Embassy Press Release

Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Nicholas F. Taubman
Cluj-Napoca Art Museum at Banffy Palace

Cluj-Napoca, Romania
December 12, 2006

Director Dragoi,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It's an honor and a pleasure to be here today in the beautiful city of Cluj-Napoca, and to be back at the Cluj-Napoca Art Museum here in the Banffy Palace. Mrs. Taubman and I very much enjoyed our previous visit to this beautiful museum.

Yesterday I visited the Cluj County Library, where we opened a new American Corner, which brings books another other American materials to the citizens of Cluj. We are hopeful that this partnership will lead to a more prominent American cultural presence in Cluj.

I am here today on another important cultural mission, and that is to lend our support to your efforts to restore and invest in Cluj’s historic city center. Restoring and renovating this area will bring new life to Cluj by restoring pride in the city, attracting more tourists and visitors and generating new economic opportunities for its residents.

I am a strong believer in investment as the path to economic and democratic development. And by investment, I don’t just mean developing infrastructure and building of factories and creating businesses, although these are all critical to Romania’s future.

It is also important to invest in people, by investing in education, health, social services and in culture. Such investments are important to the health of any democracy, particularly to one that is seeking to overcome the difficult legacy of Communist rule.

By integrating into the European Union, Romania is certainly on the right path. In joining the EU, you have elected to join a community of nations that shares important democratic values. Of course, full integration will take many years and a great deal of serious work, but you are headed in the right direction.

As the American Ambassador to Romania, I believe it is important for me to encourage American businesses to come and invest here, and to contribute to Romania’s renewal. I have encouraged many American companies to come here, and will continue to do so.

But I believe it is also important for me to encourage the right kind of social investments, investments in education, health care, social services and culture – in short: investments in people.

The United States stands ready, along with its European partners, to continue to support Romanian reform, including in the vitally important social and cultural spheres.

Our goal is to help you build the kind of society we all want: a democratic, supportive, inclusive and caring community that can provide its people both with jobs and economic opportunities as well as quality education, health care and social support.

Today I would like to offer a gesture of American support for Romania’s cultural development through a small grant of $30,000 to help restore the façade of this lovely palace.

This grant is offered through the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, a U.S. program designed to support foreign efforts to preserve and protect cultural heritage.

Mrs. Dragoi, I am pleased to offer you this grant of $30,000 for your important project. I hope it will contribute to its success.

Thank you for your attention.

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