“The incredible is actually happening in front of us. A week or two ago, I was trying to reach Stefan Popa POPAS, our friend, but he was abroad. I missed his crazy drawings on our first page. He called me on Monday. We spoke on Tuesday. He told me briefly about his journey in Europe. POPAS was at NATO headquarters. The photo he gave us really is from there; it was taken in front of the NATO headquarters. Can you believe it? Popas had the NATO leaders queue to be drawn by him. And POPAS made them happy. He drew all of them at his international speed. Very international, I’d say. 

With his simple, warm and direct genius, POPAS Conducts more cultural diplomacy than all cultural Counselors and attaches together. Has anybody thought of appointing him Itinerant Ambassador of Romania? Doesn’t he deserve it? You who seem to doubt this, you show me a picture of yourself in front of NATO headquarters. That’s it and then we’ll talk. We’ll talk about the JOURNEY and about POPAS and about this people, which seems to give birth so naturally to such geniuses. Just wait, Stefan, our time will come too, when those who don’t acknowledge us today will live only in your portraits and sometimes in my poems, benefactor POPAS!”

Signed by A.P.

PS: This is what I wrote on December 14, 2006. That POPAS’ time will come. Now I can truly say it has come POPAS is officially working on the portraits of NATO leaders. Stefan, make them good and wise, make them humane and inspired so that we may enjoy life!