Celebrating the 10th year Anniversary - Nov.20 - Dec.20, 2006 - Special events are being
planned in Philadelphia, Princeton NJ, and New York. Please call for details!
In Bucharest - Romania, a photomontage exhibit "20 years of Promoting Romanian
Culture in US" is being shown at the Association of Visual Artists - Pop de Basesti St.37
The Romanian-American League
The ROMANIAN - AMERICAN LEAGUE was initiated by Rodica Perciali in April 1996 as a network and
incorporated in Pennsylvania in Dec.1999 by Irene Perciali and Rodica Candea. Its goal is to function as a
bridge with Romania and to provide a structure for programs of dialogue, democracy and civic education in
Romania and among Romanians in US and for the promotion of the Romanian economy in the U.S.,
programs such as those that she and other Americans and Romanians in the U.S. have been undertaking
since 1991 under the umbrella of the Romanian Museum in Chicago.. All the work has been donated as
well as several thousands dollars annually.
Types of programs
1. For better organization in democracy and the civil society in Romania, and strategies of cooperation with
the diaspora:
a. For the Civic Alliance and the former president Emil Constantinescu (through projects and grant
proposals for the National Endowment for Democracy, USIA, and other American organizations, and
through multiple meetings in Romania);
b. For the Romanian Democratic Convention - especially in 1992, 1993 and 1996. Direct consulting on
"Forming strategies of cooperation with the diaspora" and on improving internal organization,
communication between parties, and association for common interests. For the opposition in general,
especially in 1996, worked with the PNTCD, USD, UDMR, and ANL in Romania and maintained a political
campaign office in Chicago for 5 weeks. Kept in touch with most of the Romanian communities in the U.S.,
especially with the "voting locations" the League initiated out of Chicago and out of Cincinnati, OH. Also
initiated the "Appeal of 250 Romanians in the U.S. for unity and cooperation among the opposition before
the elections": collected direct signatures and names of supporters over the phone and then sent the
press release to the international media and to Romania as well as to Prof. Emil Constantinescu and the
other opposition parties.
c. For PAC in 1992 and ANL in 1996 as well as contacts with other civic organizations.
2. Programs for economic assistance:
a. Program of economic assistance and marketing for 500 artisans of Romania initiated in May of 1991 in
Chicago - a pilot project with a two mini-grants totaling $4000 and a personal loan of $25,000, with some
support from the Ministry of Culture and UCECOM and 10 cooperatives. Encouraged Romanian folk artists
to organize themselves in an association, close contracts and get help for export to the U.S. Opened a folk
art gallery in Chicago in October 1991 - the first and the only Romanian Gallery in the U.S. ever, continued
here in Philadelphia. She represented the artisans in Trade Shows and at over sixty festivals and fairs.
Unfortunately, this program has not yet been able to reach its full potential for several reasons. First and
foremost is the continued disorganization on the part of the Romanian organizations, and their inability to
cooperate with the structures the League has established through its expertise in American markets.
Hence, the programs for economic assistance are necessarily connected to those for civic training and
organizational advising. Secondly, an American organization, Aid to Artisans, has received a great deal of
the federal money destined for these kinds of artisan development programs; unfortunately, we feel that
Aid to Artisans is using its funds inefficiently and perhaps abusively, and has refused to cooperate with our
organization.
b. Programs and activities to promote the Romanian economy in the U.S., starting with the
"Romanian-American Trade Committee" established in Chicago in 1992, an organization which made
significant contacts between officials, government representatives, and organizations in International
Trade. Participated in business conferences about "Doing Business in Eastern Europe", and organizing in
1993 a three day programs for a delegation of sixty Romanian businessmen, in cooperation and
agreement with the Romanian Chamber of Commerce, the largest Romanian Trade Mission in the U.S.
c. In Romania, initiated meetings with several chambers of commerce and companies and participated in a
Romanian-American conference promoting the concept of ASSOCIATION for companies that need to
export and can not do it alone or with government support. Renewed efforts to help organize some trade
missions coming to the U.S. in the past three year. We would like to see a more cooperative and open
structure of interaction between diaspora organizations and Romanian economic institutions, and will
continue to work towards that goal.
3. Continuous contacts with Romanian officials in the U.S. but also in Romania, including the office of the
president, and with the Romanian press to inform and to stimulate cooperation. Developed seminars and
strategies on topics of expertise for Mrs. Perciali : "Promotion of the Romanian culture and economy in the
US - or lack of it", "Problematic relationship between the diaspora and its mother country - who is at fault
for nonfunctional bridges and many millions of dollars losses?" and other issues in the U.S. that she
strongly felt the Romanian public should be informed about in order to learn ways to solve internal
problems better.
4. Organized many round tables, seminars, lectures and presentations on the topics related to the issues
above, in Romania and the U.S. Many were covered by the press: about 40 articles, and appearances on
Romanian Television. A great deal of promotion especially for the League's latest project: "One year Pilot
Program of helping the Romanian Economy" by donating space for representation and commercialization
in Philadelphia. We hope the Romanian people can get organized soon to take advantage of these
opportunities and expertise.
For recent projects and activities please visit the other web sites files such as "Programs for Romania",
"Internship", "Current Exhibit - Painted Furniture, in Brasov, Romania". Unfortunately our programs meant
to help Romania have not been supported, as they should have been, by the Romanian officials, by the
US Embassy, the NY Economic Consulate, and the Romanian Cultural Institute. These are state run
institutions that have not deeply reformed themselves into more democratic, transparent and professional
institutions; they do not support the efforts of the civic society and more often then not display competitive
and defying attitudes to the non-government organizations , their staff refuses to visit most of the diaspora
and refuse to learn about us and from us. Also they do not present the diaspora's efforts, including ours to
the people of Romania depriving them of our resources, experience, commitment, and achievements.
planned in Philadelphia, Princeton NJ, and New York. Please call for details!
In Bucharest - Romania, a photomontage exhibit "20 years of Promoting Romanian
Culture in US" is being shown at the Association of Visual Artists - Pop de Basesti St.37
The Romanian-American League
The ROMANIAN - AMERICAN LEAGUE was initiated by Rodica Perciali in April 1996 as a network and
incorporated in Pennsylvania in Dec.1999 by Irene Perciali and Rodica Candea. Its goal is to function as a
bridge with Romania and to provide a structure for programs of dialogue, democracy and civic education in
Romania and among Romanians in US and for the promotion of the Romanian economy in the U.S.,
programs such as those that she and other Americans and Romanians in the U.S. have been undertaking
since 1991 under the umbrella of the Romanian Museum in Chicago.. All the work has been donated as
well as several thousands dollars annually.
Types of programs
1. For better organization in democracy and the civil society in Romania, and strategies of cooperation with
the diaspora:
a. For the Civic Alliance and the former president Emil Constantinescu (through projects and grant
proposals for the National Endowment for Democracy, USIA, and other American organizations, and
through multiple meetings in Romania);
b. For the Romanian Democratic Convention - especially in 1992, 1993 and 1996. Direct consulting on
"Forming strategies of cooperation with the diaspora" and on improving internal organization,
communication between parties, and association for common interests. For the opposition in general,
especially in 1996, worked with the PNTCD, USD, UDMR, and ANL in Romania and maintained a political
campaign office in Chicago for 5 weeks. Kept in touch with most of the Romanian communities in the U.S.,
especially with the "voting locations" the League initiated out of Chicago and out of Cincinnati, OH. Also
initiated the "Appeal of 250 Romanians in the U.S. for unity and cooperation among the opposition before
the elections": collected direct signatures and names of supporters over the phone and then sent the
press release to the international media and to Romania as well as to Prof. Emil Constantinescu and the
other opposition parties.
c. For PAC in 1992 and ANL in 1996 as well as contacts with other civic organizations.
2. Programs for economic assistance:
a. Program of economic assistance and marketing for 500 artisans of Romania initiated in May of 1991 in
Chicago - a pilot project with a two mini-grants totaling $4000 and a personal loan of $25,000, with some
support from the Ministry of Culture and UCECOM and 10 cooperatives. Encouraged Romanian folk artists
to organize themselves in an association, close contracts and get help for export to the U.S. Opened a folk
art gallery in Chicago in October 1991 - the first and the only Romanian Gallery in the U.S. ever, continued
here in Philadelphia. She represented the artisans in Trade Shows and at over sixty festivals and fairs.
Unfortunately, this program has not yet been able to reach its full potential for several reasons. First and
foremost is the continued disorganization on the part of the Romanian organizations, and their inability to
cooperate with the structures the League has established through its expertise in American markets.
Hence, the programs for economic assistance are necessarily connected to those for civic training and
organizational advising. Secondly, an American organization, Aid to Artisans, has received a great deal of
the federal money destined for these kinds of artisan development programs; unfortunately, we feel that
Aid to Artisans is using its funds inefficiently and perhaps abusively, and has refused to cooperate with our
organization.
b. Programs and activities to promote the Romanian economy in the U.S., starting with the
"Romanian-American Trade Committee" established in Chicago in 1992, an organization which made
significant contacts between officials, government representatives, and organizations in International
Trade. Participated in business conferences about "Doing Business in Eastern Europe", and organizing in
1993 a three day programs for a delegation of sixty Romanian businessmen, in cooperation and
agreement with the Romanian Chamber of Commerce, the largest Romanian Trade Mission in the U.S.
c. In Romania, initiated meetings with several chambers of commerce and companies and participated in a
Romanian-American conference promoting the concept of ASSOCIATION for companies that need to
export and can not do it alone or with government support. Renewed efforts to help organize some trade
missions coming to the U.S. in the past three year. We would like to see a more cooperative and open
structure of interaction between diaspora organizations and Romanian economic institutions, and will
continue to work towards that goal.
3. Continuous contacts with Romanian officials in the U.S. but also in Romania, including the office of the
president, and with the Romanian press to inform and to stimulate cooperation. Developed seminars and
strategies on topics of expertise for Mrs. Perciali : "Promotion of the Romanian culture and economy in the
US - or lack of it", "Problematic relationship between the diaspora and its mother country - who is at fault
for nonfunctional bridges and many millions of dollars losses?" and other issues in the U.S. that she
strongly felt the Romanian public should be informed about in order to learn ways to solve internal
problems better.
4. Organized many round tables, seminars, lectures and presentations on the topics related to the issues
above, in Romania and the U.S. Many were covered by the press: about 40 articles, and appearances on
Romanian Television. A great deal of promotion especially for the League's latest project: "One year Pilot
Program of helping the Romanian Economy" by donating space for representation and commercialization
in Philadelphia. We hope the Romanian people can get organized soon to take advantage of these
opportunities and expertise.
For recent projects and activities please visit the other web sites files such as "Programs for Romania",
"Internship", "Current Exhibit - Painted Furniture, in Brasov, Romania". Unfortunately our programs meant
to help Romania have not been supported, as they should have been, by the Romanian officials, by the
US Embassy, the NY Economic Consulate, and the Romanian Cultural Institute. These are state run
institutions that have not deeply reformed themselves into more democratic, transparent and professional
institutions; they do not support the efforts of the civic society and more often then not display competitive
and defying attitudes to the non-government organizations , their staff refuses to visit most of the diaspora
and refuse to learn about us and from us. Also they do not present the diaspora's efforts, including ours to
the people of Romania depriving them of our resources, experience, commitment, and achievements.
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1606 Spruce St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215/732-6780
office@romanianculture.us
ro_am_league@yahoo.com
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215/732-6780
office@romanianculture.us
ro_am_league@yahoo.com
| For January announcements - check back soon Tentative events in New York at the Romanian Consulate around Jan. 12 or Jan. 24, 2007 (the Romanian Union Day) |
1606 Spruce St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215/732-6780
office@romanianculture.us
ro_am_league@yahoo.com
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215/732-6780
office@romanianculture.us
ro_am_league@yahoo.com
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