ARC Camps 2026 Bring Together 8,430 Children and Young People from 21 Countries, Including Ukraine

ARC Camps 2026 Bring Together More Than 8,400 Children and Young People from 21 Countries

Reaching its 17th edition in 2026, the ARC Camps programme, coordinated by the Department for Romanians Abroad (DRP), brought together 8,430 children and young people from 21 countries. Held from 30 June to 1 September 2026, the programme aimed to provide participants with opportunities for social interaction and recreation, as well as activities through which they could discover and deepen their understanding of elements of the Romanian language, culture and identity.

The programme primarily targets children and young people from the diaspora and historical Romanian communities, offering them the opportunity to spend time in Romania and interact with other young people from Romanian communities in different countries.

A Record Number of Participants

The 2026 edition recorded the highest participation to date. While more than 6,000 children and young people took part in the 16th edition in 2025, this year the number of participants reached 8,430.

Participants were organized into consecutive eight-day sessions and hosted at eight locations across Romania, each providing a different setting for educational, cultural and recreational activities.

The locations included the “Arcul de Triumf” National Sports Complex in Bucharest, the Gălăciuc Recreation Centre in Vrancea, the Oglinzi Recreation Centre in Neamț, the Codrii de Aramă Recreation Centre in Botoșani, Caraiman Monastery in Bușteni, the “Liviu Rebreanu” Technological High School in Bălan, the Straja Camp in Hunedoara, and the IC Ponor Padiș Holiday Village in Cluj.

Straja Camp was included in 2026 for the first time in the programme’s network of partner locations.

Cultural and Educational Activities for Young People from the Diaspora

The ARC programme was not limited to recreational activities, but also included a series of workshops designed to encourage participants to discover Romanian culture through direct experiences.

Children and young people took part in ethnographic-themed painting workshops, traditional dance and music classes, introductory activities in traditional crafts and modelling, as well as theatre and journalism workshops conducted in Romanian.

Through these activities, the Romanian language was used not only in educational contexts, but also as a means of artistic and creative expression. Participants thus had the opportunity to engage with elements of Romanian cultural heritage in an informal setting and transform them into personal experiences.

Discovering Romania through Direct Experience

One of the programme’s objectives is to bring children and young people from the diaspora closer to Romania through direct contact with the country’s cultural and social environment.

For some participants, this experience represents one of the few opportunities they have to visit Romania, discover different regions of the country and interact with other young Romanians living abroad.

Cristina-Lavinia Arnăutu, Director with responsibilities equivalent to those of a State Secretary at the DRP, described the ARC Camps as one of the programmes through which Romania maintains ties with new generations of Romanians from the diaspora and historical communities.

For his part, Radu Cosma, a director within the DRP, highlighted the role of direct experience in bringing young people closer to Romania, emphasizing that the programme aims to ensure that the country is known not only through stories passed down within families, but also through personal experiences.

Interaction among Young People from Different Romanian Communities

Another important element of the programme is the international diversity of its participants. Within the same session, children and young people from Romanian communities in Italy, Spain, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries came together.

This diversity creates an environment in which participants can compare their experiences related to the Romanian language, traditions and the life of the communities in which they live.

For young people, such interaction can contribute to building friendships and connections that extend beyond the borders of the countries where they live. At the same time, shared experiences during the camps can contribute to strengthening a sense of belonging to a broader Romanian community.

Creativity as a Tool for Connecting with Romanian Heritage

Creative activities are one of the programme’s important components. Through painting, music, dance, theatre, journalism and traditional crafts, participants have the opportunity to engage directly with elements of Romanian culture.

Instead of relying exclusively on a theoretical approach, culture is presented through practical activities, allowing children to discover traditions in an accessible way adapted to their age.

This component may be particularly relevant for children living in countries where Romanian is primarily used within the family or Romanian communities. For them, using Romanian in artistic and social activities can provide an additional opportunity to practise and strengthen their language skills.

Potential Long-Term Effects on Ties with Romania

The impact of the programme is not limited to the eight-day period spent at the camp. The experiences gained through the project can contribute to maintaining connections between participants and Romania after they return to their countries of residence.

Young people who take part in such programmes may become, within their communities, promoters of cultural and educational initiatives or cooperation projects with institutions in Romania.

In the longer term, the connections established during the camps may facilitate other forms of cooperation in education, culture, entrepreneurship or projects dedicated to Romanian communities abroad.

An Extensive Organizational Infrastructure

The scale of the 2026 edition required a significant logistical effort. According to information presented in the analysis dedicated to the programme, more than 400,000 kilometres were travelled in organizing the camps, while the programme involved coordinating more than 8,400 participants.

The organization involved an extensive network of partners and collaborators, including the National Agency for Sport, the Romanian Patriarchate, diplomatic missions, teachers, accompanying staff and more than 200 volunteers.

In addition to the activities carried out at the camps themselves, organizers were responsible for participant transportation, accommodation, meals, medical assistance, child safety and the management of the registration process.

The Role of the Department for Romanians Abroad

The programme is coordinated by the Department for Romanians Abroad, an institution responsible for managing projects aimed at Romanian communities outside the country.

In the case of the ARC Camps, this involves simultaneously coordinating a large number of participants, local and institutional partners, as well as educational and cultural activities taking place across several regions of Romania.

The 2026 edition demonstrated the scale the programme has reached after 17 editions, both in terms of the number of participants and the diversity of the communities and countries represented.

ARC Camps and the Connection between Romania and Diaspora Communities

Over its 17 editions, the ARC Camps programme has evolved from a project focused on spending holidays in Romania into a programme combining recreational, cultural, educational and social activities.

By bringing thousands of children and young people from the diaspora and historical Romanian communities to Romania, the project gives participants the opportunity to discover different regions of the country, practise their Romanian language skills and interact with other young people who have ties to Romania.

The 2026 edition, with 8,430 participants from 21 countries, marks a significant expansion of the programme and highlights the scale of projects dedicated to new generations of Romanians living abroad.