Meet Anton Lungu, a career diplomat from Moldova and a new face in the Naperville community.
Lungu, 38, is the first-ever Consul General of the Republic of Moldova in Chicago, responsible for the Midwest, Texas and Louisiana. His office, situated at 1733 Park St., opened in Naperville earlier this year.
“I’m happy to be here in Chicago, to get to know the people, to get to promote Moldova and to help our community integrate and offer consular services,” said Lungu.
Cabinet ministers of Moldova appointed the diplomat as consul general in March, and in May, he was posted in the Chicagoland area for his 4-year term. Lungu said he and other officials chose Naperville for the consulate due to its bustling yet calm atmosphere.
“We decided to stop in Naperville. And I’m happy that we made this decision…We are supported by the authorities, like Mayor Wehrli participated in the inauguration. We have a constant dialogue. We exchange ideas [on] how we can build cooperation. We have discussions,” said Lungu.
Consulate General in Chicago provides support to local Moldovan communities
According to Lungu, the Chicagoland area has one of the highest populations of Moldovans and Moldovan Americans in the U.S., with an estimated 30,000 people. The consulate general office provides them with support services such as passport issuances, notarial acts and assistance with certain legal matters.
Lungu explained that his focus is to help Moldovans better integrate into their communities in the U.S. and to foster relationships between local and Moldovan officials.
“A big role is to have a contact and dialogue with the local authorities, to develop the contact and try to build bridges between Moldova, Chicago, Naperville, Chicago suburbs,” he said.
Since arriving in Naperville, Lungu has been participating in local events to immerse himself in the community, most recently taking part in Naperville’s Labor Day Parade. He has also been joining local Moldovan organizations to share their culture with community members.
In December, Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli met with Lungu and other Moldovan officials, including Igor Grosu, the Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament, to discuss opportunities for cooperation and community engagement.
Wehrli said the consulate’s presence in Naperville diversifies the city and broadens its role in the state of Illinois.
“It’s been a wonderful attribute to our city, but it’s also brought us into this world of having the State Department involved and understanding the requirements for a city to host a consulate office,” said Wehrli. “It is important that we are following all the guidance and information that they want us to. So it’s been a wonderful introduction for not just working with Naperville, but also working with leaders from around the world.”
Consul General looks to deepen connections
Looking ahead to Lungu’s term, he hopes to continue expanding his relationships with Chicagoland organizations and cities, while also connecting with the Moldovan diaspora. One of his goals is to establish a sister city agreement here in the future.
Overall, he wants to share the beauty of the Republic of Moldova and encourage more Americans to visit.
“One of my big interests is to get people, especially residents from Naperville and the Chicago land area, to visit the Republic. I know it’s a long it’s a long flight, but we are at the beginning, and we can build and work towards that direction,” said Lungu.
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