Cluj-Napoca
Katie Rizvi, a Cluj champion
She set up The Little People, a charity for youngsters in Cluj and Bucharest
What is a “clujeanca”?
It is the affectionate name given to a woman who is from Cluj-Napoca. I wasn’t born in the city, I originally come from one of the prettiest cities in the world – Budapest. Then I married my husband from London and settled in Cluj-Napoca in 1995, so “Cluj este acasa” – Cluj is home.
What do you do?
Back in 1995, patient services for children with cancer in the region were non-existent, so my husband and I set up a charity called The Little People (motto: “Little People doing little things that make a big difference”), all about providing care for cancer patient children and their families. The charity has grown a lot in recent years and now the 140 volunteers of the organisation work in many Cluj and Bucharest-based hospitals in the fields of paediatric and young adult cancer, malnutrition, psychiatric disorders and disability, as well as in schools and orphanages for children with special needs.
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, our team were voted best volunteers in the international paralympic calendar for two consecutive years! The Little People Association, in partnership with the Lamont Centre (which, incidentally, was also funded by an expat) organises Central Eastern Europe’s largest international paralympic tournament in Cluj-Napoca every year! This year, the Romanian International Table Tennis Open, or RITTO 2010 will take place between the 18 and 23 May.
Was it easy to create a new life in Cluj-Napoca?
Cluj is so easy-going compared to many other cities I’ve lived in. People have time to smile, to chat and be friendly. It’s a huge student town with young faces everywhere. For most of the year the town feels like one big university campus. Cluj people are such wonderful hosts and as a real plus, many speak English. Most of the older generation studied French but the young generation grew up on Cartoon Network, MTV and English-speaking movies. Even some of the post-communist bureaucracy is more amusing than annoying and in the ever-changing Romania, things are getting easier and easier to get done. But people are people just like anywhere else; you’ll find a grumpy clerk and the fairy godmother-type helpful assistant in the same office side by side. But the Romania of 2010 is definitely an exciting, upbeat, energetic multicoloured and a happening place to be.
You recently won an award. What was it for?
It was a Woman of the Year Award for my work with teenage and young adult cancer survivors in 2009. I founded the Temerarii (Courageous) Club in 2006 and started by providing support group meetings for just a dozen kids in Cluj, who were some of the patients I took care of when they were younger and undergoing cancer treatment. There is so little reliable information available for teenagers facing a cancer diagnosis. They fall between the worlds of child and adult cancers. The Temerarii Club went on a nationwide campaign, visiting every Romanian city, where they have treatment units to speak to adolescents and young adults and reassure them that they are not alone. The campaign was entitled “You Can Too” and it reached 11 treatment units in the country, also contacting the young cancer survivors of each city. The Temerarii Club membership quadrupled this year, and we just celebrated our 101st young adult cancer survivor.
What are your favourite places to eat out in the city?
I love salads! Outwear café at Str. Universităţii 1 (www.outwear.ro) makes a great feta salad. It’s kinda neat as it doubles as a fairly decent clothing store with good labels and affordable prices. It’s great to people watch while you wait to be served. Another great place is Baracca on Str. Napoca 8a (www.baracca.ro). Although it’s a bit snooty, and the service is a little below par, the food is excellent and if you are in good company with a good bottle of wine, none of that will matter.
What are your special places in Cluj?
I love St. Michael’s Church in Piata Unirii (Union Square), right in the heart of the city, even though all the lovely green areas and gorgeous flowerbeds sadly disappeared after the recent remodelling. The cathedral’s gothic architecture is one of the most impressive in Transylvania. From spring to autumn, any of the outdoor cafés overlooking the square is a good choice for a short grab-a-coffee business meeting or to catch up with friends. My favourite little walks are all in this area, from King Matthias Corvinus’ (King of Hungary 1485-1490) mounted statue in Piata Unirii, to his birthplace at Str. Matei Corvin, with lovely inner courts and hidden churches, reminding you of all the historic phases Cluj went through.
Did you know that Cluj has a very special hidden treasure, considered a masterpiece of gothic sculpture? It is found in one of these little side streets. Originally commissioned by King Luis I of Hungary as a gift for Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, the very famous statue in the Prague Castle Courtyard of St. George killing the dragon was crafted in 1373 in Cluj by the bothers Martin and George. An exact bronze copy of the statue is found today in Str. Mihail Cogalniceanu, in a peaceful and beautiful spot by a 15th-century church. Another copy is on display in the V&A museum in London. www.thelittlepeople.ro
