Almost two decades ago, the city of Iaşi hosted the Vth edition of the International Genealogy Colloquium (9-13 May 2007). Recently, the same city – the historic capital of the old Principality of Moldavia – hosted an event of similar importance: the XXIIIrd International Heraldry Colloquium (27-30 August 2025).
As was the case 18 years ago, the task of organizing this international academic event was undertaken by a group of enthusiastic members of the Romanian Institute of Genealogy and Heraldry “Sever Zotta” – the most active promoter of the two sister disciplines, genealogy and heraldry, founded in 1998 and which continues to serve the purposes for which it was established. The Organizing Committee has been composed of Dr. Mihai-Bogdan ATANASIU, aig (Iaşi), Dr. Tudor-Radu TIRON, AIH (Bucharest), and Mr. Drăgan-George BASARABĂ, currently aih (Timişoara).
Sponsored by the Académie Internationale d’Héraldique (AIH), the colloquium was held with the direct involvement of the main cultural and academic institutions in Iaşi: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, the Moldova National Museum Complex, the “Regina Maria” Municipal Museum, the National Museum of Romanian Literature, etc.
At the same time, the event was honored to be placed, with the agreement of H.M. Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, under the auspices of the Royal Family of Romania. Likewise, His Eminence Teofan, Metropolitan of Moldova and Bukovina, kindly gave his blessing, approving a partnership with the Sever Zotta Institute for the optimal organization of the event. Last but not least, we must mention the unconditional support of the local authorities, who once again gave their firm backing to historical research.
Hosting over 40 presentations on topics such as state, territorial, municipal, and family heraldry, heraldic customs, heraldic art, etc., the colloquium brought together specialists—professors, researchers, archivists, collectors, some of whom hold official positions in their countries of origin, as well as individuals working independently from nearly 25 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Holy See, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and United States.
The official opening took place on 27 August in the monumental edifice of the “Palace of Culture” (in the “Hall of Voivodes”), with the proceedings being led by Professor Dr. Martin SUNNQVIST, AIH (Sweden) (in his capacity as organizer of the previous edition of the Colloquium – the XXIInd International Heraldry Colloquium in Lund, 16-19 August 2023).
On this occasion, speeches were given by Mrs. Elizabeth ROADS, President of the AIH, Dr. Ioan-Luca VLAD, lawyer of the Royal Family and Member of the Royal Council, Mrs. Magdalena Roxana NECULA, Deputy Mayor of Iaşi, Professor Dr. Ionuţ NISTOR, Vice-Rector of the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, as well as Dr. Tudor-Radu TIRON, AIH. (The latter spoke on behalf of the National Committee for Heraldry, Genealogy, and Sigillography of the Romanian Academy, on behalf of the “Sever Zotta” Institute, as well as on behalf of the Colloquium Organizing Committee.)
The opening ceremony was followed by presentations from the two keynote speakers of the Colloquium:
• Dr Nicolas VERNOT, AIH (France) – “Approaching heraldry from the angle of particularism: some epistemological considerations”;
• Dr. Agnė RAILAITĖ-BARDĖ, AIH (Lithuania) – “Historical boomerangs and diverse heritage. Questions of the past.”
The morning of the opening day ended with the presentation of the Lund Colloquium volume: “Heraldry and the Law/L’héraldique et le Droit” (Livonia Print SIA, Latvia, 2025). The presentation was made by Professor Dr. Martin SUNNQVIST, AIH – the editor of the volume.
Also on the occasion of the opening, an Armorial was distributed to the participants of the Colloquium, consisting of 46 shields, received from the armigers present at this event, and preceded by the coat of arms of Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown. The entire work was carried out by Dr. Tudor-Radu TIRON, AIH, the copies of the Armorial being printed in Romania, in Timişoara.
The afternoon of the opening day consisted of three presentations, as follows:
- Mrs. Elizabeth ROADS, AIH (United Kingdom) – “Saint Andrew – an international patron saint and his heraldic links”;
- Mr. Mamuka GONGADZE, aih (Georgia) – “About the symbols of two historical regions of Georgia”;
- Mr. Davor ZOVKO, aih (Sweden) – “The heraldic language of the Swedish State”.
The proceedings of the second (28 August) and third (29 August) days of the Colloquium took place in the “Casa Universitarilor” (“Casa Canta”), a building dating from the end of the 18th century, which originally belonged to the vornic Iordache Cantacuzino.
The complete list of papers presented at the Colloquium is available at: https://www.iasi-aih-2025.net/programme, with titles organized according to the following themes: “National/territorial/local heraldry”, “Family/personal heraldry”, “Ecclesiastical heraldry”, “Heraldic practice”, and “Varia”. Among all the presentations, three lectures by researchers who received scholarships to participate in this event deserve special mention, namely two AIH scholarship recipients and one recipient of the “Antti Mattikkala” scholarship (offered by Societas Heraldica Scandinavica):
- Ms. Marie FOURNIER (France) – “L’énergie nucléaire dans les armoiries françaises modernes, un particularisme héraldique contemporain?”
- Mr. András MARTIN (Hungary) – “Princes of the Kingdom of Hungary & their heraldry”;
- Mr. Rostyslav KASYANENKO (Ukraine) – “From baroque coat of arms epitaphs on Rügen to the evolution of the West Slavic heraldic identity in Pomeranian nobility”.
Participants in the Colloquium enjoyed a guided tour of the Moldova National Museum Complex, as well as the Regina Maria Municipal Museum and the University Museum. In the latter two museums, they were able to visit two thematic exhibitions: “Mărturii heraldice aflate pe cărți din patrimoniul Muzeului Municipal «Regina Maria»” (= Heraldic achievements on books from the patrimony of the “Regina Maria” Municipal Museum – volumes bearing armorial devices – printed or engraved coats of arms, family arms, and insignia of both ecclesiastical and secular institutions), and “Însemne heraldice din colecții românești” (= Heraldic achievements from Romanian Collections – displaying manuscripts and seal impressions from Iași’s rich archival collections, respectively heraldic works of József Sebestyén de Keöpeczi (1878–1964), author of Romania’s 1921 royal arms).
In parallel, on the second and third days of the Colloquium, participants had the opportunity to visit the exhibition “Heraldry Today: Contemporary Romanian Heraldic Artists”. This was organized by two young artists, both of whom being heraldic graphic designers certified by the National Committee for Heraldry, Genealogy, and Sigillography of the Romanian Academy: Arch. Bettina-Evelin BASARABĂ-VARGA (Timişoara), and Mr. Ștefan AMATIESEI (Cluj-Napoca).
On 30 August – the fourth day of the Colloquium – a presentation was given on the main monuments in the centre of Iași: Dr Mihai BULAI (Romania) – “Guided tour of Iași city centre: heraldry as a visual tool enriching the visitors’ experience”.
Among the special meetings of the Colloquium participants, we should mention the Meeting of the Permanent Bureau and the AIH Council Meeting (“Palatul Culturii”, 27 August), as well as the General Assembly of the AIH (“Casa Canta”, 29 August). On all these occasions, the Academy’s flag, created on the occasion of the Zurich meeting in 1977, was displayed. The flag was specially manufactured for this Colloquium by the company “Fabrica de Steaguri” in Bucharest. At the end of the General Assembly of the AIH, the Academy’s flag was offered to President Elizabeth ROADS.
Among the formal events that took place during the Colloquium, we must mention the reception at the City Hall of Iași, where Mayor Mihai CHIRICA welcomed the participants, offering anniversary albums to those who were part of the Academy’s management structure, as well as to other participants, but also the gala dinner hosted by the International Hotel, during which 10 “Sever Zotta” awards were presented.
The tables were named after heraldists whose work was defining for heraldry in Romania: Paul GORE (1875-1927), József SEBESTYÉN de KEÖPECZ (1878-1964), Emanoil HAGI-MOSCO (1882-1976), Traian LARIONESCUL (1905-1979), Jean Nicolas MĂNESCU, AIH (1927-1999), Dan CERNOVODEANU, aih (1921-1999), and Sorin IFTIMI (1965-2021).
The “Palace of Culture”
Mrs. Elizabeth ROADS, President of the AIH, speaking at the Opening Ceremony
Participants attending the Opening Ceremony in the “Hall of the Voivodes”
Professor Dr. Martin SUNNQVIST, AIH, presenting the Proceedings of the 2023 International Heraldry Colloquium, Lund – “Heraldry and the Law / L’héraldique et le Droit”
Participants at the Colloquium on the main stairs of the “Palace of Culture”
“Casa Canta”
Scene from a lecture at “Casa Canta” (“Ion Simionescu” Hall)
Scene from a lecture at “Casa Canta” (“Vespasian Pella” Hall)
Scene from the visit to the “University Museum”
Scene from the reception at Iași City Hall
Scene from the Gala Dinner at Hotel International Iași
Detail from the Armorial of the Colloquium participants
Graphic work by Ștefan Amatiesei (Cluj-Napoca), dedicated to the Colloquium
Photos by C. Bortică, M.-B. Atanasiu, and T.-R. Tiron