President Nicușor Dan and Mirabela Grădinaru attended the inauguration of „The Queen Marie of Romania Corner” in New York, an honorary designation given to the intersection of East 38th Street and Third Avenue in Manhattan, near the Permanent Mission of Romania to the UN. On this occasion, an anniversary plaque was unveiled.
Nicuşor Dan described Queen Marie as „an exceptional personality” who dedicated her life to the Romanian people.
"She devoted herself to her people, including during the difficult years of the war, when she went to the front lines to encourage the soldiers, as well as in the post-war diplomatic years, which led to the formation of Greater Romania and in representing the new Romanian state with the dignity and naturalness we know," the president stated, according to News.ro.
The head of state also spoke about the need for landmarks in a period where, he says, hierarchies of values and models have blurred.
"We live in an era where we no longer have landmarks, we no longer have hierarchies of values, and we no longer have models. That's why it's important that when we have a role model, like Queen Marie was, we refer to her. It's a great honor to be here with you," Nicușor Dan affirmed.
Dominic de Habsburg, the grandson of Queen Marie, also attended the ceremony. "I was very moved that after so many years, this plaque was unveiled in New York. She liked the streets of New York," he said.
The Tour that Captivated America
Queen Marie arrived in New York on October 18, 1926, accompanied by two of her children, Princess Ileana and Prince Nicolae. The tour, which lasted until November 24, included New York, Washington, Philadelphia, and other American cities.
In New York, the sovereign was welcomed by officials and a large crowd, and Mayor James J. Walker presented her with the key to the city. In Washington, Queen Marie was received at the White House by President Calvin Coolidge.
Call to Romanians who have succeeded in the USA
After the ceremony, Nicușor Dan and Mirabela Grădinaru met with representatives of the Romanian community in New York. The president asked Romanians who have succeeded in a competitive environment to use their experience for the benefit of the country.
"Because you are people who have excelled in a society much more competitive than ours, the question is how we can use your experience, how we can collaborate to do good both here and in Romania," Nicușor Dan said, as quoted by Agerpres.
The president admitted that the Romanian state has not yet found the right formula for effective collaboration with the diaspora. "This, I believe, is a question that the Romanian state has been asking itself for a long time: how to better collaborate with various more or less private structures. Perhaps you can teach us something in this regard as well," the president added.
Nicușor Dan also spoke about the "huge potential" of Romania, attributed to the preparation of its people, dynamic private environment, and the level of the education system in certain fields. "Romanian society has accumulated a certain level of expertise in many areas, and I hope that there will be years to follow to strengthen and stabilize this expertise, so that it becomes a self-sufficient society," the head of state declared.
Former gymnast Teodora Ungureanu, now residing in the United States, also participated in the meeting with Romanians in New York.