RESTART Alliance Romania

The North-East Region of Romania (Moldavia)

The North-East Region covers the north-eastern part of the country and is part of the old historical region of Moldova, consisting of six counties: Bacau, Botosani, Iasi, Neamt, Suceava and Vaslui. The area of the region is 36,850 sq. kilometres, representing approximately 15% of Romania's surface. The North-East Region has a population of approximately 3,3 milions of inhabitants, ranked first among the eight regions of the country (16.4% of the total population of Romania).

Dolhești commune – Our Focus Area

The Dolhești commune from Suceava county, is situated in the central part of the region at 15 kilometres from Fălticeni city. The commune is formed of 3 villages: Dolheștii Mari, Dolheștii Mici and Valea Bourei. The 3500 inhabitants are the keepers of old and valuable traditions. Dolheşti is an authentic Moldavian commune, where people are happy with the simple but meaningful life they live and most importantly they are open to share their work, memories and customs.

The Restart+ Community Alliance

Walking through the commune is like going back in time: you can hear the sweet Moldavian songs of the folk association “Străjerii”, or you can meet craftsmen that are keeping the customs unaltered and are practicing their work with passion and enthusiasm. The leader of the folk association, the furrier, the blacksmith and the seamstresses that are sewing traditional Romanian clothes, are part of our Community Alliance.

The Alliance is formed by members actively involved in the development of the community of Dolhești, such as: local promotion leaders, tourism specialists, craftsmen and entrepreneurs. The leader of “Șomuzului Valley” NGO, ms. Mirela Nechita, have started a few networking actions with the local public authority and with the mayor, in order to help the development of the community. The Dolhești community has already taken important steps in local development, by joining forces of members with decision-making power, which is why this project will bring real benefits to the community, being the right place to set up a Community Alliance.