Based on the articles of "Nezavisimaya Moldova"
Photographer V. Corcimari

The official opening ceremony of the City Day took place on the square of the Great National Meeting (half an hour before this, the city administration officials had lain the bunches of natural flowers on the monument of the Moldovan gospodar (king) Stephen the Great). The President of the Republic of Moldova and his wife participated in the solemn ceremony. Among others were the Prime Minister of the Republic Ion Sturza, the Parliament Speaker Dumitry Diakov, His Grace Metropolitan of Kishinev and the whole Moldova Vladimir, the heads of the diplomatic missions, accredited in Moldova, and foreign guests, specially arrived in the present holiday.

When the trumpets blared, and the national anthem of the Republic of Moldova was performed, under the melody "My own city - you're a flower of stone" (for some time now - the anthem of Kishinev), was hoisted a flag of the Republic of Moldova. This honorable mission was entrusted to Anatoly Gorbunov, the manager of a joint stock company - "Edilitatea", who was pronounced to be the "person of the year". He was assisted by three "Graces": "miss Chisinau", vice-miss "Europe-99", and vice-miss CIS. The present celebration took place almost at once after the International Day of Elderly People, in year, announced to be the Year of Elderly People; the organizers of the festivity found it to be expedient, in the first queue, to give the veterans, whose contribution in the development of the Moldovan capital is difficult to overestimate, their due. The oldest inhabitant of our city - Anastasya Khripkova, born at the end of XIX century, was treated with the special distinction. She is more than a hundred years now and, according to her relatives', she is ready to meet the third millenium in the circle of her descendants (among them are 16 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren!). She was given a precious gift - a carpet and flowers, on behalf of the city administration. The married couples, who had been living together 50 years, also were not disregarded as well as the known figures in the areas of Moldovan culture, science, sport (including veterans of stage Dominika Darienko, Eugene Ureke, Konstantin Konstantinov, painters Glebus Sainchuk and Valentina Russu-Cebanu, academician Nikolae Corlyteanu, professor Natalia Georgiu and others), who are given the title of honoured citizens of Kishinev. Now they will have the considerable rise to their pensions from the city administration.

The veterans were warmly congratulated by the leaders of the Republic and the city. In its part, the Moldovan capital deserved cordial congratulations on the occasion of its "birthday party" from the foreign guests: one of the oldest deputies of the Italian Parliament, honoured member of the Parliament Assembly of the Council - Julio Ferrarini, General Mayor of Bucharest Viorel Lis and the first deputy of the Kiev city administration - Vladimir Yalovoi.

The pleasant surprise, for the majority of those present in the square, turned out the news announced by Mr Ferrarini: the capital of our state is honoured with the transient honourable flag of the Council of Europe for the vivid participation in the strengthening of the solidarity of the countries, cementing of the international cooperation and consolidation of the principles of democracy. On behalf of PACE he presented the Honourable Flag to the Kishinev General Mayor – Seraphim Urekeanu. In his response message, the Mayor thanked the Council of Europe for the appreciation of the city contribution, and all the guests - for congratulations and requests addressed to the compatriots. According to Urekeanu, the city administration intended to contribute its significant share for the strengthening of the contacts with the capitals of other states and fraternized cities, assist to consolidation of the norms, adopted by the European community in our city. It would confirm the validity of Kishinev's winning this high recognition.

We would like to add, that all the official ceremonies of the City Day were alternating with the plenty of performances of children's and other companies as well as professional performers to any taste. Soon after the ceremony end of the City Day opening, the main square of the Moldovan capital turned into the huge dance pavilion, where the participants of the IV International Festival of Children's Dance were demonstrating their artistry and acting technique. The IV International Festival of Children's Dance was initiated on 29 September and was specially confined to the present holiday. The conclusion of their performance became "Khora Mare", where the Moldovan, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian, Ukrainian and Russians were dancing together, visually showing, that the language of art is accessible and understandable by everybody in spite of his or her nationality.

The same impression was made by the concert, given for numerous spectators, including the leaders of the Republic and its visitors. This concert was given by the local ethnic societies’ actors appearing on the stage in front of the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet.