Centro 73
Encyclopedia
Centro 73 is a social
and cultural center
of Chişinău
and the first squat
created in Moldova
, which opened the 25th of September 2010. It is located 73, Alexei Mateevici street.
The name is built from an in-joke
which references to the fact that the owner of the building is Italian (centro means center in Italian) and from the number of the building in the street.
, autogestion, non-commercial
, DIY. It is also involved in inter-cultural exchanges, as it is frequented by Moldavians, but also foreigner people, mostly from the international volunteering
community of Chişinău. Most used languages in the squat are Romanian
and English
.
The 20th of November 2010, Centro 73 did a solidarity action for freedom of political prisoner
s in Belarus
.
Social center
Social centers are community spaces. They are buildings which are used for a range of disparate activities, which can be linked only by virtue of being not-for-profit. They might be organizing centers for local activities or they might provide support networks for minority groups such as prisoners...
and cultural center
Cultural center
A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run...
of Chişinău
Chisinau
Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
and the first squat
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
created in Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
, which opened the 25th of September 2010. It is located 73, Alexei Mateevici street.
The name is built from an in-joke
In-joke
An in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke whose humour is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding...
which references to the fact that the owner of the building is Italian (centro means center in Italian) and from the number of the building in the street.
Functioning
The center works with the principles which goes usually with squatting, such as autonomyAutonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
, autogestion, non-commercial
Non-commercial
Non-commercial refers to an activity or entity that does not in some sense involve commerce, at least relative to similar activities that do have a commercial objective or emphasis...
, DIY. It is also involved in inter-cultural exchanges, as it is frequented by Moldavians, but also foreigner people, mostly from the international volunteering
Volunteering
Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be...
community of Chişinău. Most used languages in the squat are Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
The 20th of November 2010, Centro 73 did a solidarity action for freedom of political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
.
Activities
The aim of Centro 73 is to provide different social and cultural activities, such as:- a permanent photo exhibition
- a free shop
- a free price bar
- café philosophiqueCafé PhilosophiqueCafé philosophique is a grassroots forum for philosophical discussion, founded by philosopher Marc Sautet in Paris, France....
- theater workshops
- jam sessionJam sessionJam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
s - different informative, creative or artistic workshops
- cooking and eating afternoons
- parties