In celebration of 100 years since WW 1, the Ministry of National Defence organizes events to commemorate the heroes who fell in combat or as prisoners during the worldwide conflagration.

Military and religious ceremonies in memory of the over 330,000 soldiers, who paid with their lives for their homeland during this conflagration, will be organized across the country as follows:

•Friday, August 26 - At 10.00 hrs., for the first time, in 100 cemeteries or memorials there will be ceremonies with Solemn utterance of the names of the heroes who fell during World War 1. Military, political, social and cultural officials, soldiers injured in theaters of operations, heroes' children, families of WW1 heroes and citizens will read the heroes' names. From 17.45 hrs., a similar ceremony will take place in Tricolorului Square in Bucharest (in fron of the Palace of the National Military Club).

•Saturday, August 27 At 11.00 hrs., a wreath-laying military ceremony will be organized at the Horoes' Cemetery in Curtea de Arges; at 12.00 hrs., a vigil lamp will be laid at the tomb of King Ferdinand I, followed by a prayer for the dead at the Cathedral.

•Also Saturday At 09.00 hrs., a ceremony will take place at the Monument of the first Romanian officer to fall on duty during WW1, in Fundata, Brasov County.

•At 21.00 hrs., Romanian troops will cross again the Carpathians, in symbolic rememberance. Troops organized in platoons will carry out tactical marches on the main routes crossed precisely 100 years ago by the Romanian soldiers who were conquering the passes in the Carpathian Mountains, to allow the passage of the Romanian divisions in offensive.

•Sunday, August 28 - At 12.30 hrs., a commemoration will take place at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Carol Park, that will include a prayer for the dead heroes and wreath-laying ceremony as well as a short performance of the Military Tradition Association.

•Monday, August 29, at 18.00 hrs., a round table will be organized on Romania's Joining World War 1 and its consequences on the conflagration, while starting 20.00 hrs., there will be a drill team and a military band concert.

The Ministry of National Defence invites the citizens to participate in all these activities meant to commemorate WW 1 heroes.

* * *

Unified Romania was mainly built with the sacrifice of the soldiers who fell on the battlefields at home or as prisoners, heroes who put the wellbeing of the nation above their own lives.
Over 330,000 Romanian soldiers lost their lives during the worldwide conflagration, while 76,000 others became invalid. On top of them, there were civil casualties, people killed by deseases, famine or the occupation troops.

By the Romanian Government Decision No. 821/2015, with the additional alterations and completitions, the national Program was sanctioned regarding the events organized to mark the anniversary of WW1 Centenary. At the suggestion of the Prime Minister, the activities are conducted under the High Patronage of the President of Romania.

Press Department