At Comrat State University, a scientific and methodological conference was held within the framework of the Decade of “Memory and Gratitude”, initiated by the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova. The event took place on March 18, 2026, and brought together university lecturers and history teachers from pre-university, university, and vocational education institutions of ATU Gagauzia, as well as students, school pupils, representatives of museums, libraries, and invited guests.
The conference was devoted to reflecting on significant historical events that shape the historical and collective memory of the Republic of Moldova: the armed conflict for the defense of the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova in 1992, the memory of deportations and Soviet repressions, as well as the memory of the famine of 1921, 1932–1933, and 1946–1947. The participants focused on issues of historical memory, preserving the truth about the tragic pages of the past, and fostering civic responsibility among young people.
Welcome addresses were delivered by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova and the leadership of Comrat State University. During the conference, presentations were made on the reflection of the Transnistrian conflict in history textbooks, the repressive policy of the Soviet regime toward Gagauz villages, the famine of 1946–1947 in the history and memory of the settlements of southern Moldova, as well as on the development of empathy among students while studying complex historical topics. The presentations by researchers, museum professionals, teachers, and pupils, who presented both scholarly reports and project works, aroused particular interest.
The conference moderators were: Petr Pashaly, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Lecturer; Anna Nyagova, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor; Sofia Panaitova, Director of the Public Institution, S. Demirel Moldovan-Turkish Theoretical Lyceum, Congaz village, Chief Methodologist of the Center for Curriculum Management and Continuous Professional Development of the Main Directorate of Education of ATU Gagauzia. The event became an important platform for professional dialogue, exchange of experience, and discussion of ways to preserve historical memory in the educational environment. Comrat State University continues to support initiatives aimed at developing historical consciousness, civic values, and a culture of memory among the younger generation.
Publication prepared by: Kurteva Oksana, Doctor, Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of National Culture
