‘Energy Diplomacy’, the first volume of the Mihnea Constantinescu-Emblematic Romania trilogy, was launched in memory of the renowned ambassador

At more than three years after the departure of Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu, the Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu Association in partnership with the Emblematic Romania Association and the Polytechnic University of Bucharest organized on March 31, 2022, within the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, the launching event of ‘Energy Diplomacy’ book.

The event was attended by diplomats, personalities in the energy sector and former and current students of the Faculty of Energy. “Energy Diplomacy” is the first volume of the Mihnea Constantinescu-Emblematic Romania trilogy, a series of three volumes, organized on the three major areas to which the former ambassador had important contributions: Energy Diplomacy, Holocaust Memory and Diplomacy. The volumes contain the testimonies of over 60 personalities from the three fields and highlight in a documentary style both the image of the man and the professional Mihnea Constantinescu and of an interesting epoch in the history of Romania.

Mrs. Silvia Vlăsceanu, executive director of HENRO moderated the whole event for the launch of the first volume of the trilogy, “Energy Diplomacy”. Among the speakers were Luminița Odobescu, Presidential Adviser for European Affairs, Petre Roman, former Prime Minister of Romania, Horia Necula, Vice-Rector of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest (UPB), Elena Popescu, Director General in the Ministry of Energy, Corina Popescu, Director General of Electrica, Tiberiu Apostol, UPB professor, Elena Ratcu, coordinator of the Energy Diplomacy volume and advisor to the World Energy Council – Romanian National Committee, Cora Stăvărescu, president of the Ambassador Association Mihnea Constantinescu and Camelia Botezatu, president of the Romanian Emblematic Association.

“The Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu Association was founded precisely to gather under the same dome friends, relatives, collaborators of Mihnea. Mihnea called me Minodora, like all other family members; and today I feel more like Minodora instead of Cora Stăvărescu, president of the Amb Association Mihnea Constantinescu. Due to each of you, those present at the launch and those who contributed to the writing of this first volume Energy Diplomacy of the Mihnea Constantinescu trilogy – Emblematic Romania, we always will keep a part of Mihnea. So, a first goal has been achieved“, mentioned Cora Minodora Stăvărescu, President of the “Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu Association” (AAMC).

“The concept and name of the trilogy was born from the partnership between the Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu Association and the Emblematic Romania Association. Mihnea Constantinescu is a landmark, a model to follow and comes to complete the panoply of emblematic personalities for Romania “, mentioned Camelia Botezatu, President of the Romanian Emblematic Association. “Mihnea Constantinescu raised generations of young diplomats. I learned a lot from him. He was always one step ahead. He was a convinced pro-Atlanticist “, mentioned Luminița Odobescu, Presidential Adviser for European Affairs.

“He was an excellent diplomat, an excellent energy professional and had an energetic vision. The current situation in today’s market proves that those concepts that we supported and validated with Mihnea in the past, such as diversification of sources, routes, interconnections, that constant opposition to Russia’s energy dependence on Mihnea proved to be it was very good, ”said Elena Popescu, general manager within Ministry of Energy.

“We are launching this trilogy at an important time for us. When I think of Mihnea, I think of energy security. I’m thinking about what’s going on around us today. Few of us know that the greatest help that Romania has given to those in Ukraine and Moldova has been to succeed in a very short period of time to fulfill one of Mihnea’s dreams, to interconnect with the Republic of Moldova and to export energy security to them now. during the war. He was a man who knew what it took to build the energy system, ”said Corina Popescu, General Manager of Electrica.

Mihnea Constantinescu pursued a career of over 30 years, in positions of maximum responsibility as a civil servant and diplomat. He also served as the personal assistant of Prime Minister Petre Roman, chief of staff to Prime Minister Theodor Stolojan (1991-1992), spokesman for the government (1990-1991), and after the 1992 Romanian parliamentary elections, his chief of staff Mişu Negrițoiu, at that time Minister of State for Coordination, Strategy and Reform in the Văcăroiu Government. He left the Văcăroiu Government together with Mişu Negrițoiu, at his resignation in 1993, after which, he did an internship in the USA, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu Association was founded in 2018 at the initiative of the family members of the great Romanian diplomat, Mihnea Constantinescu and of a close friend of his, Mr. Ion Sterian, General Manager of Transgaz. The purpose of the Association is to preserve the memory of the great Romanian diplomat, as well as to carry forward the projects of the former ambassador where he had important contributions: Energy Diplomacy, Holocaust Memory and Diplomacy.

The EMBLEMATIC ROMANIA Association, founded together with the cosmonaut Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu – himself emblematic for Romania and promoter of the cultural and scientific values of our country – aims to promote Romania in all essential and identity aspects of its culture, by capitalizing on the relevant historical heritage but and by presenting contemporary aspects. The Emblematic Romania concept brings to the fore significant landmarks: people, places, facts, institutions. EMBLEMATIC ROMANIA, as a sign, can be a recommendation and guarantor of personalities, product quality and outstanding objectives.