Romania, now and then
Earlier this month NATO held meetings in
Bucharest. On the agenda were potential new members and the war in Afghanistan.
Canada lobbied for, and essentially received, additional support for
our mission in Kandahar province.
Here's a pdf of a 24 page report
released at the summit, Progress in
Afghanistan.
That Romania is now a member of NATO, and the European Union, is one source of my own personal optimism about the world. It's the only other country I've ever visited, apart from the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
In July of 1981 I was a judge and referee, for wrestling, at the World Student Games in Bucharest. As a multi-sport event the Universiade is one step below the Olympics. Thousands of athletes, team officials and tourists flooded the city for two weeks.
I had a great time, and got to referee some important matches in the finals. I'm told I also spent an enjoyable evening learning the art of drinking vodka from three time Olympic champion Alexander Medved, but my memory of that night is a bit hazy. That was, of course, after the games had ended and I was able to spend several days on the beach in Constanza, recovering.
The Romanians I met were all exceedingly kind and hospitable. Only once did I witness how different their lives were, living in a totalitarian state under a ruthless dictator, never knowing who was an informant for the secret police.
At the opening ceremonies in the Lia Manoliu Stadium I joined a couple of other Canadian judges and our Romanian hosts in watching from the stands. The parade and festival demonstrations were spectacular. There was frequent applause, outbursts of oohs and aahs, and the loud murmur of appreciative comments echoing around the stadium. Then, after about an hour, everyone on the playing field suddenly stopped moving. The crowd went silent. The Romanians all stood up and stared blankly forward. Not sure what was going on, the rest of us did the same.
Nicolae Ceauşescu had appeared, to give his official welcoming speech. For what seemed like an hour, but was probably only 15 or 20 minutes, he yelled at us. When he was done there was another moment of silence and then all the Romanians began clapping. And clapping, and clapping...
After a few minutes the foreigners sat down and simply watched. The Romanians kept clapping, each of them afraid to be noticed as the first to stop. I joked to another Canadian that they must want an encore. The Romanian on the other side of me, still clapping robotically, gave me a look of anguish.
Eventually the applause came to an abrupt end. Other welcoming speeches were given, the oaths for athletes and officials administered, and then the final parade of the participants off the field. Our Romanian friends returned to their genial demeanor and took us out to dinner. When I tried to talk about their president, they politely but firmly changed the subject.
Ceauşescu was overthrown and executed during the Revolutions of 1989. Romania is now a western style democracy. And a partner along with Canada and Afghanistan in the ISAF.
The Student Games of 1981 had little to do with the fall of a dictator and his one party state. But I'll be thinking of them while watching the Olympics this summer.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission is approaching five years of operations in Afghanistan. This report is a snapshot - rather than an exhaustive list of efforts by all contributing nations - of where progress is being made, in the main areas in which the international community is providing support to the Afghan Government. It makes no claim to show all sides of every issue relating to Afghanistan’s development. NATO is not impartial in Afghanistan – we have chosen the side of the UN, the Afghan Government and the Afghan people. But it is accurate; the information herein is drawn from authoritative sources, including within NATO. Where possible, we have identified those sources, and given examples to substantiate our assertions
That Romania is now a member of NATO, and the European Union, is one source of my own personal optimism about the world. It's the only other country I've ever visited, apart from the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
In July of 1981 I was a judge and referee, for wrestling, at the World Student Games in Bucharest. As a multi-sport event the Universiade is one step below the Olympics. Thousands of athletes, team officials and tourists flooded the city for two weeks.
I had a great time, and got to referee some important matches in the finals. I'm told I also spent an enjoyable evening learning the art of drinking vodka from three time Olympic champion Alexander Medved, but my memory of that night is a bit hazy. That was, of course, after the games had ended and I was able to spend several days on the beach in Constanza, recovering.
The Romanians I met were all exceedingly kind and hospitable. Only once did I witness how different their lives were, living in a totalitarian state under a ruthless dictator, never knowing who was an informant for the secret police.
At the opening ceremonies in the Lia Manoliu Stadium I joined a couple of other Canadian judges and our Romanian hosts in watching from the stands. The parade and festival demonstrations were spectacular. There was frequent applause, outbursts of oohs and aahs, and the loud murmur of appreciative comments echoing around the stadium. Then, after about an hour, everyone on the playing field suddenly stopped moving. The crowd went silent. The Romanians all stood up and stared blankly forward. Not sure what was going on, the rest of us did the same.
Nicolae Ceauşescu had appeared, to give his official welcoming speech. For what seemed like an hour, but was probably only 15 or 20 minutes, he yelled at us. When he was done there was another moment of silence and then all the Romanians began clapping. And clapping, and clapping...
After a few minutes the foreigners sat down and simply watched. The Romanians kept clapping, each of them afraid to be noticed as the first to stop. I joked to another Canadian that they must want an encore. The Romanian on the other side of me, still clapping robotically, gave me a look of anguish.
Eventually the applause came to an abrupt end. Other welcoming speeches were given, the oaths for athletes and officials administered, and then the final parade of the participants off the field. Our Romanian friends returned to their genial demeanor and took us out to dinner. When I tried to talk about their president, they politely but firmly changed the subject.
Ceauşescu was overthrown and executed during the Revolutions of 1989. Romania is now a western style democracy. And a partner along with Canada and Afghanistan in the ISAF.
The Student Games of 1981 had little to do with the fall of a dictator and his one party state. But I'll be thinking of them while watching the Olympics this summer.
Posted: Thu - April 17, 2008 at 12:40 PM
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Published On: Apr 17, 2008 12:57 PM
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Published On: Apr 17, 2008 12:57 PM