Thursday, September 11, 2025 – The Palace of the Republic in Chișinău hosted the launch conference of the project “Transfer of Good Practices and Strengthening Administrative Capacity in Regional Development Policy between Romania and the Republic of Moldova”, funded by the Interreg NEXT Romania – Republic of Moldova Program.

The event, organized in partnership between the Center for Analysis and Planning of Regional Development (CAPDR) and the Regional Development Agency of Chișinău (ADR Chișinău), brought together representatives of public administration, regional development experts, and decision-makers from both countries.

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Speaker:

Carmen NASTASĂ – European Funds Specialist in the Cultural Sector

Culture and Cooperation as Pillars of Development

At the beginning of her speech, Carmen Nastasă highlighted her excitement and joy to be part of this cross-border team:

“I am very emotional to be here in front of you, professionals, and especially to be part of this team alongside Mr. and Mrs. Ștefanovici. Thank you for the invitation and for integrating me into the family.”

She emphasized that the success of communities depends on collaboration between public administration, the private sector, and civil society, rather than each acting in isolation:

“If we see ourselves separately and only focus on our sector, progress appears, but slowly, maybe superficially. If we truly want to be a successful community, we need synergy, a joint effort among these pillars.”

Policy for People and Community Needs

In her view, joint strategies should start from the citizens’ aspirations, and the administration should work openly with the private sector to turn these aspirations into reality.

“Policy is for people and about people. This is where we must start. We truly need to anchor ourselves in people’s desires, and experts must know how to prioritize them.”

Carmen Nastasă added that development is not only about infrastructure but must also include culture, without which authentic progress is impossible:

“Without beauty, we cannot develop. Ultimately, everything starts with emotions and the soul.”

Learning from Romania’s Experience

Having come from Romania, where she gained experience in cultural and European projects, Carmen Nastasă encouraged administrations in the Republic of Moldova to take advantage of best practices already implemented across the Prut River.

“No one is reinventing the wheel. The wheel has already been invented. You have mayors who have already implemented it. A smart person knows how to ask for help from the right people.”

She emphasized the importance of valuing heritage and organizing people-centered events that bring communities together and highlight the best that Romania and the Republic of Moldova have to offer.

Conclusion

The message delivered by Carmen Nastasă at the CAPDR–ADR Chișinău conference was inspirational, emphasizing collaboration, solidarity, and valuing culture as essential elements of regional development. Her call – to put heart into everything one does and to build together through experience exchange and mutual support – reflects the spirit of the project launched in Chișinău and the vision of sustainable cross-border cooperation.

Her speech reminded participants that authentic progress cannot be achieved through isolated efforts, but only through a true synergy between administration, the private sector, and civil society. Culture, infrastructure, and policy must harmoniously combine so that people can enjoy a better life and communities can become examples of good practices in the region.