The first public holiday National Costume Day will be celebrated in Moldova on June 26 by an exhibition of traditional dresses, recitals, handicraft fairs and national costume shows. Thematic activities will be staged in 21 districts of the country, including the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, IPN reports.

Minister of Culture Monica Babuc said that zonal and local models of national costumes, rich decorations and diverse embroidery styles will be presented on this day. Artists and folkloric groups will give concerts. The visitors will be able to take part in different workshops and to taste national dishes.

“This holiday dedicated to the national costume takes into account the fact that the national dress is, alongside the national emblem and anthem, an identity symbol that represents us and transmits to us the encoded messages of our ancestors,” stated Monica Babuc.

Within the event, there will be presented such national dresses as the treasure costume – costumes from the collections of museums; the guest’s costume – Romanian costumes from private collections; modernity costumes – costumes created by national designers in ethnic-folkloric style; the ambassador’s costume, where women ambassadors and wives of men ambassadors working in Chisinau will wear traditional dresses.

Cultural projects coordinator at the Swiss Cooperation Office in Moldova Cristina Cojocaru-Parsons said the fact that costumes of different ethnic groups of Moldova will be presented at this event is of special importance for Switzerland. “The Ukrainians, Russians, Gagauz people, Jews and Romanies represent a large part of the population of the Republic of Moldova. From the example and perspective of Switzerland, this diversity can be nothing else but social value added that must be put to good use,” she stated.

The National Costumes Day was instituted by a Parliament decision. It will be celebrated on the last Sunday of June each year.