Reception in celebration of the National Day of Romania

Minister for Education and the Arts, the Honourable John-Paul Langbroek MP; Ambassador of Romania to Australia, His Excellency Radu Gabriel Safta; Honorary Consul to Romania in Queensland, Mr Ciprian (Chip) Popescu; His Grace Bishop Bartholomew; Members of the Diplomatic Corp; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Graeme and I are delighted to join you this evening for this proud and joyous celebration of Romania’s national day. And the Romanian community in South East Queensland has much to celebrate!

First, earlier this year, Ambassador Safta was in Surfers Paradise for the official opening of Romania’s Honorary Consulate in Queensland. This important new service means that Romania now has representation in all six Australian states, giving the Romanian community access to vital support right here in Queensland.

This is a significant achievement, and I know since then, Honorary Consul ‘Chip’ Popescu has been very active in promoting all things Romanian and creating greater awareness of the important connections between Romania and Australia.

A second cause for celebration is the excellent collaborative research project between Romania’s University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology and the Queensland Eye Institute.

It was very pleasing to meet both Ambassador Safta and Honorary Consul Popescu when I officially opened the Institute’s magnificent new facilities in Woolloongabba three months ago. Their attendance at the opening underlined not only the value of the research being undertaken, but the importance of such collaborations in strengthening cultural, diplomatic and trade ties between Romania and Queensland.

The establishment of the Honorary Consulate and the research collaboration are reasons enough to celebrate tonight, but by far the greatest cause for celebration is, of course, Romania’s national day.

Tomorrow, in every region of Romania, from the Carpathian mountains to the Black Sea, from Bucharest to the tiny villages of Transylvania, Romanians will raise the national flag, proudly sing the national anthem, and celebrate the nation’s rich history.

Here in Brisbane, we may be 15,000 kilometres away, but this city today has the third largest concentration of Romanians in Australia. Tonight Government House, the Story Bridge and other city landmarks are proudly lit up in the red, yellow and blue of the Romanian tricolour, and many in the community have spent a happy afternoon enjoying Romanian food, traditional music and folk dancing at the Fair at Kangaroo Point, and applauding the success of the Romania Day Award winners.

The Romanian community here is part of the world-wide diaspora who come together each year on this important day to celebrate Romanian culture and traditions, and commemorate the effort and sacrifice made over so many centuries to realise the dream of nationhood.

I know you will all be hoping to catch television footage of the magnificent annual military parade from the Arch of Triumph in Bucharest tomorrow and will be keenly awaiting news of the outcomes of the parliamentary elections, but, for now, on behalf of all Queenslanders, La Mulți Ani, România!