A New Beginning in Cahul: Peace Corps Volunteer Ivan’s First Community Visit

The Regional Community Development Center is pleased to announce the beginning of a new stage of collaboration with Ivan, who has joined our team for a two-year period through the Peace Corps Moldova programme.

On July 3, the CRDC team took part in the Partners and Volunteers Conference organized by Peace Corps, where we officially met Ivan. Originally from Miami, he brings valuable experience in entrepreneurship and marketing, along with a strong motivation to contribute to the development of the local community while pursuing his own personal and professional growth.

Ivan’s first visit to the community was dynamic and full of discovery. Over the course of three days, together with the CRDC team, he explored the city of Cahul to better understand its history, culture, and social life. A particularly meaningful moment was attending the closing of the “Nufărul Alb” Festival, where Ivan discovered local traditions and the cultural diversity of the region.

The visit also included moments of reflection and historical awareness, such as participation in the commemoration ceremony for the victims of Stalinist deportations and the screening of the documentary “Siberia from Bones,” which offered him a deeper perspective on the country’s collective memory and historical experience.

The community orientation continued with visits to the Cahul Regional Museum, the Palace of Culture, Grigore Vieru Park, the “Nufărul Alb” Sanatorium, local memorials, and Lake Frumoasa—each place contributing to a broader understanding of the city’s heritage and identity.

Equally important were the interactions with the people who shape the life of the community. Ivan had the opportunity to meet the Mayor of Cahul, Nicolae Dandiș, and to engage with the teams of Community Center Cahul, the Cahul District Youth Center, the Cahul Municipal Youth Center, and Contact–Cahul—key partners in our community work.

We are pleased with this promising beginning and confident that, together with Ivan, we will develop meaningful initiatives for the community, ensuring long-term impact through collaboration, mutual learning, and civic engagement.