La multi ani, dragi romani! La multi ani, Romania! Happy National Day, Romania! From team Nine O’Clock!
Romanians Celebrate National Day, the 105th Anniversary of the Great Union
The National Day was celebrated with the traditional military parades held in several important cities across the country, including Alba Iulia, where the Union of Transylvania and Romania was proclaimed 104 years ago. The country’s largest military parade takes place in Bucharest’s Arcul de Triumf Square, in the presence of President Klaus Iohannis and numerous politicians, representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps.
History of Great Union Day
Modern Romania appeared after the unification of Moldavia and Wallachia by prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza on 24 January 1859. This act, sometimes known as the Little Union, is now celebrated as the Day of the Unification of the Romanian Principalities (or Little Union Day).
Following the end of World War I, during the reign of King Ferdinand I, Romania almost doubled in size when Transylvania and the provinces of Bessarabia and Bukovina unified with Romania.
The declaration of unification happened in Alba Iulia on December 1st 1918. The declaration was read by Vasile Goldis, a Romanian academician and politician, during a public event that was attended by over 100,000 Romanians.
The Flag of Romania
Romain’s flag is a blue, yellow, and red tricolour flag. The flag’s colours can be traced back to the Ottoman principalities of Moldavia and Walachia that joined to form Romania in 1858. Both principalities flew flags derived from ancient banners–Moldavia’s flag was blue and featured an ox head, while Walachia’s was yellow with an eagle. Walachia also used a naval ensign that featured all three of the colours flown throughout the country today. The first version of the modern Romanian flag appeared in 1848 and the nation officially adopted the current design in 1989.
La multi ani! Happy Great Union Day, Romania!