing – INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’s Day: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

● Some of my additional greetings referring to the same matter:

Happy INTERNATIONAL WOMEN's Day! – March 8: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 

Celebrating “Mărțișor” 2025 with ALICE & Friends

Time is flying by very fast, but despite that, on Saturday (March 1, 2025) I was absolutely delighted to meet in person with a number of 15 dear friends to offer them “mărțișoare“ (March amulets), while we were enjoying together a freshly brewed cup of coffee accompanied by several freshly backed pastries.

As most of you might know, this is one of those perfect recipes for a happy life...nice gifts for everyone, good coffee, good food, good friends, sharing spring related poems & definitively good, lengthy talks….what else was I to wish for my literary & socio-cultural Circle on a beautiful, chilly but sunny Saturday!

Definitively I consider myself blessed to be surrounded by so many beautiful souls carried by these beautiful and wise ladies, who are my dear friends! My deepest gratitude to each for their lovely presence in my life!

“A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles.”

This event has been delivered in Romanian Language, featuring Romanian culture.

● For quick reference, here is a brief historical background:

    🌿 “Mărțișor” (March 1) or March amulet:

The name “Mărțișor” (mərt͡siˈʃor) is the diminutive of “Marț”, the old folk name for March (“martie”, in modern Romanian language), & literally means "the little March". The actual “Mărțișor” is made of a small decorative object, tied to a white & red string, with two hanging tassels, which is offered customarily on the 1st day of March to girls, women & men (in some parts of the country) as it is believed that the wearer will stay strong & healthy throughout the entire year ahead. In the old times “Mărțișor” was regarded more as a protective talisman, but in modern days, & especially in the urban areas, most of its talisman properties got lost and “Mărțișor” became more of a symbol of friendship, love, appreciation & respect, as well as a symbol of the coming spring in addition to the snowdrop flowers.

NOTE: In 2017, UNESCO decided to inscribe “Mărțișor“ on their list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Please follow the links below for a more detailed reading about this significant gesture…thank you!

– Related ARTICLE: Romanian spring tradition included on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list

– Related ARTICLE: UNESCO adds Mărțișor to its ‘intangible cultural heritage of humanity’ list

● Previous events I organized on the same concept: “Mărțișor”– 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

● Some of my additional greetings referring to the same theme: “Mărțișor“ – 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

January 2025: Eminescu & Romania’s Culture Day

 Annual celebration dedicated to:

January 15, 2025 – the anniversary of Mihai Eminescu & Romania's National Culture Day

January 24, 2025 – Little Union of the Romanian Principalities

I was very happy to be able to organize on Wednesday (January 15, 2025) at my Circle the annual commemoration of the famous Romanian poet, Mihai Eminescu, whose birthday has been chosen in 2011 as Romania’s National Culture Day. On this occasion, the Little Union of the Romanian Principalities has been highlighted as well, reemphasizing its historic significance. We had a large group of Romanians attending our event this time (17 friends) and for everybody’s convenience, like the winters before, we successfully connected via modern technology.
On the other hand, before I proceed with my usual briefing, I would like to let all of you know that year 2025 marks the 175^th anniversary of the birth of Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889), and the Romanian Academy declared the entire 2025 “Eminescu Year”…a great period of time that allows us to promote even more the Romanian arts and culture.

Further talking about our Circle, on January 15, 2025, we were delighted to have with us two special guests – Hon. Gabriel Rotaru (who is Consul General of Romania in Vancouver and the Head of the Romanian Diplomatic Mission here, as well as Minister Plenipotentiary of Romania in Canada) together with his lovely wife, Hon. Ştefana Rotaru (who is Deputy Consul General and Minister Plenipotentiary of Romania in Canada).

The program of the evening began with much enthusiasm! After I delivered my welcoming remarks, Hon. Gabriel Rotaru was invited to address the group.
Consul G. Rotaru did open his speech with beautiful words of appreciation for the activity of our literary & socio-cultural Circle constantly carried out over the last seven years, encouraging all of us to continue with this beautiful community work. Needless to say that his honest appreciation for our Circle’s existence and ongoing activity deeply touched our hearts! Then Consul G. Rotaru’s speech reemphasized Eminescu’s geniality as well as the vastness and complexity of his writings. 

He also underlined the importance of culture and its positive impact on people and society at large.

We all were very pleased that Consul G. Rotaru stayed with us for the entire event! When the conversation of the evening was focusing on the historic significance of the ’Little Union of the Romanian Principalities’, he shared with all of us his views on this as well.

Then Hon. Ştefana Rotaru was sharing with our group that the Consulate General of Romania in Vancouver, together with the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, celebrate National Culture Day by promoting the “The Retreat” – a play inspired by the opera “Vision of the Burrow” (of Marin Sorescu, one of the most revered literary voices in Romania) and created especially for a North American tour – with stops in New York, Washington, D.C. and Vancouver, BC (a ‘tour de force’ for actress Simona Măicănescu and Mircea Florian; in Vancouver this will take place on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at the Firehall Arts Center – in downtown Vancouver). After that, Consul Ş. Rotaru mentioned that the Romanian flag will fly at the ’Invictus Games’, Vancouver-Whistler 2025 (you can find more details about the coming games on the Consulate’s face-book page).

Next, our evening together continued with lots of heartfelt remarks from all our participants, firstly expressing their genuine appreciation for the seven years of existence of our literary & socio-cultural Circle! For me, these were really heart touching words and heart touching moments!  

Further, my guests offered a beautiful recital of favorite poems composed by the reputable Mihai Eminescu (some of them published in the comments section), there were also few small dissertations about culture in general and poetry in particular.

For instance, our dear friend Dorina read a beautiful material about Eminescu and Queen Maria of Romania (materials published in comments section), and our old friend, the poet Teodor Trandafir recited few original poems (composed by himself) and sang for us few songs (on lyrics composed by Mihai Eminescu).

Aside of that, my dear friends, Tina & Viorica, recited few beautiful poems of Eminescu, published for your convenience in comments section as well. 

Personally, I was delighted to see that all my friends this evening generously opened their hearts and many fond memories from our motherland were cherished with love, kindness and deep sensibility….truly remarkable!

While at this page, I would like to refresh that our website is read not only by very many Romanians (friends, collaborators or simply observers), but also by very many Canadians as well, and for the general interest of all our readers, here I’m sharing few concise facts about the 3 distinct themes encompassed this evening at our event:

1) About the famous Romanian poet, Mihai Eminescu

• Brief biography of MIHAI EMINESCU (15 January 1850 – 15 June 1889)
  Mihai Eminescu was born on January 15, 1850, in Botosani. He was a poet, prose writer, playwright and journalist, considered by posthumous literary critics as the most important poetic voice in Romanian literature. He had a good philosophical education, his poetic work being influenced by the great philosophical systems of his time, by ancient philosophy, from Heraclitus to Plato, by the great systems of thought of Romanticism, by the theories of Arthur Schopenhauer, Immanuel Kant and the theories of Hegel.
  He was active in ’Junimea’ literary society and worked as editor for the newspaper ’Timpul’. He published his first poem at the age of 16, and at the age of 19 he went to study in Vienna. The manuscripts of the poet Mihai Eminescu, 46 volumes, approximately 14,000 pages, were donated to the Romanian Academy by Titu Maiorescu, in the meeting of January 25, 1902. Eminescu died on June 15, 1889, at the age of 39.
  He was elected, post-mortem (October 28, 1948), as member of the Romanian Academy.

2) About Culture (in general) & about Romania's National Culture Day (also mentioning few Romanian cultural Personalities, who honored their country & its culture over time)

• Culture (general remarks)
  A common way to understand culture is by defining it in terms of its component parts: values ​​(ideas), norms (behavior), and artifacts (things or parts of material culture).
  Values ​​are ideas about what is important in life, and they guide the rest of the culture.
  Norms are expectations of how people should behave differently in different situations. Each culture has different methods (sanctions) for enforcing its norms. Sanctions also vary depending on the importance of the norm. The most important norms formalized by sanctions are called laws.
  Artifacts derive from cultural values ​​and norms.
  
  
• Romania's National Culture Day
  Romania’s National Culture Day has been celebrated for the first time on January 15^th, 2011, and since then, the birthday of poet Mihai Eminescu (January 15, 1850) has also been the day when culture as a whole is celebrated in this country. 
  "On the National Culture Day, we recognize the role of the Romanian cultural personalities in the modernization and democratization of Romania, in getting in line with the European values. The exemplary involvement of thinkers, artists, promoters and founders of cultural institutions in asserting the identity, statehood and national unity of Romania will remain inscribed in capital letters in the chronicles.”
  
  
• Few notable Romanian personalities who honored Romania and its culture over time
  ● Ciprian Porumbescu (1853–1883) was a Romanian composer, among the most celebrated of his time. His popular works include ’Crai nou’, Song of the Tricolour, Song for Spring, Ballad for violin and piano, & ’Serenada’. In addition, he composed the music for the Romanian patriotic ’Song of Unity’, also known as ’On our flag is written Unity’ (Ro: ’Pe-al nostru steag e scris Unire’), which was Romania's anthem from 1975 to 1977 and is currently used for Albania's national anthem. His work spreads over various forms & musical genres, but the majority of his work is choral and operetta.
  ● Nichita Stănescu (1933–1983) was a Romanian poet, essayist and playwright. He becomes the fifth important model of Romanian poetry in the 20th century, alongside Bacovia, Barbu, Blaga and Arghezi. In a history of poetic forms of expression, Stănescu's style proposes an original discourse.
  ● Petre Ispirescu (1830–1887) was a Romanian editor, folklorist, printer and publicist. He is best known for his work as a gatherer of Romanian folk tales, recounting them with a remarkable talent.
  ● Carol Davila (1828– 1884) was a Romanian physician, considered to be the father of Romanian medicine. It was due to his many activities that several scientific associations appeared in Romania, such as: ’The Medical Society’ (1857), ’The Red Cross Society’ (1876), ’The Natural Sciences Society’ (1876). With his assistance, two medical journals entered print: ’The Medical Register’ (1862) and ’The Medical Gazette’ (1865). During the Independence War (1877-1878) he was the head of the Army's sanitary service. Davila is also credited with the invention of the ’Davila tincture’ for the treatment of cholera. Today, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, the largest of its kind in Romania, is named in his honor.
  ● Tudor Vianu (1898–1964) was a Romanian literary critic, art critic, poet, philosopher of culture, academic and translator. He had a major role on the reception and development of Modernism in Romanian literature and art. He was married to Elena Vianu, herself a literary critic, and was the father of Ion Vianu, a psychiatrist, writer and essayist.
  ● Ion Barbu (1895 –1961) was a Romanian mathematician and poet. His name is associated with the ’Mathematics Subject Classification’ number ’51C05’, which is a major posthumous recognition reserved only to pioneers of investigations in an area of mathematical inquiry. As a poet, he is known for his volume ’Mirrored Play’ (Ro: ’Joc secund’), in which he sought to fulfill his vision of a poetry, which he adhered to with the same virtues that he found in mathematics.
  ● Ștefan Odobleja (1902– 1978) was a Romanian physician, scientist, philosopher and precursor of cybernetics. He was known for his contributions to the study of cybernetics and artificial intelligence. His major work, ’Psychologie Consonantiste’, first published in 1938-39 in Paris, introduced the concept of feedback in psychology.
  ● Grigore Alexandrescu (1810 – 1885) was a nineteenth-century Romanian poet and translator, noted for his fables with political undertones. He founded a periodical, called ’Albina Românească’. Alexandrescu wrote ’Poezii’ (1832, 1838, 1839) and ’Meditații’ (1863), many of which were fables and satires influenced by French literature.
  ● Grigore Moisil (1906–1973) was a Romanian mathematician, computer pioneer, and titular member of the Romanian Academy. His research was mainly in the fields of mathematical logic (Łukasiewicz–Moisil algebra), algebraic logic, MV-algebra and differential equations. He is viewed as the father of computer science in Romania. Moisil was also a member of the ’Academy of Sciences of Bologna’ and of the ’International Institute of Philosophy’. In 1996, the ’IEEE Computer Society’ awarded him posthumously the ’Computer Pioneer Award’.
  ● Dumitru Prunariu (1952– present) is a Romanian cosmonaut, who flew in space aboard ’Soyuz 40’ spacecraft and ’Salyut 6’ space laboratory.
  
  
  On a personal NOTE about the Romanian cosmonaut Dumitru Prunariu:
  I’m pleased to share that on January 21, 2025, we were absolutely delighted to meet in person the Romanian cosmonaut Dumitru Dorin Prunariu together with his lovely wife, who were guests of honor at a reception organized by the Consulate General of Romania in Vancouver.
  In a very enjoyable atmosphere, cosmonaut Prunariu referred to the event he is participating at, here in Vancouver (at the official invitation extended by the UBC – Outer Space Institute); an event focusing on the current programs to reach the Moon, to next year's initiatives regarding astronaut incursions, including Canadians in Cosmos, as well as to the projects he has in collaboration with other international associations, with an interest in outer space and lunar landing. He also presented the initiatives, in which he is directly participating, to expand and intensify programs related to the Moon, in which the main players are the United States of America and China. In this context, he also pointed out the importance of the projects promoted by “Space X” and the programs for colonizing the planet Mars. He also referred to the activity of the “Romanian Space Agency”, to the projects and the progress in space exploration, and to the prospects for new participation of young Romanians in space exploration missions.
  
  For more biographical details about the Romanian cosmonaut Dumitru Prunariu, please follow these quick links:
  Romanian Space Agency, Moon Village Association, Romanian Academy & ROSA.
  

Together with the Romanian cosmonaut Dumitru Dorin Prunariu & his lovely wife

Additional media exposure of Dumitru Prunariu’s visit to Vancouver

Cosmonaut Prunariu’s participation at the agreeable reception organized by the Consulate General of Romania in Vancouver, on January 21, 2025 was highlighted in an article written by our friend Dorina (“Dumitru Dorin Prunariu în dialog cu comunitatea româno-canadiană din Vancouver“) –
article further published by a number of reputable organizations, such as:
 “Uniunea Ziariștilor Profesioniști din România” (from Romania),
 “Observatorul” (from Toronto) &
“Litoral Press” (from Romania). 

3) About Little Union of the Romanian Principalities

The Little Unification (Ro: ’Mica Unire’) celebrates the political union of 2 principalities (Moldavia & Wallachia), which is considered the foundation of modern Romania. The United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, also known as "The Romanian United Principalities", was the official name of the Romania following the 1859 election of Alexandru Ioan Cuza as the ruling prince (Ro: ’domnitor’) of both territories. Years later, on December 1, 1918, the Great Union happened 
(Ro: ’Marea Unire’), when the 3 Romanian Principalities (Wallachia, Moldavia & Transylvania) became one country, one voice, called ’Romania ’, and the day of
1 December became Romania's National Day. 

As usual, we all liked our time together and promised ourselves to meet more often because the joy that’s always in our midst when we gather at our Circle is valuable and beneficial for each of us. We all are glad that we are able to recognize our blessings and properly appreciate them!

Wrapping up my briefing here, I want to express once again my most sincere gratitude for all those who were by my side this fantastic evening and until our paths will meet again, from me only the best!

Alice

“People are divided into two parts:

some of them look for something and cannot find anything, and others find it but are not satisfied.“ (Mihai Eminescu)

This event has been delivered in Romanian Language, featuring Romanian culture.

● The official PRESS RELEASE featuring our festive annual celebration published on their official website, by the GENERAL CONSULATE OF ROMANIA IN VANCOUVER

● A social media POSTING  featuring our festive annual celebration published on their official face-book page, by the GENERAL CONSULATE OF ROMANIA IN VANCOUVER

 ● ARTICLE featuring our event on January 15, 2025, published on their official website by OBSERVATORUL (a well read newspaper from Toronto, Canada)

● Previous events I organized on the same theme: 
Eminescu & ROMANIA’s CULTURE Day – 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019