Madam, - The Ireland Romania Cultural Foundation works to improve cultural relations between Ireland and Romania.
In the recent controversy about the Roma in Dublin, many realities about Romania were hidden. Let us remember that we are dealing with a seriously damaged and dysfunctional society, which has emerged only recently from decades of oppression under Communism and the appalling megalomania of Ceausescu. In years of visiting and working in Romania, I have watched and admired the difficult work of recovery and the courage of those trying to bring it about.
Under Ceausescu, no freedom of speech or association was allowed. Therefore, unlike in Ireland, old hatreds, fears and prejudices were never put under the scrutiny of a free and democratic society. The Romanian government, and others in the region, are now trying to cope with the results of the new freedoms, and are doing so with difficulty and with hardly any resources.
They need help from wealthier and more experienced countries in tackling, among other things, the historic poverty and exclusion of the Roma minority across Eastern Europe.
Romania is extraordinarily rich in culture. Its writers, dramatists, poets, composers, sculptors, painters, singers, musicians and actors are a largely unknown rich resource for the enlarged European Union and the world. The Romanian people are gifted and charming. We in the foundation would hate to think that Irish people would confine their view of Romania to a highly visible but unrepresentative group of people who are caught in a sort of time-warp, and whose lot, we fervently hope, will be improved as soon as possible.
We will be redoubling our efforts to enrich both Romanian and Irish society by a broad programme of cultural exchanges and interaction. - Yours, etc,
GEMMA HUSSEY, Chair, Ireland Romania Cultural Foundation, Burlington Road, Dublin 4.