This year, the campaign started in the Republic of Moldova with a cleanup event in Oxentea village, located in Dubăsari raion, on the bank of the Nistru river. More than 120 people signed up for cleaning up Oxentea. Upon the end of the event, altogether diplomats, employees, gymnasium students and the local residents cleaned up the local park in Oxentea, gathering dozens of sacks, having the collected garbage separated into paper, plastic, glass for further easier recycling.

“Cleaning up a village is as important as promoting a cleaner planet. This is why the European Union is doing both to protect the environment, generate less waste and less pollution. Today, in Oxentea, we all proved that with collective efforts we can change for better the place where we live, work or study. On this occasion, I invite everyone to support this initiative close to your home and engage together your families, friends and the whole community. Let’s make it a lifestyle, a useful habit!”, stated Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

The campaign dedicated to Cleanup Day in the Republic of Moldova is run by the National Environmental Centre (NEC) at the national level.

World Cleanup Day is an annual global social action programme aimed at combating the global mismanaged waste crisis, including the problem of marine debris. World Cleanup Day unites millions of volunteers, governments and organizations, in 197 countries and territories, to tackle the global mismanaged waste crisis and to help create a new, more sustainable world.

The Cleanup Day event in Oxentea village is aligned with the overall campaign dedicated to the EU Climate and Green Diplomacy Weeks, marked in the Republic of Moldova in September and October, under the theme ‘Building the future: green energy, renewables and equal chances’. The EU Climate and Green Diplomacy Weeks started with the Festival “Sun Dă-i Fest” and will conclude with the international United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 28), planned between 30 November – 12 December 2023.

Background information:

In the field of environment and climate change, the European Union is supporting the Republic of Moldova through a number of initiatives, including:

• EU4Environment – #Water Resources and Environmental Data in the Republic of Moldova continues to support the Republic of Moldova in conserving its natural resources in line with the European Green Deal and a post-COVID-19 environmental recovery. For more details: https://eu4waterdata.eu/en/
• EU4Environment – #Green Economy works with partner countries in the East to achieve policy and legislative change, to green planning and investment, to stimulate the adoption of innovative technologies, to adopt new business models and to create green jobs. For more details: https://www. eu4environment.org/
• EU4Climate supports the development and implementation of climate policies by the Eastern Partnership countries, contributing to low emission and climate resilient development, as well as to their commitments to the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. For more details: https:// eu4climate.eu/
• LIFE Programme is the only EU funding programme exclusively geared towards the support of environmental projects aiming at contributing to the transition to a sustainable and efficient economy based on renewable energy sources and circular economy principles, as well as protecting the nature, improving the quality of air and water, increasing treatment of wastewater. For more details: https://cinea.ec.europa. eu/programmes/life_en.