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AUTUMN 2014

ESTABLISHING LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP


WITH US AND MOLDOVAN COUNTERPARTS
WITHIN REFUGEES AND STATELESSNESS FIELDS

Outbound Project Report

Irina GREITER, PFP Alumni


Law Center of Advocate, Projects Coordinator
&
Liza LIEBERMAN
Director, Advocacy & Outreach, HIAS

Republic of Moldova USA


April 28 May 4, 2015

I.
Introduction
Law Center of Advocates (LCA) is a public association, registered at the
Ministry of Justice of Republic of Moldova on February 24, 1997. LCAs
mission lies on the implementation of the projects and programs aimed at:
promotion of the Rule of Law; promotion of judicial independence;
promotion of human rights; endorsement and draft law expertise; legal
education program development; developing continuous training programs
and legal improvement trainings; legal assistance/counselling/representation
to all refugees, asylum seekers, beneficiaries of humanitarian protection and
stateless persons, naturalization procedure etc. LCA is the unique legal
implementing partner of UNHCR in Moldova; with UNHCRs support LCA had
settled and accomplished continuously along years the following objectives:
legal representation and interpretation services, legal publications and
training events aiming to promote refugee law and international standards of
refugee protection, provision of a course on laws and treaties related to
refugees and statelessness issues is taught at key universities from Moldova,
legal counseling on socio-economic rights aiming to facilitate integration of
all beneficiaries, who are under UNHCRs mandate.
This project is important for the development and enhanced capacities of
professional in activities related to issues concerning legal assistance to
special vulnerable group like asylum seekers, refugees and stateless
persons. Particularly as our organizations and governments struggle to
provide assistance to Syrian and Ukrainian refugees, this exchange
opportunity is immensely valuable to share best practices, advocacy
strategies, fundraising tactics, and community engagement initiatives.
LCAs website page: www.cda.md
FB page: https://www.facebook.com/CentruldeDrept
Project goals:
Goal 1. Familiarize US visitor with asylum and statelessness legal system in
Moldova and initiate Moldovan colleagues with US asylum system,
resettlement admissions program, legislative process, and advocacy
campaigns on U.S. and international policies.
Goal 2. Promote good practices between professionals, civil societies and
involved stakeholders.

Goal 3. Identify opportunities for continuous cooperation, exchange


programs and broader engagement in regional and international
coalitions/networks.

Project Objectives:
Objective 1 Provide background about the scope of various refugee crises
around the world, population needs and demographics, the international
communitys response, U.S. governments response, and how it affects local
service providers in Moldova.
Objective 2 Provide the breadth understanding of advocacy issues,
programmatic needs, and services provided by specialized organizations in
refugee field.
Objective 3 Promote refugee resettlement, including ways to work working
with employers, landlords, school councils, and faith leaders in US. Share
experiences and develop expertise in this arena.
Objective 4 Share best practices about advocacy tactics, community
engagement, communications, and fundraising activities.
Objective 5 Engage a broad array of communities in advocacy around
issues related to refugees, asylum seekers, and statelessness.
Project impact:
The projects impact ensured and continued stand for the protection of
refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons and assured that they are
treated with the dignity they deserve; provided support to local NGOs;
asylum seekers, refugees, stateless persons are tremendous assets to their
neighborhoods and societies, boosting local economies, and excelling at
entrepreneurship.
Site visits to UNHCR Office, open detention center, migration
accommodation center, border crossing point, and more deepened
understanding about the breadth of refugee advocacy issues in Moldova as
well as programming needs and services provided by local organizations like
LCA.
Public lecture at the Legal Clinic in the Area of Asylum and Statelessness in
Chisinau, entitled as Syrian refugee crisis helped to elevate public
awareness about the millions of Syrians who have been displaced by conflict
in the region. The event was an important opportunity for LCA to reach out
future young specialist in law and NGOs colleagues. Speakers provided

background information about the scope of the Syrian refugee crisis,


population needs and demographics, international communitys response,
U.S. governments response, and how it affects local service providers in
Moldova like LCA.
Project details:
Day

April 28/Tuesday

April 29/Wednesday

Time and Activity

Additional
information/Participants/Comments

12.00 PM Arriving to
International
Airport
Chisinau,
Republic
of
Moldova

Meeting Liza Lieberman at the airport/


person in charge: Irina Greiter

1.00
PM

home/Host family

Host family:
2014 PFP fellow: Irina Greiter

Arriving

2.00 PM Visit to US
Embassy! Meeting the
Ambassador

Liza Lieberman
Irina Greiter

3.00 PM - 4.00 Lunch

Liza Lieberman
Irina Greiter

4.00 7.00 PM Free time

Liza Lieberman

07.00 PM Dinner

Downtown restaurant

09.30 - 10.45 AM Arriving


to the Law Center of
Advocates Office
11.00 11.40 Courtesy
visit to American Councils
Office (confirmed)

Presenting LCAs team/activities

Liza Lieberman, HIAS


Irina Greiter, LCA

Meeting with Daniela MuncaAftenev, David Jesse


12.00 1.00 PM - Lunch

Liza Lieberman and LCAs team

1.30 2.30 PM Visit to


Migration
Accommodation
Center

Liza Lieberman, HIAS


Irina Greiter, LCA
Mihail
Gorincioi,
LCA
counsellor/border monitor)

2.30 3.30 PM Visit to


Temporary Accommodation
Center

Liza Lieberman, HIAS


Irina Greiter, LCA
Mihail Gorincioi, LCA

3.30 5.00 PM Courtesy


visit to NGO Charity Center
for Refugees, NGO AVE
Copiii and UN Agency for
Refugees (UNHCR), meeting
with Protection Officer!

Liza Lieberman, HIAS


Irina Greiter, LCA

6.00 PM Dinner

Liza Lieberman
Irina Greiter

(legal

April 30/Thursday

7.00 PM Free time

Sightseeing tour/Chisinau

09.00 12.00 PM - Border


Monitoring

Liza Lieberman, HIAS


Irina Greiter, LCA
Mihail Gorincioi, LCA

12.15 1.00 PM - Lunch

Liza Lieberman, HIAS


Irina Greiter, LCA
Mihail Gorincioi, LCA

1.30 3.00 PM Lecture at


the Legal Clinic in the Area
of Asylum and Statelessness
(LCAS)

Liza Lieberman, HIAS


Irina Greiter, LCA
Natalia Postaru, LCA
Mihail Gorincioi, LCA
Students, LCAS

Lecture is going to be
conducted by Liza and Irina!
3.15 3.45 PM Meeting
with Alexei Barbaneagra,
Counselor for Defense and
National
Security
and
Secretary of the Supreme
Security Council Office of the
President of the Republic of
Moldova

Liza Lieberman, HIAS


Irina Greiter, LCA

4.00 6.00 PM Free time

May 1st / Friday


(Holiday)
May 2nd / Saturday

6.15 7.00 PM - Lunch

Liza Lieberman
Irina Greiter

Attending
wedding

Moldavian

Liza Lieberman,
Irina Greiter

Sightseeing
cellars

tours/wine

Liza Lieberman,
Irina Greiter

Free time
May 3rd / Sunday

Sightseeing tours
Free time

Liza Lieberman,
Irina Greiter

Packing luggage
May 4/ Monday

7.20 AM - Departure

Liza Lieberman,
Irina Greiter

April 28/Tuesday:
Liza Lieberman was met at the International Airport Chisinau by PFP alumni
2014, Irina Greiter at 12.00 and no flight delay was registered.

It was a special day for Liza Lieberman!


Liza was visiting Republic of Moldova for the first time, she was feeling
adventurous, eager to taste Moldovan cuisine, discover new places, people,
and things and share the best of her knowledge to those people who are
operating in the same field of activity in Moldova.
This day was full with positive mood, smiles, meeting a part of the Law
Center of Advocates team Head of LCA, Oleg Palii, welcome discussions
and preparing for the meeting with the US Ambassador.
The HIAS Board Members introduced Liza to the U.S. Ambassador in
Moldova, James D. Pettit. It was great to hear about his priorities for his
posting, and also telling to Ambassador more about LCAs work with
refugees and stateless people in Moldova. Ambassador recently arrived in
Chisinau, where his prior post was in Ukraine, so he was well informed about
the region.

Irina and Liza at the premises of the US Embassy

US Embassy in Moldova

April 29/Wednesday
*The 2nd day in Moldova started with a great breakfast

and
meeting whole team of the Law Center of Advocates.

Tackled topics: Professional Fellows Program, sharing Irinas experience in


Washington DC, LCA and HIASs advocacy, programs implemented by both
organizations, HIAS policy on regional and international level, establishing
long standing relationship etc.
*Courtesy visit to American Councils Office:
Liza Lieberman met Daniela Munca Aftenev, Professional Fellows Program
Officer, and David Jesse, Country Director.
Discussions were conducted in a cozy ambiance with a focus on: Irinas
internship in DC, Lizas agenda in Moldova, HIAS work on international level,
American Councils programs, sharing impressions regarding performed visit
to US Ambassador in Moldova, ways of improving Professional Fellows
Program.

* Visit to Migration Accommodation Center (MAC)


Migration Accommodation Center is closed center for aliens. Individuals are
released only through courts decision. MAC is able to accommodate 200
persons. On permanent basis and upon request, LCA provides pro bono legal
counselling with UNHCR support.
Liza had a chance to find out about MACs policy, internal rules and living
conditions of placed aliens.

*Courtesy visit to NGO Charity Center for Refugees, NGO AVE Copiii
NGO Charity Center for Refugees (CCR, cultural implementing partner of
UNHCR) was represented by:
Djavid Pakhnehad, Head of CCR
Inga Roman, Project Assistant, CCR
John Djongue, Assistant, CCR
NGO AVE Copiii was represented (social implementing partner of UNHCR)
by:
Cristina Berdos, Project Coordinator, AVE Copiii
Angelica Russu, Social Counselor, AVE Copiii
Veronica Dragan, Social Assistant, AVE Copiii
This meeting was hosted by Charity Center for Refugees.
Liza got acknowledge with projects and implemented activities by other
partners of the United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNHCR Moldova) such
as:
1. Charity Center for Refugees is focusing on:
*Community Development Services and Vocational Training to persons
of concern (PoCs)

*Cultural, moral and material assistance to refugees and asylum


seekers in the Republic of Moldova
*Facilitation for the integration into Moldovan society
*Tolerance-building
events
promoting
understanding between PoCs and locals

cultural

diversity

and

*Self-confidence building through handicrafts workshops and sport


tournaments with the participation of the host community
*Facilitating educational efforts (tertiary
language courses, vocational training) etc.

education,

Romanian

2. NGO AVE Copiii is covering:


*Improvement of beneficiaries health status (access to primary health
care services, access to essential drugs, including access to
psychological and psycho-therapeutically assistance)
*Ensuring the access to education (enrollment to kindergartens,
primary and secondary schools)
*Provision of food and hygienic items for vulnerable beneficiaries
*Contribution/
beneficiaries

monitoring

the

integration

and

self-reliance

of

*Social counseling and assistance to beneficiaries, including home


visits, assessments, provision of housing assistance (in cooperation
with Refugee Directorate, Bureau for Migration and Asylum)

Charity Center for Refugees (handicrafts):

*Meeting with Asst. Protection Officer, UNHCR Moldova Serghei


Gaina
Liza Lieberman and Serghei Gaina discussed worldwide crisis around the
world, undertaken protection policies by UNHCR and HIAS on national and
international level, advocacy, statistics etc.

Liza Lieberman, HIAS & Serghei Gaina, UNHCR Moldova

April 30/Thursday
* Border Monitoring activity Leuseni border crossing point
(neighboring point with Romania)
LCAs projects coordinator, Irina Greiter and LCAs border monitor, Mihail
Gorincioi along with American expert in refugee field, Liza Lieberman paid a
courtesy visit to border crossing point Leuseni.
Delegation was warmly greeted by the head of border crossing point on that
day and provided a tour within controlled territory by Moldavian authorities.

*Public lecture at the Legal Clinic in the Area of Asylum and


Statelessness (LCAS) for students from Law Departments and local
NGOs
Public lecture was opened by Irina Greiter, LCAs projects coordinator, and
with a brief summary about Professional Fellows Program (PFP): PFP
program profile and overview, program results, PFP alumni, applying for
PFP, selection etc.
Liza Lieberman evolved with presentation entitled Overview of HIAS
around the world and comprised the following aspects:
Background on HIAS
U.S. Refugee Admissions Program
International Refugee Crises
HIAS Global Programs: Legal
HIAS Global Programs: Psychosocial
HIAS Global Programs: Livelihoods
Advocacy

*Meeting with Alexei Barbaneagra, Counselor for Defense and


National Security and Secretary of the Supreme Security Council
Office of the President of the Republic of Moldova
Alexei Barbaneagra is well known in Moldova as outstanding lawyer in
criminal field and for his wide background experience in asylum field. Mr.
Barbaneagra used to conduct optional course Refugee Law at Free
International University of Moldova for a couple of years; former Head of the
Law Center of Advocates etc.
Meeting was held at LCAs premises and highlighted the following aspects:
LCAs cooperation with different organizations on the national level and
international
LCAs experience in drafting legal expertise
Purpose of Lizas visit in Moldova
HIAS overview
May 1st / Friday (Holiday)
*Attending Moldavian wedding
A typical wedding celebration in Moldova can last a good 12 to 14 hours, and
has many various components. The legal ceremony is separate from the
religious ceremony, and a couple must register with the village Primaria. A
small ceremony takes place there when the bride and groom sign the
marriage certificate and become legally married. The couple may have a
religious ceremony, as well, which is by and for the church only.
The real festivities start with the dinner and party. A Moldovan masa or
celebration meal follows a usually pattern, no matter what the occasion.
Long tables are set with so much food there usually isnt enough room for
guests plates. Bowls and plates of salads, meat, cold cuts, meat, bread,
vegetables, fish and hot meals will be placed about every two feet, more or
less down the center of the table.
The eating, drinking and dancing will continue long past the wee hours.

Getting ready for the wedding

READY

TATIANA AND SERGHEIS WEDDING

May 2nd / Saturday and May 3rd / Sunday


*Sightseeing tour through the Chisinau, visiting Vatra Ethno
Cultural Festival, tasting national cuisine

May 4/ Monday

- 7.20 AM Departure

Law Center of Advocates is extending gratitude to all stakeholders involved


in implementation of this project!

Project was sponsored by the U.S. State Department, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and
administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS.

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