Alice’s Book Club – WINTER session of 2026

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

Socializing: 2026 – INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’s Day

On Tuesday (March 8, 2026) I organized for ALICE & Friends Circle™ the annual reunion, celebrating the International Women’s Day.

At this gathering, before we did proceed with the prepared agenda, we held a moment of silence to honor the memory of our dear friend,
Ms. Marcela Trandafir, who recently transitioned. Ms. Trandafir was part of our Circle, a wonderful human being – an inspiring model of grace, discretion, wisdom and devotion. Generally speaking, such moments allow people to be reflective and revisit dear memories, and definitively... such moments instantly make you feel more in tune with those around you, allowing for a deeper community connection.

 Without any doubt, she will be deeply missed by many!

Then our evening nicely continued with the chosen theme of the day…this time, the program was featuring a very special keynote speaker – Ms. Celestina Popa (Celestina Popa Gymnastics), who is a distinguished Romanian artistic gymnast, World and Olympic medalist. Ms. Popa generously shared with the group a number of significant concepts about sports, discipline, resilience, endurance, creativity, non-stop learning and adaptability.

Also, my distinguished guest was Hon. Ştefana Rotaru, Deputy Consul General and Minister Plenipotentiary of Romania in Canada, who nicely congratulated this initiative, and expressed her appreciation for the ongoing commitment of our Circle to promote the Romanian values, arts and culture.

The event, held via modern technology, allowed the attendees to engage with the speaker and the guest of honor in a very pleasant manner. 

For this occasion, 27 persons confirmed attendance, plus 5 were pending, but after all we ended up being only 17 people.

Our extensive group conversations were heart-felt and to the point, highlighting the importance of recognizing the ongoing contributions of women in shaping society, while reinforcing the message that women’s voices and stories are central to a more sustained cultural and social development…only collective action could drive to really meaningful changes in the world. The gathering was concluded on a warm note, wishing each-other only the best for the spring that’s yet to come!

Until next time, my warmest regards dear ladies, and once again: Happy International Women’s Day!

● For your edification, here are some facts about my key note speaker for this evening – Ms. Celestina Popa:

– Celestina received the "Master of Sports" Decoration, and in 2013 she became an honorary citizen of the Romanian city, Ploiești.

– Here are a few video clips featuring Celestina Popa at Worlds Gymnastics Championships & Olympics:

Ø  Celestina Popa: 1985 - World Gymnastics Championships 

Ø  Celestina Popa: 1987 – World Rotterdam; team optional for women (her floor exercise)

Ø  Celestina Popa: 1988 – Seoul Olympics (her floor performance)

Ø  Celestina Popa: 1988 – Seoul Olympics (her beam performance)

Ø  Celestina Popa: 1988 – Seoul Olympics (her unequal parallel bars performance)

Ø  Celestina Popa: 1988 – Seoul Olympics (her gymnastic vaulting performance)

● Personalities: since the focus of this meeting was International Women’s Day, here I’m glad to share with you some famous women who changed the world.

✰ Few prominent ROMANIAN WOMEN:

– Hariclea Darclée (1860 – 1939): was a famous and talented Romanian opera singer…the first female singer that had a lead role written especially for her  

– Cella Serghi (1907 – 1992): was a Romanian writer, publicist and translator

– Irina Burnaia (1909 – 1997): was a Romanian lawyer, best known for he works as an aviator…she was the first female pilot to fly across the Carpathian Mountains.

✰ Few prominent WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD: 

– Jane Austen (1775 – 1817): was an English writer, primarily known for her 6 novels, which implicitly interpret, critique and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18^th century (Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Northanger Abbey). She wrote at a time when female writers were not encouraged, helping pave the way for future writers.

– Simone de Beauvoir (1908 – 1986): was a French existentialist philosopher, writer, social theorist, and feminist activist. Though she did not consider herself a philosopher, nor was she considered one at the time of her death, she had a significant influence on both feminist existentialism and feminist theory.

– Maya Angelou (1928 – 2014): was an American multitalented memoirist, essayist, poet, and civil rights activist; she received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. Best known for her acclaimed 1969 memoir “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”.

● Our PRESS RELEASE featuring International Women's Day 2026, and published on the official social-media platform of our Circle 

● Previous events I organized on the same theme: Socializing – INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’s Day: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

● Some of my additional greetings referring to the same matter: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN's Day! – March 8: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

Celebrating “Mărțișor” 2026 with ALICE & Friends

A comprehensive summary will be soon available on our website, meanwhile, here is a quick Press Release. 

Thank you!

PS:
And to the Romanian friends, supporters and observers of this Circle, I’m wishing them: “Mărțișor cu gânduri bune!” 

Feb.19’26: “Brâncuși National Day” & "Brâncuși Year”

 A comprehensive summary will be very soon available on our website, meanwhile, here is our Press Release. 

 Thank you!

January 2026: Romania’s Culture Day

Annual celebration dedicated to:
January 15, 2026 – Romania's National Culture Day
January 24, 2026 – Little Union of the Romanian Principalities

On Thursday (January 15, 2026) I was delighted to be able to organize a well-received Romanian literary evening, featuring Romania’s National Culture Day (as well as Mihai Eminescu’s commemoration, since his birthday was chosen by the Romanian government as being the National Culture’s Day of the country), and the yearly observance of the Day of The Unification of the Romanian Principalities (a highly-regarded event in Romania, on January 24^th). We had a large group of Romanians attending our event this time (22 friends) and for everybody’s convenience, like the winters before, we successfully connected via modern technology.

We all appreciate that Romania celebrates National Culture Day – a holiday dedicated to Romanian cultural values, symbolically marked by the birthday of the great poet, Mihai Eminescu. But before I progress with my usual briefing, I need to share that year 2026 also has been declared by the Romanian government as being:

1) 2026: “Constantin Brâncuși Year” (Ro…2026: “Anul Constantin Brâncuși”)

This year marks the 150^th anniversary of the birth of the great Romanian sculptor who brought the name of our country to the heights of international recognition...

2) 2026: “Nadia Comăneci Year” (Ro…2026: “Anul Nadia Comăneci”)

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the legendary performances (the first mark of 10 in the history of the Olympic games) of the Romanian gymnast at the 21^st Summer Olympic Games, held between July 17-August 1, 1976, in Montreal…

Truly beautiful!

Further focusing on our event, at this gathering we all were glad to have with us two very special guests – Hon. Gabriel Rotaru (who is the 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).

We all were very pleased that both diplomats stayed with us for the entire event! 

The program of the evening was fully packed and began with much passion! After I delivered my introductory remarks, my guests of honor were invited to address the group. In their speeches, the Romanian diplomats referred to the role of Romanian culture in the educational process, meant to continue from generation to generation, reminding the relevance of promoting cultural and artistic values ​​in the Canadian society, while emphasizing the significance of organizing such cultural events by non-governmental organizations (such as our Circle) present in this province.

In this context, evoking the steps of the Romanian authorities in the field of cultural diplomacy and sports diplomacy envisaged for the current year, they presented the calendar of actions intended to be implemented by the Consulate General of Romania in Vancouver during 2026, given that 2026 is an anniversary year, celebrating 15 years since the opening of the consular office in western Canada.

After that, the program of the evening continued with a number of several interesting presentations, and my beautiful friends prepared very interesting materials (covering in details the lives, professional achievements, awards, extensive media exposure, international recognition, etc.) of the following famous Romanians:

● Constantin Brâncuși – who was a Romanian sculptor, painter, and photographer who made his career in France

● Sergiu Celibidache – who was a Romanian conductor, composer, musical theorist and teacher

The recently released movie – “The Yellow Tie” (which depicts the extraordinary life of Sergiu Celibidache) was also brought into conversation.

● George Enescu – who was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor, teacher & statesman, regarded as one of the greatest musicians in Romanian history

● Mihai Eminescu – who was a fantastic Romanian Romantic poet, novelist and journalist, generally regarded as the most famous and influential Romanian poet

● Mihail Sadoveanu – who was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure

● Nadia Comăneci – who is a well-known Romanian gymnast and a five-time Olympic gold medalist

● Emil Racoviță – who was a Romanian biologist, zoologist, speleologist and Antarctic explorer

● Asiza Demetrian – who is a talented Romanian painter, a dear friend and a great supporter of our Circle

● Henri Coandă – who was a Romanian inventor, aerodynamics pioneer and the builder of an experimental aircraft (the Coandă-1910)

● Ana Aslan – who was a Romanian scientist who pioneered gerontology and geriatrics, and developed Gerovital-H3 (the first anti-aging medicine of the world)

● Emil Palade – who was a Romanian cell biologist, physician and Nobel laureate.

Also, at this gathering, I offered a concise presentation about the historic significance of the Day of The Unification of the Romanian Principalities.

During our time together as a group, also few poems were recited and few others were referred to and here I'm sharing them, as well as some additional materials, relating to the theme of the evening:

– ”Și dacă…” (a poem composed by Mihai Eminescu & recited by George Vraca)

– ”Luceafărul” (a poem composed by Mihai Eminescu & recited by Gheorghe Cozorici….TVR archive)

– ”Odă în metru antic” (a poem composed by Mihai Eminescu & recited by Valeria Seciu….TVR archive) 

– ”Ce te legeni?” (a poem composed by Mihai Eminescu & recited by Ovidiu Iuliu Moldovan….TVR archive)  

– ”Glossă” (a poem composed by Mihai Eminescu & recited by Adrian Pintea…TVR archive)  

– ”Poezii” (few poems composed by Mihai Eminescu & interpreted by several well-known Romanian actors…TVR archive)

–  ”La steaua” (a poem composed by Mihai Eminescu)  

– ”Dintre sute de catarge” (in a musical arrangement, performed by 'Pro Musica').  

As usual, we all enjoyed our time together, realizing once again that no matter how long the session/s would be, there is still something left for next time. 

Wrapping up my briefing, I would like to express once again my most sincere appreciation for all those who were able and willing to join me this evening in order to honor the Culture's Day of our country of origin! Until next time, my warmest regards to all! 

To further honor the National Culture’s Day and pay a supplementary tribute to our national poet, 

I would like to share some additional reflections here, penned in Romanian language, with respect and admiration...

To translate this into English or into any other language, please use the automated translator installed at the bottom of the page. Thank you!

”Nu este posibil să vorbești despre Mihai Eminescu, ’poet, poet în toată puterea cuvântului’ (Titu Maiorescu), fără a-i citi creaţiile, fără a le înţelege și fără a reține versuri, în care se regăsesc marile teme ale literaturii de pretutindeni – cunoașterea, timpul, iubirea, presentimentul morții, geniul, panorama deșertăciunilor, transcendența, dorul infinit, etnogeneza românească și altele – toate cuprinse în scrieri care pot sta alături de capodoperele literaturii universale.

Ce expresivitate, ce cadenţă desăvârşită, ce desitate de sensuri mai frumoase, decât, de exemplu, în inegalabila ’Odă (în metru antic)’ – ’Nu credeam să-nvăț a muri vrodată;/ Pururi tânăr, înfășurat în manta-mi,/ Ochii mei nălțam visători la steaua/ Singurătății’.

În plus, într-o realitate a relativizării valorilor, în contextul în care receptarea critică a operei eminesciene s-a situat între elogiul necondiţionat şi contestare vehementă (de către pretinşi ’oameni de cultură’, cu statut moral incert), a păstra vie imaginea marelui poet este un gest de apărare a ’modelului românesc al fiinţei’ (Constantin Noica), o şansă de supravieţuire a esenţei noastre ca individualităţi şi ca popor, amintindu-ne şi făcându-ne să înţelegem, mai mult ca oricând, că ceea ce contează sunt adevărul, onestitatea, educaţia, munca, talentul, ’nu frazele lustruite şi negustoria de vorbe’ (Mihai Eminescu).

Un mod autentic şi ’curat’ de a prețui contribuția lui Eminescu și a tuturor celor care au avut și au un impact semnificativ asupra culturii românești şi asupra devenirii noastre ar fi să le cunoaștem opera și efortul creator, să le apreciem și să le integrăm în reperele noastre individuale și colective.”

Mărturisirea Monahului Nicolae Steinhardt despre poetul Mihai Eminescu:

”Am învățat și predat euforic multe poezii eminesciene la Jilava, Gherla și Dej. Îl iubesc pe Eminescu. Ziua de 15 ianuarie e pentru mine o zi sfântă. Nu uit, când sunt în București, să depun și eu o floare la statuia din fața Ateneului, operă a sculptorului Gheorghe D. Anghel.

Cu ce drept îl iubesc pe Eminescu? Fără niciun drept. Prin declarație unilaterală de voință, pentru că oricine are dreptul să iubească, oricît de nevolnic și neîndeptățit este. Pentru că, după cum spun englezii, o pisică poate privi un rege, tot astfel, fără nicio justificare, iubesc în mod orbitor și total poporul românesc și ’fenomenul românesc’. Și apoi Eminescu, prin fermitate și curăția caracterului, îmi e sprijin de nădejde în credința că poporului român îi e menit a se împărtăși în cultură și în viața spirituală de o soartă cu mult deasupra mediocrității, acea binecuvântată soartă în care au crezut Hașdeu, Pârvan, Blaga, Mircea Eliade și Constantin Noica.

Cât de fericit sunt că mi-ați dat prilejul să-mi mărturisesc dragostea despre Eminescu și fenomenul românesc!” 

”Deci, cel mai frumos catren, dacă ar fi să-l scriu eu, ar fi următorul:

M-aș gândi, măi, cine e cel mai mare din profesie? MIHAI EMINESCU, poetul nostru drag.

Cine a dat primul imaginea luptătorului nostru la Războiul de Independență, de-a-n călare pe un cal aburind, uitându-se așa, într-o ceață, semănând întrucâtva și a sergent român, și a ciobanul mioriței? NICOLAE GRIGORESCU.

Cine ne-a încântat nouă sufletul cel mai ales scriind rapsodia română? ENESCU.

Și cine ne-a făcut nouă coloana fără de sfârșit? BRÂNCUȘI.

Deci, cel mai frumos catren, de-aș fi în stare să îl scriu vreodată, ar avea patru versuri – unu, doi, trei, patru:

EMINESCU, GRIGORESCU, ENESCU, BRÂNCUȘI.” (spunea cândva NICHITA STĂNESCU)

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

● ARTICLE featuring our event on January 15, 2026, published on their official website by OBSERVATORUL (a well read newspaper from Toronto, Canada)

● The official PRESS RELEASE featuring this event, published on their official website, by the GENERAL CONSULATE OF ROMANIA IN VANCOUVER

● A social media POSTING  featuring this event, published on their official face-book page, by the GENERAL CONSULATE OF ROMANIA IN VANCOUVER

● Previous events I organized on the same theme: ROMANIA’s CULTURE Day – 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

Philosophers’ Café with ALICE & Friends: Winter 2025

 The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

Group celebration – ROMANIA’s NATIONAL DAY 2025

 The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

Meanwhile, once again to all Romanians on December 1^st, 2025: HAPPY NATIONAL DAY, Romania!

End of November'25: ALICE & Friends™ – winter charity

 The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

Philosophers’ Café with ALICE & Friends: Autumn 2025

 The complete briefing will be available soon. Thank you!

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: BC Multicultural Week 2025

 ~ ALICE & Friends Circle™ representing Romania at BC Multicultural Week 2025 ~

On Sunday (16 November 2025) our Literary & Socio-Cultural Group,
ALICE & Friends Circle™, has been invited by Culture Chats BC Association to represent Romania at their annual multicultural arts event – occasion which marks the opening of the BC Multiculturalism Week in our province.

Although, officially we are not a performing group or a band,
our cultural delegation was more than ready to take on the challenge.

Our presentation at this event began in a literary manner, with Circle's message for the ongoing BC Multicultural Week 2025. In addition, we brought with us several well-established highlights featuring our old culture – an authentic Romanian song (delivered live by a very talented Romanian youth), we exemplified few beautiful folk costumes of our country (few ladies of our cultural delegation were wearing complete traditional outfits), we brought a little bit of spirituality with us (the present icon is attesting ‘par excellence’ that aspect, Romania being a predominately Christian country), as well as a safe amount of national pride (graciously gathered under the Romanian flag).
At the end of our demonstration on stage, in the closing remarks of my brief speech, I emphasized that in less than 2 weeks, on December 1^st, we will celebrate Romania’s National Day, and I was glad to be able to invite the audience to reach out to us if they wish to learn more about our country, about our customs, about our history and about our lasting existence. 

For this day, before the official start of the program, at a reasonable sound level,
I had playing in the background at our table the “Romanian Rapsody” (composed by our famous George Enescu), while simultaneously I had a slide show running on my laptop, with beautiful images from Romania (emphasizing the concept of “Romania – the fairy tale land”).

For your enjoyment, if you wish to listen the immortal notes of the “Roman Rhapsody”, please follow this quick link. Thank you!

Preparing Circle’s appearance at this event, I enjoyed very much collaborating with Asmita Lawrence (the founding director of this Association) and Craita Isbasescu (a member of their board of directors, of a Romanian descendent).  

For our Circle, this type of involvement goes under the category of Community engagements.

Participating at this event, it was very interesting for me to see how the worlds of literature, culture and human experiences could nicely converge.

Key note speakers, singers, dancers, writers, thinkers, crafters, storytellers came together, talking about their passions, about their lives, about their hopes and dreams, all together illuminating the intricate tapestry of our multicultural society and the interplay between the personal vision and the collective identity. 

Without any doubt (for me personally), it was a very special experience, where these many arts could become both a mirror and a window, reflecting our world while offering vistas into the lives, struggles and triumphs of those who shape it.
 

Also, while at this page, I would like to emphasize a bit the significance of BC Multiculturalism Week in our province.

Every year, BC proclaims the third week of November as the Multiculturalism Week, in order to celebrate the province’s multicultural communities, their contributions, and the way diversity strengthens BC’s society. The celebration underscores values of inclusion, equity and respect, promoting a society free from racism, where all residents have equal opportunities to participate in community life.

BC is Canada’s most ethnically diverse province, home to more than 200 First Nations, Métis, Inuit & urban Indigenous communities, alongside residents originating from over 200 countries. Each year, the province also welcomes more than 40,000 new immigrants, highlighting the ongoing enrichment of its multicultural fabric.

From a historical perspective, BC Multicultural Week is guided by the British Columbia Multiculturalism Act (1993), which aims to enhance cross-cultural understanding and ensure that public policies, services and programs are sensitive and responsive to the multicultural reality of the province.
Ministries and organizations report annually on their efforts to uphold multicultural principles, ensuring alignment with the values of respect, inclusion and equity.  

Different individuals, schools, workplaces and community groups usually participate by hosting cultural displays, performances, educational activities and storytelling events. Social media campaigns such as #BCMulticulturalismWeek encourage residents to share stories and support inclusion throughout the province. Clearly, BC Multicultural Week 2025 is an opportunity for all British Columbians to celebrate diversity, learn about different cultures and acknowledge the contributions of multicultural communities to the province’s social and cultural development.

Wrapping up my briefing here, as we all journey through the week ahead of us (November 17-23'25 is the Multiculturalism Week in our province...BC, Canada),
I invite you to be reminded that each member of our society contributes a unique perspective, drawing from diverse backgrounds, experiences and traditions, while creating a rich mosaic of narratives that speak to both the universal and the particular. Through these lenses, we not only examine the mechanics of arts, but we also uncover the rich socio-cultural currents that act as a catalyst for dialogue, empathy and understanding, bridging temporal and social boundaries.
Sincerely,
Alice 

"No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive."  (Mahatma Gandhi)

● Here is the message received from the organizer

● Here is the documentary FILM produced by ROMPOST (a local TV station in Vancouver) featuring the participation of ALICE & Friends Circle™, representing Romania, at BC Multicultural Week 2025, on November 16, 2025.

Socializing: Early, Pre-Christmas Reunion 2025

In anticipation of the coming holidays season, on Friday (November 14, 2025) I was super pleased to organize an early, pre-Christmas reunion with a group of dear friends and loyal supporters of our Circle! Needles to say that the joy was in our midst the entire evening!

You know, there is always something magic in gathering together with friends who are on the same wavelength with you, before the world gets lost into the holidays' rush…to me this is a moment to pause, to reflect and to celebrate the connections that remind us what truly matters. This type of reunion is also a celebration of the shared journeys, laughter and challenges that have shaped us over the past year.

Each of my guests tonight brought a story, a spark, a presence that brightened our Circle, and personally I’m very grateful for that because only together, we create a tapestry rich with friendship, kindness and inspiration…threads that become stronger every time we gather. In this space, joy isn’t measured by gifts or glitter, but by the warmth of being together, knowing that even in a bustling world, these moments anchor us. Once again, to all my friends tonight: thank you for being by my side!

Gifts of time, attention, kindness and beautiful friendships are surely the basic ingredients of a blessed life!

PS:
In a not-too-distant future I will be back with a much more detailed photo collage, but for now I'm just posting this beautiful group photo, which eloquently reflects the beautiful atmosphere we all enjoyed this Friday evening.