The Association of Romanian students and PhD students in France ADERF and Café des Roumains website have recently launched Je Suis Roumain (aussi), a project that shows the diversity of the Romanian community in France and fights against discrimination and existing stereotypes.

The project includes a series of portraits (written, photo, or video interviews) of the members of the Romanian community in France. Participants to this project are invited to talk about their experience in the region, in relation to public institutions, or to colleagues from work or school, in everyday life. The project presents Romanian people of different ages, from different social and professional categories.

On the first and 15th day of each month, a new portrait is posted on cafedesroumains.com. So far, the project included several portraits: of a young Romanian woman - Adela, of Andra Tonitza (in opening picture) - the last descendent of the Romanian painter Nicolae Tonitza (her story here, in French), Ionel - a project manager in a large French energy group, Romanian photographer Ovidiu Tataru and Sarah Taher a young woman born in Romania, with a Lebanese father and a Romanian mother- her story in French here. Find their stories and read more about the project here (in French).

Nine paintings signed by Romanian master Nicolae Tonitza recently sold for a total amount of over EUR 122,000 in an auction organized by the Sadde Auction House, France, according to Mediafax. The paintings came from the private collection of Stefania Manoliu, who was a friend and student of the Romanian painter Tonitza.

Nicolae Tonitza (1886 – 1940) was arguably the leading Romanian artist of his time and his paintings regularly fetch prices between EUR 150,000 and EUR 200,000 in auctions. His painting In iatac/In the Bedroom holds the record for a Romanian painting at auction – sold for EUR 290,000 in 2011.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: cafedesroumains.com)