Saturday 16 October 2010
THE RATIU FOUNDATION ANNUAL MEETING & BOW-TIE PARTY 3rd edition
Presentations from 11.00.
Reception from 18.30.
Manchester Square, 18 Fitzhardinge Street, London W1H 6EQ (see map here)
Dear Friends,
Some of you, our older acquaintances, might know that we like to organise each year in London a celebration for the Ratiu Foundation scholars, partners and friends – the Ratiu Foundation Annual Meeting.
This year’s edition will take place on Saturday 16 October 2010, starting with a session of presentations at 11.00 and a reception at 18.30. We would be delighted if you could attend this event at our building in Manchester Square, 18 Fitzhardinge Street, London W1H 6EQ.
Confirmation is necessary. RSVP at mail@ratiufamilyfoundation.com by Friday 15 October 2010 at the latest.
Through this event we would like to remember and celebrate the legacy of the great Romanian patriot and humanitarian Ion Ratiu, who established the Ratiu Foundation back in 1979, together with his wife, Elisabeth Ratiu.
The programme of presentations starts at 11.00, lasting until 16.00, with two breaks. The presentations will be delivered in a round-table system, in sessions of 15 minutes followed by 15 minute discussions. These round table discussions with fellow Ratiu Scholars and Alumni are hosted and moderated by Dr Mike Phillips OBE. Subjects range from cultural policies to funeral rituals in Romanian villages, and the image of Nicolae Ceausescu in Romanian art. The programme of presentations will be followed at 18.30 by a reception.
Starting with 2009, we began calling the reception following the Annual Meeting by the surname of ‘Bow-Tie Party’. Some time ago, we came up with the idea of all participants at the reception wearing bow-ties. The late Ion Ratiu (6 June 1917 – 17 January 2000), the well known democracy campaigner, lawyer, journalist, writer, politician, businessman and philanthropist, was a devotee of this particular piece of apparel, so much so that he was affectionately known and recognised in Romania as ‘Mr Bow-Tie’. Wearing a bow-tie for this occasion would be a very appropriate way to help us remember and celebrate this great man, whose generosity made your studies and projects and our activity and partnerships possible.
Dress as informally as you like, casual yet smart, BUT it would be wonderful if you could wear a bow-tie (this is valid for girls and boys as well). Just to make sure there will be no misunderstandings, we will repeat last years’ advice:
THIS IS NOT A BLACK TIE EVENT! Although, if you have a full dinner suit, you are most welcome to wear it. The bow-tie could be a clip-on, a butterfly-broach, a toy one, drawn on paper, a hand-made one or even an imaginary one. It’s the state of mind that matters, not the dress. Dress casual and comfortable.
It will be a fine occasion for us all to meet in a relaxed and informal atmosphere in our building in Manchester Square. Attendees will be scholars, students and researchers of all sorts, project managers, and cultural promoters. We promise you all this will be an excellent occasion for us to meet and update each other on the progress of our work and an opportunity to develop new ideas. We also guarantee a good party atmosphere.
Our Trustees will be present at the festivities and are looking forward to meeting you all and talking to you about your work and plans for the future.
We are looking forward to welcoming you on 16 October,
Nicolae Ratiu, Chairman
Ramona Mitrica, Director
The Ratiu Foundation in London was established in 1979, by Ion and Elisabeth Ratiu.
The main objective of the Foundation is to promote and support projects which promote further education and research in the culture and history of Romania and its people.
At the moment, the Foundation maintains offices in London, Washington, Turda and Bucharest and is one of the main independent supporters of educational, cultural, civil society projects in Romania.
The Ratiu Foundation offers 100 annual grants, principally for postgraduate courses. The Ratiu grants are awarded to Romanian students to study a wide range of subjects in the UK. The Ratiu Foundation also offers annual seed funding for innovative projects, which foster Romanian arts and civilisation, heritage, civil society, democracy, and environmental protection.
More details on www.ratiufamilyfoundation.com
