National Day of Romania
UPIC staff were invited to attend the flag-raising ceremony and enjoy traditional Romanian cuisine for Great Union Day.
We were delighted to join the Plymouth Romanian Organisation CIC as they celebrated one of their most important annual events.
The National Day of Romania takes place on 1st December to mark the 1918 unification of Transylvania, Bassarabia, and Bukovina with the Kingdom of Romania. It’s a day filled with pride and community spirit.
At 12:30 on Monday, we all gathered outside The Guildhall in Plymouth city centre for the official flag-raising ceremony. Silence fell as the Romanian national anthem started to play, closely followed by the British national anthem. It was an uplifting moment as two cultures stood side by side. We chatted with people from all walks of life, and discovered that all of their stories had something in common – a deep emotional connection to their homeland.
Everyone walked over to the Plymouth Council House afterwards to listen to speeches from the Lord Mayor and other key figures from the community. A group of school children told stories and sang songs about Romania’s history in two different languages.
A standout moment for the UPIC team was watching Mihail Pretorian, a UPIC Business Management graduate, present awards to respected members of his society. Now Director of the Plymouth Romanian Organisation CIC, Mihail continues to make us incredibly proud.
We had time to walk around the striking exhibition in the centre of the hall. It illustrated the historic relationship between Queen Maria of Romania and the city of Plymouth, which was truly fascinating. Then it was time to eat! We were faced with an irresistible selection of Romanian favourites, including ciorbă de fasole, sarmale, and cozonac.
Taking part in community events across Plymouth is always a highlight for us, but this one felt especially meaningful. The Romanian community welcomed us with warmth, generosity, and a genuine passion for embracing British culture… all while keeping their heritage alive.
Queen Maria of Romania was born on October 29, 1875 and was the wife of King Ferdinand I of Romania. She lived in Plymouth (Great Britain) until the age of 6, when her family moved to Germany. Her father, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, was appointed commander of the British Royal Navy, based in Plymouth. Thus, the family settled in this region for a period of time.
It’s important to note that Queen Maria lived an interesting and influential life in Romanian history, contributing to the promotion of culture and art in the country and actively involved in humanitarian and philanthropic causes. Queen Maria admired Romanian traditions, the life of the country people and the popular costume, making them known to the world through her stories. She proudly and elegantly wore Romanian folk costumes, choosing to wear, even at evening events, shirts embroidered with traditional motifs, flowered veils and fote.
Mihail Pretorian Director of the Plymouth Romanian Organisation CIC