April 2024 Event: Humanism in Romania – the good, the bad and the unexpected
Monica Belitoiu
Monica Belițoiu has been involved in the humanist movement in Romania for the past 14 years and she is currently serving as the Executive Director of The Romanian Secular-Humanist Association.
With a background in public relations and communication, Monica has a master’s degree in management and business communication and over the years, she has gained extensive experience in the NGO sector, which has become her primary work field. Alongside her work in Romania, she has served as the Deputy Secretary General of the European Humanist Federation, where she collaborated with EU Representatives to advocate for secular values and led online communication initiatives.
April event recap
At our April event, Monica spoke about how Romania barely has any history or tradition when it comes to humanism. After Ceaușescu’s communist regime, which restricted religious freedoms, Romania transitioned to democracy and during this period the Romanian Orthodox Church regained and expanded its influence, becoming a dominant social and political entity. Monica was clear that while Romania does not have an official religion, the public institutions act as if orthodoxy IS the state religion. The Church holds a tight grip on both politics and public attitudes, often stretching the concept of separation between church and state to its limits. Ironically, the past suppression of religious practices under communism has only deepened the public’s tendency to equate Orthodoxy with national identity. And this complicates the push for more secular and inclusive viewpoints. For instance, the Church often steps into the political arena, notably in its opposition (either as an entity or through some of its priests) to LGBTQ rights, or women rights (like abortion), or immigrants, or minorities rights, effectively changing both public opinion and policy.
Influence of the church
Consider this for the influence of the church. Right next to the Romanian Parliament – the second largest administrative building in the world – stands the Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation. Constructed on land gifted by the state and financed with large sums of public money, its placement is anything but subtle. The symbols always matter! Monica spoke about how despite this, there is still hope. Despite the Church’s towering presence, a fresh breeze of secular and humanist ideas is catching on, especially among the youth. Thanks to the wonders of the internet and better access to education, a new generation of open-minded thinkers is emerging. And as controversies around the Church’s internal corruption and its conservative stances bubble up, its once-solid popularity is beginning to shake.