The Romanian Academy and the Lapedatu Foundation organize the commemorative session "Ion and Alexandru Lapedatu – 150 years from birth" on Monday, at 11 a.m., in the Aula of the Romanian Academy. The event marks half a century from the birth of twins Ion and Alexandru Lapedatu, two of the personalities who contributed to building modern Romania.

Alexandru I. Lapedatu made a major contribution to Cluj's development. After the establishment of the Romanian University in Cluj in 1919, he co-founded the National History Institute in 1920 together with historian Ioan Lupaș. The Institute became one of the foundations of Romanian historical research in Transylvania and is today continued by the "George Barițiu" History Institute of the Romanian Academy in Cluj-Napoca. Alexandru led the institute until 1938 and was a professor at the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy, contributing to the formation of several generations of historians.

Ion I. Lapedatu was a specialist in economics and finance. He was a professor at the Chair of Economics and Finance of the Academy of Higher Commercial and Industrial Studies in Cluj, where he developed courses dedicated to the fundamental notions of financial science and published studies on the banking system and monetary issues. He participated in the Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia on December 1, 1918, was minister of Finance in 1926-1927, director of the National Bank of Romania from 1928, vice-governor and governor between 1944 and 1945. He was elected honorary member of the Romanian Academy in 1936.

Alexandru, in turn, had a prominent academic and political career.