Ion Ștefanovici, President of CAPDR: “Sport builds living bridges between Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine”
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CAPDR supports the International Tournament “Bucovina Judo Cup” through the SportCAPDR program
| Event | International Tournament “Bucovina Judo Cup” |
| Venue | Ipotești Sports Hall, Suceava County |
| Date | 23 May 2026 |
| Official Opening | 9:30 AM |
| CAPDR Framework | SportCAPDR – Sports cooperation program Romania – Republic of Moldova, with regional openness towards Ukraine |
The Center for Analysis and Planning of Regional Development – CAPDR is involved in supporting the International Tournament “Bucovina Judo Cup,” a sporting event organized at the Ipotești Sports Hall, Suceava County, on 23 May 2026. The competition brings together athletes, coaches, referees, and clubs from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, within a framework dedicated to performance, sports education, and regional cooperation.
The event is held under the sign of judo, a sport that builds character, respect, balance, courage, and competitive spirit. Through the participation of young athletes, clubs, and referees from the regional area, the “Bucovina Judo Cup” becomes a practical landmark of community rapprochement and cross-border sports cooperation.
The Ipotești competition includes 16 clubs from the Republic of Moldova, 4 national referees of second category from the Republic of Moldova, as well as one sports club from Ukraine. This participation gives the event an important international dimension and confirms the potential of sport to create stable connections between young people, coaches, clubs, and communities.
The official invitation of the competition announces the organization of the International Tournament “Bucovina Judo Cup” at the Ipotești Sports Hall on 23 May 2026, with the official opening scheduled at 9:30 AM and the continuation of the competition across four fighting areas.
SportCAPDR – CAPDR’s framework for sports cooperation
CAPDR’s involvement takes place within SportCAPDR – the sports cooperation program Romania – Republic of Moldova, with regional openness towards Ukraine. Through this program, CAPDR aims to support sports competitions, partnerships between clubs, exchanges of experience, training for coaches and referees, camps for children and youth, as well as projects dedicated to local and regional sports infrastructure.
Ion ȘTEFANOVICI, President of CAPDR: “Sport creates living bridges between Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. Through SportCAPDR, we aim to transform sports competitions into platforms of cooperation, education, and friendship among young people.
Judo has a special value because it builds character, cultivates discipline, and conveys respect for the opponent, for rules, and for the community. The International Tournament ‘Bucovina Judo Cup’ in Ipotești clearly reflects this direction: sport, education, performance, and regional cooperation.”
A first landmark for regional sports cooperation
For CAPDR, supporting this event marks a concrete step in the development of the sports component of Romania – Republic of Moldova cooperation. The presence of clubs from the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine opens a working framework that can be expanded in the coming period through joint competitions, exchanges between clubs, training programs, and initiatives dedicated to young athletes.
The competition schedule includes the athletes’ weigh-in on Friday, 22 May, between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM, and on Saturday, 23 May, between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM, followed by the official opening at 9:30 AM. The competition is held according to the regulations of the Romanian Judo Federation, and athletes ranked in the top positions will be awarded diplomas and medals.
Through SportCAPDR, CAPDR aims to develop a network of sports cooperation between clubs, local administrations, schools, federations, coaches, and partner institutions from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. The objective is for sport to become an active tool for education, health, discipline, community development, and rapprochement between young people in the regional space.
The International Tournament “Bucovina Judo Cup” confirms that Bucovina and the Moldavian region can become meeting spaces for athletes from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. Through such events, regional cooperation takes a concrete, visible, and human form, and young athletes become carriers of a relationship of friendship, respect, and performance between our communities.
