Symposium “State Reconfigurations and Financial-Banking Institutions in Europe of the Year 1918” – B.N.R.

April 24, 2018, National Bank of Romania

The Centenary of the Great Union represents, perhaps, after the events of December 1989, the most important moment of the Romanian nation.

Romanians from the country and abroad need to be aware of the importance and significance of the historic event on December 1, 1918, the imperative of independence and national unity, which should never be forgotten. The celebration of past glory and emblematic figures would be normal to combine with the foundation of the future, based on a firm attitude of changing the present.

In this regard, the Academy of Scientists from Romania has launched a wide-ranging promotional campaign, alerting itself to the lack of a coherent and delayed approach by state decision-makers in developing a strategy for highlighting the Centenary of the Great Union through scientific achievements in current positions , and to reconsider the role of history, national culture in education.

The event initiated on April 24, 2018 by the National Bank of Romania included in the program of scientific events promoted by this institution aims to strengthen the above mentioned.

So, at the Annual Symposium on Banking History and Civilization “Cristian Popişteanu”, edition XXVI, April 24, 2018,  took place the debate “State Reconfigurations and Financial-Banking Institutions in Europe of the Year 1918”.

The meeting was divided into 3 parts, first being reserved for the opening of the works by Acad. Mugur Isărescu. The Governor of the National Bank of Romania has recorded the context of the discussions, presenting in his speech The National Bank of Romania in the Year of the Great Union, the most important moments of the guest institution from 1918 to the present day.

They had interventions too Acad. Ioan-Aurel Pop, president of the Romanian Academy, with the study How did Romania build? and Dr. Gheorghe Cojocaru, Director of the History Institute of the Academy of Sciences from Moldova On the centenary of the beginning of Romania’s rebirth (27 March / 9 April 1918).

A unique and exciting moment was the demonstrative exercise presented by the 30th Guard Regiment “Mihai Viteazul” in the Marble Hall.

The second part was reserved for the special guests of the event, among which we can mention Constantin Ungureanu, the History Institute of the Academy of Sciences from Moldova, The internal and external context of the Bucovina union with Romania, Prof. univ. Dr. Liviu Maior, Great Union of December 1, 1918 – debates and projects, or Dr. Larry Watts, associate researcher of the Romanian Academy, Romania’s territorial problems after the First World War.

In the third part, the annual awards ceremony was given by the Cultural Foundation “Magazin Istoric” for the most important contributions of historical research for 2017.

Conclusion of the Symposium? The Centenary of the Great Union is the reference moment in the knowledge of the historical past, the re-establishment of the national history and culture at the right place in the Romanian cultural heritage, the formation of the coming generations.