Cleopatra Lorintiu « Opinions »

Granted by Cleopatra Lorintiu

"I do not believe  the shining  stars ”

Interview by  Mariana Braescu  for  SLAST October  1983, Nr. 2

"The cultural event of Toronto  makes cuff in Romania,"interview  for The Express of Toronto, week of January 30 to February 5, 2001

“Interview with Cleopatra Lorintiu” published in Info TVR, 2001by  Anda Orban about the prize for her documentary "Cantacuzino Palace"

 Interview granted for the magazine  "Casa  Lux, 2000

A charming world , interview  by Florenta Talmaciu for the newspaper "Ultima ora" about the "Canadian Diary" a documentary written, realized and filmed by Cleopatra Lorintiu in Toronto and Edmonton (Alberta) 6 feb2001 interview granted to Florenta Talmaciu in "Ultima ora" February 6, 2001

The sense of the interview , interview granted for Romanian Television, September 2002

See below an interview granted for Romanian TV by Clara Margineanu

Opinions

"Patriotism is not an obsolete concept in this world of globalization in which only the membership of the nation can save us" in the book "Romania. La road towards Brussels" editions and Cultures European Conphys 2006 granted to Ioan Barbu

Note: the translation of this interview is automatically

With the kindness of a great lady , with the spontaneity of the poetess and of a journalist, with the depth and the scholarship of the woman of culture and the elegance of the diplomat, Mrs Cleopatra Lorintiu offered to me, by the answers brought to my questions, a true treat of intelligence, good direction, comprehension of this world where we live, and of love for Romania.

   How did you succeed in the life, dear Mrs Cleopatra Lorintiu? It was said to me that you were a courageous woman. Essential thing: even “fighter”...

   I always had the temptation of the provocations, which they are cultural, intellectual or professional. My life had a rather broken course, with much of professional changes, but always with the conservation of a direction. If my ideal were always related to the literature, that does not mean which I wasted my time during the most 12 years that I passed in journalism, more particularly to television. From these 12 years and some of journalism, I had to learn anything else: the diplomacy and the international politics. It appears to me now that I am all the time occupied by this passion: the international politics and geostrategy. However, I know well that all converges in a point, that information is certainly complementary and that there is a complementarily. When I am optimistic, I say only that I enormously made things in very different directions. When I am pessimistic, I think that I scattered.
    My fighter spirit involved me not to accept the compromises, to be faithful with myself, to accept the consequences of my decisions, even if these consequences are not favourable for me "I always fight t" for something: the publication of a book (you remember the difficulties before...) and survival (I lived writing ten hard years, between 1979 and 1989); I fought for the emission which I made for the Rumanians of Chicago, as director independent, in 1992 and 1993; I fought in the team which created "Romania International" with the TVR', in 1995 (at the sides of regretted Felicia Melescanu; but which remembers today these efforts of the beginning, work without counting its hours, as well as confrontation with all the difficulties of the beginning?) ; I fought for my documentary during the period when I was with TVR Cinema, for the launching of the cultural supplement  "Ecart" (supported by Ioan Erhan and Dinu Marin, but one also forgot that).
   And for much of nongovernmental causes, the ideas, for I cannot which hope do something of Rumanian, good, truth...; for each fact, it was a fight; I believe that that is consubstantial with my sign of the zodiac, with my destiny.

   Which role plays professional competence, doubled culture, in the resolution of the problems with which you are confronted?

   Today, when I answer your questions, I completely make another thing which what I made there is three years, or 13 years, or 23 years. That appears different complement, but all that I learned and all that I accumulated was useful to me in my life of diplomat and particularly in my evolution on this layout related to the international politics. At the time of discussions with foreign diplomats or politicians, there is not any day during which I do not put into practice what I read and learned during years.
The people with whom I talks here do not know anything about me, seek a name on Internet and see a list of books in Rumanian language. They did not see my films, they did not read me, and, for them, only one thing counts: how I can communicate instantaneously, how I enter certain conversations, which connections can be carried out. All is always new, which means strong capacity of adaptation, which you need and of which you must be useful yourself constantly.

    Which was the greatest satisfaction of your life? There did it have moments when you were forced to move back?

    I do not believe that I can answer: there are transitory satisfactions and satisfactions over a long duration, some concerning field of the private life, others of the field of the literature. Very often, satisfactions come from the recognition by the others of our work: therefore, when the company gives you a sign of recognition; yes, when we refer about it to satisfactions, the roof, it is that we usually think of the manner with which the others react so that we make. Actually, we are recluses and most important is to have a real satisfaction, in loneliness. Unfortunately, I cannot answer this question. To respect my usual frankness. But here is, a possible answer emerges: my satisfaction was to have been able to be myself and not to change me. I was faithful to myself and this type of fidelity in my connection represented a comfortable feeling. Even if, very often, the consequences were negative, even disastrous on my professional life, my social life or even my private life.
   I had to move back with many recoveries in the life: sometimes, when I understood that I advanced in an erroneous direction. I will give you an example: like all young writer, during the period 1981 to 1989, I aspired to write in the press, to publish and possibly to engage me in a drafting.        Eh well, that was not done for political reasons and taking into account the context of the time. Pretexts, files, adjournments... The only period when I was committed it was temporarily and it was only of... two months, thanks to the goodwill and with the insistent fight of Ion Cristoiu, the SLAST..., the place of a journalist who was in maternity leave. My work card of the time attests this period: it proves that instead of recording ten years of work, I have of them only... two months (the roof is that if, then, I acknowledged myself not overcome and if I did not make concessions, that is seen now with what I lost: my seniority on my work card, a certain comfortable pension and... all advantages that those which were capable of compromise can have today). Therefore, did I then move back? Yes, I gave up finding a work in the press in Romania, I was unemployed and I lived of my only writings, until the revolution. In general, I gave up when it was a question of fight with a system or a large mobile and invincible octopus, which one still perceives the tentacles today.
I believe that it is wise to know to give up and to move back, when you are a fragile being, in the fight with a system or the combat with the large ones and full forces in front of which you are impotent: you cannot accept certain things, but you do not want to lose your dignity either.
I gave you my response for one period prior to 1989 in order to spare the contents of your work. I also had to move back during the period according to 1989.

    Your love for Romania is, say those which know you, a true "passport" of your life. Now, I ask you a very direct question: why do you like Romania? And on what do your feelings compared to Romania rest?

It is again difficult to answer, because the answer is due to the consubstantiality of membership at the Rumanian people. I recognize however fact that I feel certain responsibility since I know that, no matter what I make, no matter what I say, the way with whom I appear is that of a person who represents Romania.
    I had this feeling of the thousands of times. Let me rebound on the pages of my biography: during this year and half where I produced a weekly emission of television in Chicago entitled "the Rumanian spirit" bound for the Rumanian community of Illinois, I knew that other Americans would look at it and have, via what I did - presentation, comments, documentary, interviews - an image of Romania.
     Or during the period when I directed the Drafting of the production for the foreigner of Management Romania International of Romanian Television; I refer to the period going of 1995 to March 1997, whereas all the emissions, displacements, the discussions with the Romanians had for me not only one great importance, but also charged me of a certain type of enormous responsibility. I felt this responsibility at the time of my major meetings with great personalities of the policy, culture, world: I undoubtedly remember the emotion that I had with the Security Council of the United Nations, when regretted Aurel Dragos Munteanu had some personalities of the moment to me. The Secretary General of the United Nations of this time, Javier Pérez de Cuellar, was to point out this circumstance there is little, in his new capacity as ambassador of his country in France, when we were re-examined at the time of a reception in Paris!
    This responsibility, I felt it when I spoke about Romania to the international Conference of literature and globalization of Toronto, in the year 2000, at the time of the congress of the French-speaking writers, or in Paris, at the time of the Symposium on the topic of the relations of the European Union with the Arab world, in 2003; the first time, I intervened as a writer, therefore in my proper name, whereas the second time, I intervened as a diplomat, in other circumstances that those of journalist or director of television. It there has have also circumstances where I have represented company civil, when I occupied myself of the zone not - governmental, with conviction that large changes can to come from this implication from company civil, when I was the spokesman of NGO  and associations, for example at the time of School of summer of UNESCO to Thessalonique , in 2003, where I implied myself with all that was in my capacity on the topics of the combat against the violence and the traffic of the people, within the framework of the debate created by the Pact of stability; I can testify that I did not give up this passion and I have the conviction that I will continue, whatever the difficulty.
    Here are it with what I wanted to come from there: indifferently of the cap that I carry, as say the French, I seek to remain myself, in order not to lower my intellectual, spiritual standards and morals, and with the conviction that it is necessary to be proud and worthy to be Rumanian. I believe that it is that, patriotism. Far from being an obsolete concept in this world from globalization, in which only the differences and the membership of the nation can save us.

    Which impression made you the Romanians who reside abroad? What appreciate and which you on their premises do not appreciate?

I have rather substantial experience as for the Romanians who live abroad: do not forget that, since 1991, I occupied myself in one way or another of this bond with the "Romanians from abroad", that I made open the door of certain houses in which those of Romania were not accommodated yet, immediately after 1990, whom I even approached, you recall, thanks to the good care of Constantin Badea and Mike Teodorescu, Detroit, the billionaire John Rakolta, in the house of which I was: I filmed it and I diffused his interview on the post office Tv Romania 1, in 1994. In my memory, there are hundreds of meetings and events, in Canada and the United States, in Hungary or Greece, where I knew the Romanians of over there. I carried out many emissions with and on them, I published tens of articles and interviews in my books of journalism. I have a special relation with the diasporas. Where that I was, I found Romanians; in these years, the subject attracted me and fascinated me; I always had the conviction that the Romanians having already experience abroad can bring only interesting and saving ideas to us, and that they can only provide us solutions for certain situations and of the remedies to make evolve/move mentalities.
     I believe that that remains valid, including for the Romanians who emigrated recently for economic reasons, which worked or work some share in the world; I believe that that their was useful. They saw other realities, they learned and managed over there. Among those, there are of them some which like the world and believe in the voyages like forms education and of initiation, in the dialogue like formation for the life, in the communication. You will never intend me to criticize the Romanians and to say that they are or are not interdependent; I strongly appreciated them for all that they did, because I have the problem to be oneself and to daze myself if out of at home. Personally, I love the Romanians by far: their patriotism moves me, just as their devotion, their interior tear, their nostalgia of the country, their pride, their courage and, if something is not appropriate to them, I am laid out with always understanding that a reason objectifies in is the cause.
       Thereafter, I believe that the Romanians who are far from the country are the most important and essential "calling card" of Romania in the world.       And so only one of them was to read these lines which I wrote in your book, I would like to thank it and ensure it of my pride of what it makes and of what it is.
    Soon, we will enter, according to any probability, in the European Union. My question is however to know how we will enter, which we will bring and not to bring with us in this new stage of our existence. And I would like to also ask you something, at this point of our dialogue: does there exist - as certain foreigners say it - a certain charm of the Romanians able to attract us sympathy E the regard of Europe?
     I will answer you as a woman of press, by the prism of my activities of journalist, of anybody worried by the international politics. Between brackets, neither my colleagues, nor very often my bosses read one of my books or one of the hundreds of articles which I published; they more did not see one of my documentary and do not know me as anybody "cultural". That disturbed me in no manner and I took the things such as they are: if one should know only my existence of civil servant, then, it is thus. I do not have this type of pride, I have others of them...
    Therefore, what have to bring the Romanians with them? Their correction, their honest competitive spirit, their humane ideals. The respect of the other and the respect of the values, an extreme attention paid to the defense of the Nation.
What do they have not to bring? Above all, all that holds with the practice of the proverb "that bad cold the goat of the neighbor", the approximation, the lack of correction, behavioral inaccuracies. I believe basically in the importance of the culture and the morality of the public servant, the politician, of the diplomat, with their capacity with being altruistic, evaluating the things correctly, to believe in a cause and to fight for it. During these years of preparations for integration in the European Union, I saw men really passions, devoted, who like what they make: however, too many time, these qualities were ignored and those which showed authenticity were not propelled in a sizeable position. I believe that the businessman must be correct and combative, whereas the public servant owes, as for him, devoted and altruistic being. Obviously, in a perfect world! And ours is only... perfectible. I do not expect the miracles. But that hurts me when that which is impassioned and altruistic is put on side, is put at the door, is put on the key, because... it is the life! I have badly when that which is implied and had the feeling to take its responsibilities is drawn aside by small keys, because it disturbs. That which is devoted will not be able to never draw the cover and the cord with oneself, it will be able to make fortune, it will not by no means use its public position for its personal interests. Gradually, this type of altruistic and impassioned people will disappear, and they will be then bad. The government will lose values, and those which are dismissed will become , frustrated... left for account.
With regard to the charm of the Romanians, there exists, undoubtedly: the human and professional value doubled of capacity of communication, joined together sociability and enthusiasm make most specifically Romanian.
In the invisible spiritual cell, let us say, hypothetical, in order not to shock, I believe that we are more tonic than well of other Europeans, with the face turned towards the life and normality rather than towards the depression and the failure. Remainder, each people has his charm and its qualities, but also its defects, for some... specific... or, in any case, certain characteristics. I am not follower of the setting on an artificial pedestal of whomever... One judges the men on their acts, but it is certain that there remained to us "a taste of life" that the others lost. Frankness, I would say.

Still a question that, naturally, I also posed with others: what do you believe that it is necessary for Romania to affirm itself, in a shortest possible lapse of time, in the life economic, political, social, cultural and spiritual of the European Union?

Many things, enormously things. A spirit of competition based on the correction and the respect of the values, I would say.
The passage to the depth of the formal recognition of certain things, values and situations.
The fact of making things in about, as others say, because it is thus, does not change large-thing on the form, but on the bottom. In addition, European construction is complex and is made” au.fil.de.l'.eau.” It was born from a need for peace and comprehension on the continent, then continued with the need for an economic agreement and, finally, currently, it touches practically all that constitutes the life of these countries. It is not simple.

Will the accession of Romania to the European Union mean, as some fear it, weakening - and even disappearance - national identity, sovereignty?

Ah not, to in no case. This thing does not prevent me from sleeping. We will remain... Rumanian. Perhaps we will know more foreign languages, perhaps will learn how us to be more specific, to do a correct work of A to Z, perhaps will be able us to better seize opportunities. I hope that we will become more tolerant with others, even if it think differently, even if it has another colour of skin or another religion.
From the point of view of the good things which we will learn... I can only think of it: that God gives us thousand of them... but perhaps we will also assimilate bad things, I enormously feared some; finally, when you throw yourself to water, you must swim, you do not have the choice.

Which message do you address to the young Romanians who, naturally, will benefit largest of this entry in the European Union?

They will benefit from all that will arrive without being able to think what it was when it was only one project, a hope, a sketch.
What can I wish them of other that to adapt the best possible one and, perhaps, to turn from time to time to the past with wisdom and not with superb. I1 does not exist war between the generations; people which accept the idea of war between the generations are, I believe, lost people. Of all my heart, I hope that this will not arrive to us. Because the fight digs and non productive between the generations is not any more something which is binding on us, or which one asks us of goober like an unhappy virus. It can be a dangerous disease, a bomb with delayed-action, a true danger to our company. Stalinism threw in the pit with the refuse a generation of intellectuals on the basis of file. I hope that "the spirit" of European integration will not throw to the basket a generation of ripe men, only on criteria of age. It would be ridiculous, whereas, in France of today, one describes as "young woman" a 50 year old woman... Here, to finish on a merrier and less pretentious tone.

thank you!

Paris 2006,juin

 (intervew by Ioan Barbu, french translation  J.Yves Conrad, english translation automatically, sorry )

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