Via Transilvanica

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗶𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗮̆𝘀̦𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Last weekend, the Tasuleasa Social team participated in a first aid course organized by our friends from the Academia de Prim Ajutor, held at our organization's campus. This is the second year we've taken part in such an activity, and we believe it is truly a valuable investment. Safety is one of the key pillars of the Via Transilvanica project. Medical emergencies and unfortunate accidents can happen to anyone, no matter how many precautions we take during long-distance hiking. It is extremely important to know how to act in such situations. Our team members learned how to provide first aid in various cases such as drowning, cardiac arrest, where to seek shelter in case of a thunderstorm with lightning strikes, and other such scenarios. We thank the First Aid Academy for the work they put into preparing people for emergency situations. We’ve become convinced of the importance of such courses and plan to hold them regularly. We encourage you to invest time in learning how to act because a well-timed response can be life-saving. When we travel safely, the Via Transilvanica experience becomes infinitely more beautiful! Thank you! #ViaTransilvanica #DrumulCareUnește #ThePathThatUnites #TășuleasaSocial #AcademiaDePrimAjutor

𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 RUF - Romanian United Foundation 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲” / ”𝗔𝗽𝗮̆ 𝘀̦𝗶 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗽𝗮̆” 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼! On March 8th, the president of the Tasuleasa Social, Alin Ușeriu, along with the vice president of the organization, Szekely Anna, attended a special screening of our film The run pf your life, directed by Mircea Gherase and Lucian Mircu, in Chicago! Around 150 people were present, and among the special guests was the Romanian Consul in Chicago, Lucian-Ilie Stănică. The film was introduced by Mihai Lehene and Alin Ușeriu, the hosts of the event, who also talked about the partnership our organizations have had since 2019. This collaboration has proven to be so meaningful: creating a bridge with the Romanian diaspora and giving each other reasons to be proud of the projects we can do together. Via Transilvanica teaches us what true love for our country means, beyond borders and who we are as individuals. The film The run of your life brought a piece of the path that unites across the ocean, and we realized it eased some of the homesickness for Romania that the members of the diaspora community feel. At the end of the screening, there were many interesting questions, which Alin and Ana answered with joy. The discussion continued at the ROCO Community Center, where we shared ideas and thoughts about Via Transilvanica, because it's always good to have more people who dream of a project that represents us. We thank our trail brothers abroad, RUF, for yet another memorable event together! #ViaTranilvanica #RUF #ROCO #Chicago #ApăȘiTalpă #TheRunOfYourLife #ThePathThatUnites #DrumulCareUnește #TășuleasaSocial

𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀, Are you employed in Romania? You’ve surely heard of the 3.5% form, which is a way for you to support the organizations you believe in. For NGOs, this is an important resource that allows them to turn their vision into reality. The same is true for us. ⏳ 𝗨𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟲, you can redirect 3.5% of your income tax to the Tășuleasa Social Association, to support our projects, the most complex of which is Via Transilvanica, the path that unites. Thanks to private contributions, Via Transilvanica has become a national project revitalizing 400 communities in Romania. Every year, this route promises that if we take care of it, it will continue to give us back ever more value. Your contribution to the path that unites is an investment that brings people and communities together around shared values. Together we are creating a social project that celebrates the differences between us as the things that make us unique. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 - 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀. 𝗢𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 ⏰. 𝗛𝗼𝘄? On the link in the comments, follow the very simple steps: you can sign the form directly on the platform, and it then arrives in our inbox ready to be submitted to National Agency for Fiscal Administration. Thank you! #TășuleasaSocial #ViaTransilvanica #DrumulCareUnește #ThePathThatUnites #ȘcoalăDeVoluntariat #Volunteering

𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 Dear friends, The enthusiasm and unconditional support you offer Tibi, no matter what his surprising/crazy/extreme plans may be, truly impresses us, and even moves us. For those of us who know Tibi Useriu as a father, brother, partner, friend, and colleague, his adventures in northern Canada have always been a source of insomnia and palpitations. Honestly, in spite of reminiscing of the 6633 Arctic Ultra race with pride and joy, we can tell you that it would have been very difficult for us to endure such intense emotions this year as well. Tibi has decided to stop the race, a decision we know he doesn’t take lightly. We are glad he is healthy, and we keep our fingers crossed for him to finish the filming successfully. In fact, he sends his greetings and is doing everything he can to complete his mission as an actor. He is in good hands, with our Canadian friends, whose dedication to making this film year after year honors us. The sensitivity, immersion in Tibi’s story and ours, from Tasuleasa Social, as well as the interest in Via Transilvanica and what this path represents in a broader sense, will be seen on the big screen when the film is finished. It’s important to tell stories. We know Tibi’s story inspires, we’ve seen this over the years. And his personal story, one of rediscovery and integration, makes Tibi the best ambassador for Via Transilvanica. We thank him for doing this. We know it’s not easy for him. Thank you for always being by Tibi’s side, and we share with you a few photos from the filming, which is happening right now. The film is being made! Thank you! #ViaTransilvanica #TășuleasaSocial #DrumulCareUnește #ThePathThatUnites #TibiUșeriu #6633 #ArcticUltra #PânăLaCapăt #EyeSteelFilm #Canada

𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼! Via Transilvanica returns to Chicago, with the presence of Alin Ușeriu, president of Tasuleasa Social, and Anna Szekely, executive director of the Association, at the screening of our film "Run of your life" / Apă și talpă. As always, we owe this event to the Romanian diaspora community in the USA, our friends, and partners from the RUF - Romanian United Foundation. Via Transilvanica has proven to us that we can stay close, around the same values, even when an ocean separates us. It is always a joy to return to this legendary place for the history of our project. So, if you're in the area, we look forward to seeing you at the film and the discussions afterward with Anna and Alin! 📅 Date: 8. March, 2025 📌 Location: AMC Village Crossing 18, Skokie, IL ⏰ Program: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM 🏷️ Tickets on the link in the comments! #ViaTransilvanica #TășuleasaSocial #RUF #RomanianUnitedFund #ApăȘiTalpă #RunOfYourLife #DrumulCareUnește #ThePathThatUnites

We are very happy to see that Via Transilvanica has made such a great impression on National Geographic, especially since they are still talking about our trail! It is a great honor to be mentioned in this publication, and we thank the two photographers from Nat.Geo., paolo verzone and Massimo Nicolaci, for sharing their experience on the trail with the world. We are also looking forward to the hiking season and returning to the path that unites us. #ViaTransilvanica #DrumulCareUnește #ThePathThatUnites #TășuleasaSocial #NationalGeographic 

Yukon is Romanian land! Tibi Ușeriu has planted the Romanian flag three times in the distant territories of Canada, winning the 6633 Arctic Ultra race. Now, Tibi is back at the starting line. It wasn't planned, but Tibi’s plan is to always be surprising! Everyone remembers the moment that transformed Tibi Ușeriu from the hero of Tășuleasa into a national and international hero. The 6633 Arctic Ultra is the race that established Tibi as one of the elite endurance runners in the world, “the ice man,” “the only Romanian who has won the Arctic Ultramarathon,” “from criminal to ultramarathoner,” “the Bistrița man who conquered the North Pole.” These are just a few of the expressions that have become symbols associated with Tibi and his achievements. The story of a man with a complicated past, which he told without reservations in the book 27 Steps, who saved himself through running, became news headlines and then a source of national pride when Tibi won one of the toughest endurance races for the first time, in 2016. The book came as a consequence of this legendary achievement, and it was the book that supported the initiation of the Via Transilvanica project. There is a miraculous connection between all these things, and they cannot be explained otherwise… The movie! The movie is another way to see. To see a person with their stories, crises, and emotions through filming and recording devices. This is why, for five years now, a Canadian film crew, who have since become our close friends, have been following Tibi on the surprising adventure of his life. In this process, Tășuleasa Social Association, Alin Ușeriu, and Via Transilvanica have become an important part of this film. There is a connection between all of them, which is hard to articulate in words. Because, simply, some things cannot be explained otherwise. Okay, but how do you end up in the distant lands of Canada by accident? Well, we wouldn’t quite call it that. You see, recently, the Canadian filmmakers realized they still needed some footage from the 6633 race and invited Tibi, proposing that he run for about three or four days to mimic the competition. Tibi decided to take the method acting approach to the next level. Rather than pretending, which he knew he wouldn’t be able to do, Tibi decided to do it for real. We usually say, “Until the end, Tibi!” Now we add, “The sound is on, the camera is on, set… ACTION!” And with you, people of the road, we share some photos of the aurora, taken by Tibi and a saying once told by German filmmaker Werner Herzog: “The world will reveal itself to you when you walk it.” Life like in the movies! #TibiUșeriu #6633 #ArcticUltra #Yukon #TășuleasaSocial #ViaTransilvanica #ThePathThatUnites

𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, 𝘀𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁... After the cold season, it's always time to stretch our legs and get back to where we like it most: on the road! This year we celebrate 7 years since Via Transilvanica was initiated. In addition, our association Tășuleasa Social celebrates 25 years of activity! We don't want to spoil any surprises, but we're gearing up for great things on Via Transilvanica, which means we'll be criss-crossing the country from end to end to get the job done. The mobility partnership we have with our friends at Autoklass Center ensures we have transportation everywhere we need to go. We are very grateful and look forward to sharing more about our future plans. As for the past: the following pictures form the last seasons provide us with inspiration. Let spring begin! #ViaTransilvanica #DrumulCareUnește #ThePathThatUnites #TășuleasaSocial #Autoklass

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗶𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 Although the andesite bollards are hard and rigid at first, each stone has become something else in the hands of the artists. When you see them on the route, walking the kilometers on your own feet, you begin to understand that these stones move. Each one says something, transforming from andesite into a message. It's best to experience this art exhibition, which doesn't keep you away with a fence, or outside a "frame", but moves with you. For a hiker on Via Transilvanica, every kilometer is made with a breath to discover a new work of art. There's a cool event going on in Iași: "The Month of Romanian Sculptors", where Via Transilvanica sculptors exhibit a "Solar Circle" made out of 12 kilometer stones. You must see it! It can be visited for a month, near the Palace of Culture, a symbol of the city, which although not on the trail geographically, belongs to our project. Just like that, through art! Our partners from Banca Transilvania supported this initiative as well, and for that we thank them from the bottom of our hearts! As well as the participants at the opening of the exhibition as hikers, art lovers or just curious. 📸 Alexandru Burlacu #ViaTransilvanica #DrumulCareUnește #ThePathThatUnites #TășuleasaSocial #BancaTransilvania #LunaSculptorilorRomâni #Iași

Even in The Washington Post?! An article about destinations that can’t be missed in 2025 appeared in The Washington Post. At the top of the list is Brașov, Romania, and in the article, Carolyn Addison praises the tranquil tourism along the country's trails, which reveal spectacular natural landscapes and traditional rural communities. The photograph illustrating the section about our country was taken on Via Transilvanica, featuring Sergiu Pâcă and Traian Deleanu, taking a break during their journey on the path that unites. Via Transilvanica is an ambassador of Romania. Transylvania, Brașov, the Danube Delta, Dracula, Hagi, fast internet — these sitagms, almost anywhere you go in the world, are representative for our country, show others where you come from. Soon, Via Transilvanica will be one of those things that, when we will talk about it, we will be talking, in fact, about Romatia itself. Link to the article in the comments! 📸: Hervé Bossy #ViaTransilvanica #ThePathThatUnites  #TășuleasaSocial #TheWashingtonPost #Brașov