She is an expert in international relations, has worked at the Permanent Mission of Romania to the International Organisations in Vienna, was Deputy Director in her country’s NATO Department and was committed to European integration after the end of communism in Romania. Ambassador of Romania H.E. Adriana Stanescu is passionate about Europe. Where she feels at home – that’s what she talked about with the Diplomatic Magazine.
DM: Diplomats are usually in one place only for a few years and then change countries. Is that more of an exciting challenge or an unpleasant side effect of your job?
H.E. Adriana Stanescu: Your question gives me the opportunity to look with gratitude at my profession, which indeed requires a considerable amount of flexibility and openness for new ideas, people and contexts, for different societal, institutional and cultural environments. On the other hand, if I think of my career path, my diplomatic life has all evolved around Europe, actually between Bucharest, Vienna and Berlin. Moreover, I luckily belong to the generation of Romanians who had the chance to live through the reunification of Europe, meaning that I could experience directly the tremendous transformations of the last three decades that led to the rediscovery of the wholeness of our continent, as a cohesive space, based on a shared heritage of culture, knowledge and values.
And so it happened that, despite changing stations several times in my career, as our countries and societies gradually came closer together, I have increasingly experienced the feeling of home in all these European capitals. And this feeling starts from simple things: from the organization details at the airport to the press and books stands, from the brands you may meet to the relaxed conversation you may have with your neighbour in a restaurant. It is crystal clear: here you are “at home“!
DM: How do you feel about Germany as a temporary home? Has Germany become a little bit of home?
H.E. Adriana Stanescu: I am pleased to serve as Ambassador of my country in Berlin, but this is not my first experience in Germany, as I have previously acted as deputy to the Ambassador from 2011 to 2016. Thus, I would say that my return to Berlin makes me feel more “at home” than I would be in another country. There are many things I admire about Germany, the country and its people. If I were to mention one thing, that is the German dedication to a whole, cohesive and prosperous Europe, its vocation to reunite West and East, North and South, old and new Europe, its continuous effort for building bridges, and for integrating Europe and creating that common space worth living in for any European citizen.
Germany has also become home to many Romanian citizens, who had left the country in large numbers, and now represent the fourth community of foreign citizens in Germany. Among them there are over 6,000 doctors – the largest group of foreign doctors from any European country –, outstanding university professors and researchers, much appreciated IT specialists, remarkable artists and culture professionals, top managers, consultants, but also social assistants and workers from all fields of activity. All these people bring with them a piece of their homeland, building bridges between people, countries and cultures.
In a country like Germany you can meet well-known professional personalities originating from Romania, who are warmly valued here, such as: The writer Herta Müller and Prof. Dr. Stefan Hell, Nobel Prize winners; Academy Prof. Dr. Anca-Ligia Grosu, member of the Leopoldina Academy; international actors such as Alexandra Maria Lara and Sabin Tambrea; highly regarded musicians such as Peter Maffay, but also orchestra conductors such as Cristian Măcelaru, or musicians such as Andrei Ioniță, Mihaela Martin or Laurențiu Dincă; visual artists such as Adrian Ghenie or Victor Man and others – you can’t help but feel that you are somehow “at home”.
DM: Fundamentally, what or where is home for you? Is it the family? A place? What is special about your homeland Romania?
H.E. Adriana Stanescu: For me, “home” is first of all that unseen and yet extremely consistent bond with all those sharing a certain emotion for the Romanian language, for the Romanian space and culture, a background involving a common history and common belief in strong cultural values.
In Europe, you cannot come out of nowhere. We all come from a heritage of culture, knowledge, creation and sensitivity. These signs “from home” could be found sometimes in Germany, too. In Berlin there are fewer Romanian products or symbols recalling from the memory the feeling of “home”. But in the south of the country, the signs of a Romanian presence and even the language or the churches are more visible. Romanians living here have brought with them a part of their beautiful, hardworking and creative Romania, which we know from “home”, thus making their presence a true success story also for their country of adoption.
Interview Marie Wildermann