Minutes of the First General Meeting of the Romanian Diplomats’ Partners Association (RDPA)

On August 22 2007, the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Gafencu Hall, hosted the first general meeting of RDPA. The association is recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is a fully-fledged member of the similar European association - European Union of Foreign Affairs Spouses.

The meeting enjoyed the extraordinary presence of Minister Adrian Cioroianu, of mass-media representatives, of RDPA sponsors and of numerous employees of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ms. Luminta Fatu, president of RDPA, opened the meeting. Other speakers were: Ms. Irinel Cristina Stoica, attorney and honorary member of the Association, Ms. Marilena Stoica, director of School No. 17 “Pia Bratianu” and Ms. Mihaela Geoana, director Red-Cross-Romania and president of the Foundation “Renasterea”.
In her opening statement, Ms. Luminta Fatu expressed her thanks to the leadership and coordinators of the relevant departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that acknowledged and have directly supported the Association, as well as to the sponsors and the representatives of mass-media, which promoted a clear, undistorted image of the purposes and program of the Association.

The participants unanimously voted the RDPA statutes and elected by open votes the heads of the RDPA departments, namely:

1. Ms. Marilena Stoica – head of the Education Department
2. Ms. Tatiana Iosifer – head of the Health Department
3. Ms. Marilena Ionescu – head of the Professional  Reinsertion Department
4. Ms. Luminita Fatu –head of Department  preparing the diplomats’ families before their missions abroad
5. Ms. Jeanette Jaglau – head of Public Diplomacy Department
6. Ms. Daciana Branea – RDPA representative to the EUFASA.

The annual RDPA member fee was established, by vote, to 30 euros.

During the meeting the main ongoing and future projects of the Association have been discussed. Two of them were intensively debated and enjoyed a high consensus, namely:

1. the Summer School project, an educational program online developed with the School nr. 17 “Pia Bratianu” of Bucharest. This program is open to all children of the members of Association;
2. Preparing a 2009 calendar aiming at promoting the RDPA image  and at the same time at making better known the architectural beauty of the Romanian missions abroad (embassies, cultural centers, consulates), wishing to participate in this project.

An other point on the agenda was the necessity to reach agreements with the states where the diplomats’ partners access to labour market is forbidden. In this respect a letter of RDPA will be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting that a potential solution be found in cooperation with the Labour Ministry.

The meeting was followed in the same evening by a cocktail offered by RDPA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Diplomatic Club. Minister Adrian Cioroianu, representatives of mass-media, diplomats accredited in Bucharest as well as other special guests attended and enjoyed the event.