Reciclad’OR at the Grand National Lodge of Romania Awards Gala: When Environmental Responsibility Meets Human Excellence

23/06/2026/in Blog, Homepage, Media

Reciclad’OR had the honor of being the official sponsor of the Grand National Lodge of Romania Awards Gala 2026, one of the most prestigious events dedicated to the values, achievements, and exceptional contributions of Romanian personalities.

Regarded by many as the Romanian equivalent of the Nobel Prizes, the gala took place in the timeless elegance of the Romanian Athenaeum, bringing together the cultural, academic, scientific, and professional elites of the country.

For Reciclad’OR, social responsibility means investing in people, in culture, and in the benchmarks that guide a modern society.

Sponsoring the MLNR 2026 Gala reflects our commitment to contributing to the consolidation of a society where values are celebrated and cultivated, to supporting Romania’s cultural, scientific, and professional elites, to promoting authentic models of merit and responsibility, and to encouraging excellence, education, and civic engagement.

Laureates of the Grand National Lodge Awards Gala 2026

Seven awards, seven stories of excellence:

The “Gheorghe Lazăr” Award – Exact Sciences

Valentin-Paul Nicu, Institute of Organic and Supramolecular Chemistry of the Romanian Academy, for the “Digital Chiroscope” — an AI-assisted analytical method for identifying molecular structures.

The “Henri Coandă” Award – Applied Sciences

Florin Călin Păun (ARESIA, France), for contributions in the field of liquid hydrogen systems for mobility and autopilot.

The “Carol Davila” Award – Medicine

Prof. Ștefan Constantinescu, co-director of the Ludwig Laboratories for Cancer Research in Brussels, for research published in Blood in 2025.

The “Eugeniu Carada” Award – Economics

Prof. Emil Dinga, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, for the volume Economic Resilience During Overlapped Crises, published by Palgrave Macmillan.

The “Spiru Haret” Award – Education and Environment

Prof. Georgeta Ion, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, for research on the development of teachers as researchers.

The “Constantin Brâncuși” Award – Art and Culture

Silviu Purcărete, for the production “Iona” by Marin Sorescu, in co-production with Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre.

The “Grigore Moisil” Award – IT, Digitalization, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

Prof. Radu-Daniel Vatavu, “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, for research on human–AI interaction with applications in accessibility.

A Gala Built with Care for Excellence

The 2026 edition was realized under the artistic direction of Remus Borza, who directed the event and contributed to transforming the gala into a landmark moment for a culture of merit in Romania.

The atmosphere, the pacing, the selection of artistic moments, and the way the laureates were celebrated all bore the mark of a vision that respects tradition while speaking to a modern society.

At the same time, Cătălin Tohăneanu, Grand Master of the Grand National Lodge of Romania, reaffirmed in his speech the importance of cultivating excellence, education, and responsibility: values that form the foundation of a mature society oriented toward the future.

The award ceremony highlights alternated with a virtuoso recital by the Orchestra and Choir of the National Opera of Bucharest under the baton of Maestro Daniel Jinga. The artistic programme included famous arias from the universal classical music repertoire: George Enescu – Romanian Rhapsody; Carl Orff – O Fortuna – Carmina Burana; Giacomo Puccini – Turandot – Nessun dorma; Enrico Cannio – O surdato nnammurato; Delibes – Lakmé – Flower Duet; Georges Bizet – Habanera – Carmen; Giuseppe Verdi – Anvil Chorus – Il Trovatore; Giuseppe Verdi – La Traviata – Brindisi; Johann Strauss – Radetzky March.

Contributing to the success of the artistic programme were soprano Anna Stănescu, mezzo-soprano Martiniana Antonie, tenors Alin Stoica and Teodor Ilincăi, as well as the Children’s Choir of the National Opera of Bucharest, led by Elena Radu.

The event was hosted by Radu Coșarcă, a renowned journalist. The event was honoured by the presence of over 800 personalities from the academic, university, medical, entrepreneurial and banking, cultural, diplomatic, and political spheres.

What This Means to Us

The event was organised alongside the Romanian Academy, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Culture, the National Council of Rectors, and the most important universities in the country, from Cluj to Bucharest, from Iași to Timișoara, from Sibiu to Craiova.

Perhaps, at first glance, a recycling company might not seem to “belong” in such a context.

But that is precisely where the meaning of our involvement lies.

At Reciclad’OR, we know that the circular economy cannot function without educated people, without applied research, without a culture of responsibility. We know that the people who make Romania better — in laboratories, on stage, in lecture halls, or in business — are the same people who will build a greener, more sustainable Romania, more mindful of the resources it has.

Sponsoring the MLNR Gala is not, for us, a simple gesture of visibility.

It is a statement of values: we believe in Romanian excellence and we want to support it.

Reciclad’OR supports culture because it supports the future.