The eco-ethno center from Avdarma village, UTA Gagauzia

On 15th of April 2016, in Avdarma village, Gagauzia, there was held the opening event of the eco-ethno center "Water and Health" – the first one of this kind from the region, providing the visitors with the possibility of knowing more about the potable water from the Bugeac steppe zone, traditions and customs from the South of the Republic of Moldova. The map of the investigated wells, the newsletters about potable water and wells' samples, as well as elements of the national port from the region, are just a part from the exhibits that can be seen by locals and tourists.

Within this event, the Republican Association for the Study of Environmental and Quaternary Period INQUA Moldova, presented its results from the project "Consolidation between NGO and local public authorities and activation of civil society in the struggle for the protection of resources and the quality of potable water in Bugeac steppe", realized with the support of the programme “Strengthening Environmental Governance by Building the Capacity Of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)”, funded by the European Union, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and delivered by the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP).

The event gathered representatives from the Executive Committee of Gagauzia, the mayoralty of the Avdarma village, councilors of the Poland and Hungary Embassies in Chisinau, representatives of the non-governmental organizations from Chisinau and Comrat; the cooperation among public associations and public authorities being one of the project's objective.

The mayor of Avdarma village offered a hall on the second floor of the Business Center for the eco-ethno center "Water and Health". According to the mayor, the center will be a touristic destination, with information regarding the ecological status of the region, as well as the quality of water.

Before the opening, the pupils of the creative house of Avdarma village, presented a theatrical miniature based on folk gagauzian motives about the hidden gold by a rich local from the village. The locals have been searched for it for a long time, and finally found it in the bottom of a dried well. The moral has been reduced to the general objective of the project: "to protect the water, to clean the wells, and to ensure the access to the potable water"

During the event, PA INQUA-Moldova, presented the video-spot, indluding the results of its project.