Cooperation protocol between Romanian Patriarchate and MADR for promoting Romanian village
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church Daniel and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Daniel Constantin signed a cooperation protocol on promoting the Romanian village.
The aims of the protocol are: informing people living in rural areas of the European funds for the development of agriculture and the Romanian village by means of the National Programme of Rural Development (PNDR), by means of the support given to the campaign «PNDR Comes to Your Village», – as well as by means of other programmes; promoting the traditional values of the rural community with a view to preserving and developing the spiritual, cultural, educational, social and natural heritage of the Romanian village.
They will also consider organizing meetings, seminars, symposia meant for people living in rural areas and their involvement in cultural and educational projects with a view to preserving Romanian conscience and identity, stimulating young people in rural areas for entrepreneurship and making them aware of the importance of associating and amalgamating plots of land, but also organizing in partnership some activities in order to turn local resources to good account.
Thanking Patriarch Daniel for being so kind and signing the protocol, Minister of Agriculture Daniel Constantin said at the end of the ceremony that although the State and the Church had different missions, they met when it came to traditions, values, but especially to filling the gap separating the Romanian village from urban areas.
In Daniel Constantin's opinion, «together with the elementary school teacher, the doctor, the institution of the Church, the institution of the priest, is an element signifying trust that can bring about the social cohesion that is needed in rural areas».
According to a release issued by the Romanian Patriarchate, «the plot of land is a God's gift and man has the holy responsibility to protect and till it», – and this is why «the cooperation between the Church and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development [MADR] is necessary, the more so as the Romanian village has currently aged and grown poor, needing an active involvement of young people in rural development projects».
«Orthodox parishes have always got involved in the development of the Romanian village through a spiritual, educational cultural and social activity carried out in the Romanian communities living in rural areas, making an important contribution to promoting and consolidating genuine community values», – also reads the above-mentioned source.
Adapted from AGERPRES