Belarus (magazine #7 2014) by BELARUS Magazine

Soyuz

Belarus — Russia

pp. 29—36

No.7 (970), 2014

BELARUS Magazine for you

Беларусь. Belarus

Politics, Economy, Culture

www.belarus-magazine.by

topic

NATURE VIEW RECREATION

Events in Belarus and abroad

Weekly newspaper read in dozens of countries Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be late to subscribe

contents

Беларусь.Belarus Monthly magazine No. 7 (970), 2014 Published since 1930 State Registration Certificate of mass medium No.8 dated March 2nd, 2009, issued by the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus

Force in truth and unity

Founders: The Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus “SB” newspaper editorial office Belvnesheconombank Editor: Viktor Kharkov Executive Secretary: Valentina Zhdanovich

Design and Layout by

10 24

26 37

Earth will respond with gratitude As in previous years, the first week of summer in Minsk is traditionally devoted to agro-industrial complex

In April 2014, ancient Borisov — one of the most interesting cities in Belarus — joined the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities

sian wedding songs may become as fashionable for newlyweds as flying lanterns and champagne fountains

Puppets over the Niemen

Workmanship does not tolerate low quality It seems that nowadays, only lazy

people are not making hand-made things. Here someone makes soap, there someone makes dolls, and another person is making various hand-made woollen articles. These types of crafts have developed to such a scale that the fairs and festivals become crowded for national skilled craftsmen yet

Warmth and light of Naroch Belarussian Borisov with French lace

Wedding folk songs Traditional Belaru-

‘Kvasnik’ knew his business through and through

a small and rather old town. This year its residents will be celebrating its 470th anniversary

In search for a clue to biblical secrets Incomplete copy of the Brest Bible

help restore this summer

Belarusian

monuments

Between past and future Minsk and Berlin museums search for common ground

беларусь.belarus 2014

Distributed in 50 countries of the world. Final responsibility for factual accuracy or interpretation rests with the authors of the publications. Should any article of Беларусь.Belarus be used, the reference to the magazine is obligatory. The magazine does not bear responsibility for the contents of advertisements.

Publisher: “SB” editorial office This magazine has been printed at State Entertainment “Publishers “Belarus Printing House”. 79 Nezavisimosti Ave., Minsk, Belarus, 220013 Order No. 1988

Write us to the address: 11 Kiselyov Str., Minsk, Belarus, 220029. Tel.: +375 (17) 290-62-24, 290-66-45. Tel./Fax: +375 (17) 290-68-31.

Town portrait taken from life Gorki is

Volunteers race to help UNESCO to

Беларусь.Belarus is published in Belarusian, English, Spanish and Polish.

Total circulation — 1916 copies (including 728 in English).

www.belarus-magazine.by E-mail: mail@belarus-magazine.by

of 16th century is researched in regional library

Vadim Kondrashov Nadezhda Ponkratova

Subscription index in Belpochta catalogue — 74977

Ability to see the unusual in the habitual

For future foreign subscribers for ‘Belarus’ magazine, apply to ‘MK-Periodica’ agency. E-mail: info@periodicals.ru Telephone in Minsk: +375 (17) 227-09-10.

Vadim Kondrashov

editor’s note

Preference of local travels

ummers may differ, sometimes rainy, cool or extremely hot. Really, no two years are ever the same. However, it is summer which dictates behaviour. Many traditionally plan to go on vacation during their holidays, and evidently, summer is the best

choice. With this in mind, the choice of this issue’s main theme is clear. Nevertheless, it also has its own reason. We’ve tried to focus on, not only the best season to holiday, but on the places best suitable for this purpose. Of course, nobody is limited in their choice. Some are attracted by the seaside and others dream of visiting exotic places or remote countries. In turn, we’ve decided to throw light on the advantages of vacationing in Belarus, whose unique nature creates a wonderful holidaying atmosphere. Accordingly, the main topic of this issue is entitled Nature View Recreation. The season really doesn’t matter. This especially refers to those wishing to visit Belarus’ Naroch Lake — as the author of Warmth and Light of Naroch article asserts. He once changed his tradition and went to Naroch in February to recuperate. Now, he is happy to share his impressions, “The local winter air is truly incredible! Importantly, the lake attracts with its silence, which is great in comparison to a large noisy city. Several months later, in the summer, I returned there. Naroch welcomed me then not with ice but with blue-emerald water. Swans were swimming along the banks and were not afraid to come out and take bread from holidaymakers’ hands. Birds

and people easily found a common language, as calmness and kindness are natural for Naroch. Ideal conditions for recuperation are created here, with nature contributing greatly to the local infrastructure — pines, sandy banks and the lake. The latter spreads so far that it gives the impression that a sea is emerging from the fog. No banks are distinguished. With this in mind, when my friends tell me that Belarus lacks its own sea (which is the country’s disadvantage), I always answer: ‘We have Naroch — which is our advantage’.” Really, the argument is convincing. Naroch is situated in the Minsk Region, but many more Belarusian locations can rival this area. Travelling to the north of the country, tourists would become convinced. Braslav, in the Vitebsk Region, is known as a natural pearl: the Braslav lake group — numbering over 30 lakes — is the largest in Belarus. It’s was formed as a result of a huge glacier melting. Local nature is unique, with beautiful banks, eye-catching landscapes and pine forests with clean air. Potential tourists are welcomed. Further examples can be shown. Belarusian Polesie’s unique sites are known as ‘Europe’s lungs’ and the ‘Belarusian Amazon’. The Pripyatsky National Park is another corner of virgin nature, with its off-beat flora and fauna. No other site of the kind can be found on the globe. Anyone coming to this ‘lost world’ obtains a single impression — that this location is worth visiting over and over again. Read our Come to Return article in this issue and you’ll come to recuperate in Belarus. No doubt, you’ll never regret your choice. By Viktor Kharkov

2014 беларусь.belarus

PANORAMA

Holiday on native land Dear compatriots! I congratulate you on the main State holiday — the Independence Day of Belarus (Republic Day). This significant date in the historical calendar of our country symbolises the liberation of Belarusians from the Nazi aggressors. 70 years ago we defended the peaceful future of the Motherland and we are obliged to preserve this invaluable legacy for our descendants. Today, we remember the names of our fallen heroes: soldiers of the Red Army, guerrillas and underground fighters. At the cost of incredible effort and at times, even life, they gained victory in that terrible war. Fighting shoulder to shoulder, the people of the Soviet Union defeated the common enemy and liberated mankind from fascist slavery. Over these years we became stronger, wiser and are ready to respond to any challenges of the modern times. On this great day, I wish you good health, happiness and productive work for the benefit of Fatherland. Let peace and well-being reign in your houses! Happy Independence Day, dear friends!

Belta

Congratulations of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on Independence Day

At the edge of a historical epoch

he President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, notes the decrease of efficiency of post-war system of international security. Today the Head of State talked about that in his speech on the army parade of Minsk garrison, held to mark Independence Day and the 70th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from the Nazi invaders. “Today, we see a decrease of the effectiveness of the system of international security which was formed

 Never more! In the centre of Berlin, the Land of Courage and Glory exhibition of photos and documents dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from the Nazis was held

ccording to the words of Vladimir Adamushko, Director of the Department on Archives and Record Management of the Ministry of Justice, and one of the organisers of the exhibition, a lot of the photos and documents

беларусь.belarus 2014

after the war. New threats appear and revision and re-division of post-war borders is carried out. The tendency to global instability became visible,” the Head of State ascertained. “Unceremonious intervention into the internal affairs of sovereign states, attempts to stir up national strife in them, to destabilise the situation we see not only in the Middle East, but, unfortunately, already today in the example of our brotherly Ukraine,” the President noted. “The split of society, civil war and chaos in the country, numerous victims and economic degradation — this is, by far, not the full list of problems which our nearest neighbours have faced.”

are unique. He is ready to talk about every stand for a long time and in minute detail, to tell how difficult it was to find the commendation lists of the Heroes of the Soviet Union submitted to the high nomination for ‘Bagration’ operation on Belarus’ liberation, to talk about the fact that they decided to dedicate one stand to women in the war — explaining how they fought side by side with the men, how they lived during the war and how they have survived the unimaginable horrors that fell upon them.

event

Force in truth and unity People speak as much about the ‘Minsk — Hero City’ exposition as about the new building of the museum of history of the Great Patriotic War. After becoming acquainted with halls and exhibits, I will tell about them. They are strikingly different from the former on Independence Avenue. They are notable for their information value, emotional background, deep content and blameless plot logic. Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin took part in the opening of new museum.

t is difficult to describe the event, which is necessary to see. I came through the exposition of the museum twice;firstly, with the trip for journalists. I noticed that, from the very beginning of our looking round, the expressions of our colleagues from the Kremlin pool changed dramatically. Their professionally retentive and brisk gazes became suddenly quieter. The eyes of our colleagues moved along exhibits with improbable curiosity, real rarities of those hard times. Experienced reporters, who had seen a lot in their lives, asked the guidea lot of questions. About many details of wartime that they had obviously learnt for the first time — about guerrilla life, the anti-fascist underground and the scale of Nazi atrocities. Colleagues were very impressed by everything they saw and the information which was new for them... The two Presidents also listened attentively to the guide. For a moment they stopped before the hall that talked about the Nazi genocides organised on Belarusian land. This dramatic segment of the exposition is made in a very technological way. A body of flame is projected on a thin veil of artificial fog. On their background emerge the names of Belarusian villages which were wiped out. It sends shivers down the spine and

lumps appear in the onlookers’ throats. The history here revives and burns... But, I will say once again, it is necessary to see all these for yourself. Each exposition is accompanied by video effects and sounds which allow to you feel the essence and meaning of the given theme. From time to time, the Presidents exchanged short remarks between themselves and with the guide. It was visible, that during these moments, they thought about the same thing. It was confirmed by the words told by the Presidents in the Hall of Glory. Under the glass dome, symbolising the prostrate Reichstag, the Heads of State spoke about the general victory. How our fathers, grandfathers and greatgrandfathers somehow, by superhuman effort, gained this victory, and how the present generation have had to protect it again from revisionists of history and direct falsifiers. As if the Nazis of the 40s have tried to run into the consciousness of people. However, at first they tightly stuck in our strong memory, and then met with a rebuff of disapproval of their cynical fabrications. According to Alexander Lukashenko, memory is truth, and in truth, there is force. The truth is that, having occupied Belarus, the enemy was not able to conquer our people. We paid the highest price for this firmness, one in every three died.

The defeat of Hitler’s men on the Eastern front determined the outcome of the Second World War and even all post-war world order. Other western countries, whose soldiers in the style of the Wehrmacht and SS units left their dirty footprints on our land, killed children, try today to speak with us haughtily using the language of dictatorships and sanctions, instead of expressing gratitude and true repentance. Today, they are supported by primitive pseudo-historians, who try to depict traitors as heroes and aggressors as liberators. It will not work! We deliver a resolute rebuff to historical marauding. And again, as well as 70 years ago, we do it together. Belarusians are shoulder to shoulder with Russians. The Presidents left records in the book of distinguished guests of the museum, presented the museum with a sword ‘To Minsk Hero City’. Gunsmiths of the Ural Zlatoust had engraved Alexander Nevsky’s popular quotation: ‘The one who will come to us with a sword — will die from that sword’ on the blade. Vladimir Putin donated historical periodical press with news about the liberation of Minsk. Chords of the Victory Daymarch sounded in the hall. The chorus had scarcely sung the first notes, when the clouds disappeared over the transparent dome and the light hall of Glory began to sparkle even brighter. It was all very symbolic. 2014 беларусь.belarus

Belta

event

Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin

Dialogue in the spirit of brotherhood Having left the museum, Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin went to the Palace of Independence,where they had working meeting, the eighth meeting this year. A lot was said about what unites us. The President of Belarus welcomed his Russian colleague. “We very much appreciate your arrival in these holidays. They were hard times, but all the same, the Victory after all the difficulties was desired and general. As I once already said when I was worn out here by separate people.‘Do not worry, if it is necessary, we will stand back-to-back and we will defend ourselves, we will fight, as we once did together.’” беларусь.belarus 2014

Alexander Lukashenko thanked Vladimir Putin for his arrival and for the help and support rendered to the economy of Belarus. The world crisis has affected both countries. But it is easier to overcome its consequences together. The President expressed confidence that, by being together, both countries will be economically much stronger. Bilateral trade and economic cooperation became one of the main themes of the meeting of the two Presidents. Following last year’s results, Belarusian-Russian goods turnover was almost $40 billion. It is rather a big figure, but the growth potential is not exhausted. Vladimir Putin assured that Belarus and Russia will combine efforts

further on economic integration. It is not only about an increase of volumes of economy of the states, but also about its qualitative growth. The Russian President noted that much in this direction could be done by the Eurasian Economic Union. “It will be another step forward in combining the efforts of our people and our states on the basis of everything positive that we received in former times and was made by the hands and watered by the blood of our ancestors, fathers and grandfathers, if we mean wartime.” In the evening Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko laid a wreath at the Victory Monument. By Dmitry Kryat, Liliya Khlystun

RURAL ISSUE

Earth will respond with gratitude As in previous years, the first week of summer in Minsk is traditionally devoted to agro-industrial complex

near Minsk. Summing up the main agrarian forum of Belarus, the Chairman of the organising committee of Belagro-2014, the Minister of Agriculture and Food, Leonid Zayats, noted its productivity, “It is possible to call the exhibition a holiday which was successful for farmers, manufacturers of agricultural machinery, service staff of farming and industrial complexes of the enterprises, and numerous Belarusian and foreign visitors.485 domestic and foreign enterprises took part in the event and representatives of many countries who were present, expressed a desire to conclude contracts on the continuation of co-operation.

Belta

elarusian agro-industrial week has recently ended here. The international specialised exhibition Belagro-2014 — became its most notable event. For two decades of its existence, the main agricultural forum, by right, has deserved authority not only in the country, but also behind its limits. Tens of thousands of people have visited two demonstration platforms, one in the Football arena on the capital’s Pobediteley Avenue, and the other in the territory of Gastellovskoye JSC

Technical breakthrough 80 percent of the Belagro-2014 exposition is of domestic production. Twenty years ago it was difficult to imagine all that. Before the collapse of the USSR, Belarus produced for its own needs, no more than 17-18 percent of the machinery needed for the cultivation of basic crops: potato, wheat, rye and sugar beet. Today, Belarusian industry provides 100 percent of the country’s agricultural machinery needs. The First Deputy Prime Minister, Vladimir Semashko, noted this at the formal opening ceremony of the Belarusian agro-industrial week, “We have a full range of agricultural machinery, and we solved a twofold task. Firstly, we solved the problem of the provision of our own agricultural manufacture with advanced machinery and secondly, we turned agricultural mechanical engineering into an export business.” Between 2005 and 2013, Belarus made $23 billion worth of machinery. From this, $6.8 billion was spent on machinery for domestic use. Belarusian machinery is in good demand on all continents. Vladimir Semashko explained that it is due to a good quality/price ratio, “Our machinery is competitive in quality, technological level and support. One more advantage is the price.” One of the basic consumers is Russia. During the exhibition, the Ministry 2014 беларусь.belarus

Belta

RURAL ISSUE

of Agriculture and Food had negotiations with delegations from the Astrakhan, Amur, Leningrad, Vologda and Moscow regions, as well as from Primorsky Krai, Department of Trade and Services of Moscow. The attention of the Russians was focused on modern machinery. Belarusian trucks, tractors and combine harvesters are bought in all regions of Russia. For example, a caterpillar combine harvester, developed by Gomselmash, literally saved a crop in the Amur Region last year. Because of the high humidity of the soil, all other machinery was useless. Not casually was the Belagro-2014 visited by participants of the first Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia — ‘The effective development of agro-industrial complexes of Belarus and Russia are a major condition of food safety of the Union State’, led by the chairmen of the upper chambers of parliaments of two countries, Anatoly Rubinov and Valentina Matviyenko. Now the matter depends on new contracts. беларусь.belarus 2014

Review of achievements The role of Belagro in the advancement of Belarusian machinery on the international market cannot be underestimated. Besides potential buyers visiting the exhibition for the purpose of checking out the ranges, participants from abroad also get acquainted with the exposition. It is an additional chance for Belarusian enterprises to enter new markets. Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Turkey, Ukraine, France and the Czech Republic, a geographical list that is nowhere complete for demonstrating the companies which showed their production at the latest exhibition and estimated the achievements of their competitors. But what were the surprises this year? The leaders of mechanical engineering — MTZ, Gomselmash, Amkodor, Lidselmash, Bobruiskagromash showed almost their full ranges of factory production and new developments ready for operation.

The new energy-saturated tractor, the Belarus-4522,was called the discovery of the exhibition. Until now, the production association, MTZ, has only produced machinery with a capacity up to 350 horsepower. The new 450-strong tractor can use aggregates with width of grip of more than 16 metres, something impossible for its predecessor. In the field, the Belarus-4522 is capable to replace two, 200-strong machines. Among the many successful Belarusian developments is a self-propelled mower for the preparation of forages with width of grip of 9 metres and a caterpillar combine harvester, the Palesse-GS812, made by Gomselmash, a self-propelled unit with high clearance by Lidaagroprommash JSC and domestic combine harvesters for cabbage and carrot harvesting. Domestic agricultural production, machinery and equipment were shown in a technological chain with modern energy saving technologies of all industries connected both with manufacture of agricultural products, and with its processing,

RURAL ISSUE transportation, storage and realisation, something that experts found remarkable. The exposition of foreign machine engineers also impressed guests at the exhibition. For the first time, the fullfledged exposition with combine harvester Acros and tractor ‘Versatile’ was shown by Russian company Rostselmash. The well-known Polish company, Contractus sp.z.o.o., acquainted visitors with machinery from the John Deere brand and Kverneland group. The German company, Convex International GmbH, displayed their beet-harvesting machinery. The long-term participant of Belagro, well-known in Belarus,StotzAgroService,

only see the technological innovations, but also taste sausages, cheese, yoghurt, and baked goods. And already, from the first day of work of the exposition, there were negotiations about joint projects and the establishment of new contacts. The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, Vasily Sedin noted that Belarus had become a worthy competitor in the European food market, and that demand for our production grows.

Moving forward This year is special for Belarusian farming and industrial enterprises. After solving the issues of food safety and entry

veloped countries stands at around 18-20 percent, while in Belarus it is 49. As a result, the state is strained in other areas, in particular industry, and at their expense, subsidises agriculture. During recent years, village machinery-tractor fleets were practically fully updated, basically at the expense of domestic machinery. Such updating cost a lot for the state. Under a government programme of revival of villages, $37 billion were invested into the branch and rural infrastructure. Certainly, in many respects it increased the level of agricultural manufacture, Vladimir Semashko considers, “Even the weakest state farm has the possibility to

Belta

At the Belagro-2014, meat-and-milk businesses, food industries, manufacturers of equipment for processing industry, refrigerating and packing equipment, veterinary medicines and medicaments were on display

again introduced a wide range of tractors and combine harvesters, at their platform, along with modern milking equipment. Guests were also impressed by the exposition in the Football arena where meat-and-milk businesses, food industries, manufacturers of equipment for processing industry, refrigerating and packing equipment, veterinary medicines and medicaments were all on display from 150 companies from 14 different countries, including from Belarus, Russia, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland. Potential clients could not

into foreign markets, the state has set a new task before the farming world, an increase in efficiency. Four draft decrees, aimed at the improvement of agrarian policy and financial improvement of agricultural enterprises, were prepared. It is not about depriving industry of state support. The first Deputy Prime Minister, Vladimir Semashko considers that for further maintenance of food safety, the state is obliged to support agriculture. In the same way that the richest and advanced countries of the world do so: the USA, Germany, Canada and others. But the level of support in the de-

sow everything during 9-10 days and for 3-4 weeks to reap the crop. It possesses such technical possibilities. That means that it is possible, without problems in target dates, to carry out sowing campaigns and to reap the crop loss-free.” The environmental conditions in Belarus are no worse than in the Czech Republic or Germany, therefore Belarusian farming needs to reach similar efficiency. “If the state has given modern machinery, then it is time to start working at a European level,” the First Deputy Prime Minister considers. By Liliya Khlystun

2014 беларусь.belarus

PANORAMA  Locomotive for integration Belarus considers co-operation with Russian regions as real economic basis for integration

Belta

 For special services New challenges and threats require maximisation of integration possibilities within CIS, notes President of Belarus at 36th session of CIS Council for Heads of Security Bodies and Special Services

elarus last hosted the CIS Council for Heads of Security Bodies and Special Services five years ago and, as Mr. Lukashenko commented to those present, ‘serious changes have occurred globally and within the CIS’ since then. He added, “New challenges and threats require co-ordination of effort and maximisation

of the CIS’ integration possibilities, to strengthen members’ security.” Mr. Lukashenko is convinced that special services are those who need to reveal risks, challenges and threats to collective security within the CIS, promoting peace and supporting the successful development of the CIS as a whole and each state in particular. He also believes that developments should be undertaken gradually, rather than suddenly, since hasty moves can cause social unrest. The President noted that Belarus is ready to share its security experience, and referred especially to Minsk’s recent hosting of the Ice Hockey World Championship.

 Middle class leader World Bank declares 80 percent of people in Belarus as belonging to middle class

elarus takes a leading position among countries across Europe and Central Asia and among middle-income countries on an index of percentage of middle class among the population. The Report on the Rus-

беларусь.belarus 2014

sian Economy, on the World Bank website, shows 80 percent of people as middle class in Belarus; about 18

elarus has long regarded co-operation with Russian regions as a foundation of Belarusian-Russian relations and a real economic basis for integration, noted the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, on meeting the Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia, Valentina Matviyenko, and the heads of Russian regions taking part in the first BelarusRussia regional forum, held in Minsk. The Head of State noted that delegations from Belarus and Russian regions have long been exchanging visits and he believes that the regular sessions of bilateral councils, commissions and working groups have aided co-operation, supporting the expansion of mutual ties. “Undoubtedly, it is important to strengthen current partner relations and interaction at all levels of business co-operation, working together for concrete results,” the President noted. The first forum of regions of Belarus and Russia was devoted to the effective development of the agro-industrial complex of our two countries. According to Alexander Lukashenko, co-operation in this sphere has great value, as the food security of the Union State depends on its realisation. percent are ‘vulnerable’ and about 2 percent are classed as ‘poor’. None are classed as ‘extremely poor’ — unlike Tajikistan and Armenia, where just 2-3 percent are designated as middle class. On this index, Belarus outstrips Poland (about 50 percent middle class), Russia, Latvia and Hungary (just over 50 percent) and Lithuania (about 60 percent). According to the World Bank, those with a daily consumption of at least $10 belong to the middle class.

TOPIC

Belta

NATURE VIEW RECREATION

Warmth and

linic workers recommend that you rest here in the winter. It is not that it is better than in the summer. Simply there is such a tradition: people have a rest when it is warm,while in the winter they prefer to work. But during the holiday season, the busy season of holidays in the tourist industry, there are not enough places for everybody. Once, I decided to change traditions and went to improve my health during the cold months. In February, I went to Naroch — the biggest lake in Belarus. Ah, what improbable air is here in the winter! And the silence is very important after a noisy, big city. After several months, the following summer, I returned here again. Instead of ice, Naroch pleased me with its blue-emerald smooth surface with swans floating on it along the coast. Birds fearlessly walked on the bank and ate bread from the hands of holiday-makers. People and birds quickly find a common language here. Calmness and kindness — perhaps this is the right description for the atmosphere on Naroch. Here are perfect conditions for resting. While the first contribution to the infrastructure was brought by nature: pines, sandy banks and a lake which spreads so far, and, when it is slightly covered with mist, it is possible to imagine that it is sea. You even do not see its far banks. Therefore, when my friends tell me that Belarus has no sea, and that this is a negative, I answer“There is Naroch, and it is positive”. I am no poet, therefore I cannot beautifully convey all the feelings which I experience here: walking along the embankment, going deep into the forest, where high pines disappear into the sky, where the air is so pure that you feel giddy. This atmosphere of primordial nature is unusual for people who spend most part of life in a big city. But a couple of days is

enough to get used to Naroch and, by then, you already do not want to return to the city any more. Gnats are the only negative of this place in the evenings. However, clinic staff have learnt how to cope with them. The midges do not torment people around the clinics. Special installations radiate radio-waves which frighten off insects. It does not cause harm to the ecology, and creates comfort for people. I will add to all these positives, the food, which is made from fresh Belarusian products in the health resorts, and even an ‘all inclusive’ on a Turkish shore will be inferior to Naroch’s efficient service. Yes, it is not as hot here as in Antalya or Bodrum, but it is more healthy for people who are used to the mild climate of Europe — the same climate, local products and, moreover, it is not expensive, even cheap. To reserve a place in a clinic is advantageous and useful, but you only can reserve for long term — about several weeks. And in order to ‘investigate’ the area I would recommend you arrive at Naroch for the weekend. In this case the Naroch Hotel will be suitable. It is modern, not worse than those found at the Mediterranean coast or Baltic seas. The service here is top-level, although the food is more modest, and does not compare to the clinics’ food. However, there are a lot of cafes around, where you always will find a menu to suit your taste and pocket. In the Sputnik Clinicit is possible to rent a whole wooden house or a number of rooms for several days. In a health resort you will have clinic food and the possibility of swimming in the pool. And if you want not one water procedure, but different procedures, then in addition you also can have a sauna (Russian, Finnish or Turkish). These are available in the neighbouring Priozerny Clinic. The price — 10 dollars for 2 hours — I am sure it will not be too much for ‘not very well-to-do’ men. 2014 беларусь.belarus

light of Naroch Towels, bathing caps, bunches of green birch twigs for the bath can also be bought here, along with anything else you need. In my opinion, it is not necessary for you to take anything along as everything can be bought on site. Of course, if money does not play big role, and the main thing is comfort. There are of course other options for rest -hiring a tent, for example. You cannot put up a tent anywhere near the lake, because it is the territory of the national park, but there are several tourist sites, they are notable from the side of the highway. There can sometimes be a lot of people, but it will not be difficult for you to find an empty place. There are well equipped stands: a water pump, showers and toilets. Everything is pure and in working order. At the end of almost every stand are heaps of firewood. However they are very big and require sawing with the aid of a chainsaw. Kiosks sell a range of products, and you even can buy a shish kebab if you do not want to prepare it yourself. On one of tourist stands, there is a pier, and it is possible to hire a yacht. People come to Naroch not only to rest but also to fish. To use fishing nets or to do submarine hunting is not allowed here, but to fish using a fishing rod is allowed. And if you are unlucky with fishing, then you can just buy the well-known Naroch eel from local residents who offer it to tourists, and pretend you caught it yourself. Eel also can be found in the local stores. What historical and cultural heritage can be found in vicinities of Naroch? The answer is given by the expert on these places, Guide, Anatoly Varavva: “In Myadel one can visit St. Maria’s Catholic Church. It’s built in the Baroque style and constructed in 1754. In Konstantinovo, the 19th century Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is worthy of attention. While in Olshevo one can see the ruins of Khominskiye’s estate and estate беларусь.belarus 2014

park which is considered a monument of garden-park art. In the urban village Svir, there is the site of an ancient settlement, while in the centre of the village is St. Nicholas’ Catholic Church. In the village of Zasvir, there is Trinity Catholic Church. In Shemetovshchina it is possible to walk along an old estate park, the owners of which were Skirmunts. On an artificially erected hill in the territory of the park there is Catholic Church and a bell tower. In the crypt of the church there remain the burial places of the Skirmunts. The most well-known sights of the village of Naroch include the Catholic Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle and Church of Saint Elijah. The Catholic Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle is a monument of architecture of the Neo-Gothic style was founded in 1901 and was consecrated in 1904. The building was built using red brick and it was not plastered, and the socle was laid with rubble stone. Before the main facade of the church there is a three-storied wooden belfry, representing a square. It is covered by a low marquee with a metal cross. The church was constructed in 1850 with application of rubble stone in a retrospective-Russian style. The territory round the church is protected by a fence made from rubble stone. Opposite to the main façade, in a fencing, there is brick double-drift pomfret. The composition of the extended side facades of the churchis based on a contrasting combination of low and high volumes. The two-high iconostasis from wood, a monument of national creativity of late 19th- early 20th century, draws attention to the interior. The modest churchlet fills the soul with a sensation of warmth and light.” The waters of Naroch, by the nature of its coast, will shroud you with the same warmth and light. Being warmed this way means that you will feel perfect for a long time. And then, possibly, will again return to this wonderful coast. By Viktar Korbut

TOPIC

NATURE VIEW RECREATION

Reference from Belarus:

In pursuit of ghosts

 The banks of Lake Naroch are covered by a network of clinics. The administrative centre of this territory is the resort settlement of Naroch. Four kilometres from here is another Naroch — the village — which earlier was known as Kobylniki or Kobylnik. The resort settlement appeared in 1964 on the place of small fishing villages Kupa, Urliki and Stepenevo. Two dozen streams and a small river flow into the lake, while only one river — the Naroch — flows from it. The lake is exclusively pure, it is inhabited by over 19 species of fish among which are cisco, pike, tench, bream and, of course, the well-known Naroch eel. In appearance, the eel is similar to a snake, and reaches length of up to 1.5 metres. It is found in many lakes of Europe, but spawns only in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean (the Sargasso Sea). When spawning time comes the eels leave the lakes and, through the rivers, streams and lowland bogs go to the ocean. After spawning, all adult animals die. Their larvae return through the rivers and channels into the lakes of Europe where the eels live up to adulthood. TheNarochareaisalsoinhabitedbybirds—seagulls, ducks and swans. As for the character of natural vegetation, pine, birch, twilight fur-tree pine forests prevails. These are full of game birds, berries, mushrooms, and the especially valuable polypore and burl. In 1999 the Narochansky National Park was created in this territory. The journey from Minsk to Narochi, which was visited by around 15 thousand tourists in 2013,

Cyclists have been racing along the Po River, and the beaches of Brittany, through the most beautiful landscapes of British Cornwall and Somerset, and by the lavender fields of Provence, to the legendary mountain of Mont Ventoux — which is the finish of the well-known Tour de France race. What’s it all about? One of the top ten cycle routes worldwide, it cannot help but inspire us. Who doesn’t dream of leaving their stuffy office for a couple of days, turning off their phone and taking a bicycle adventure. Of course, you don’t need to travel to Provence or Tasmania. The Volozhin District or the Belovezhskaya Pushcha are perfect locations for cycle holidays, although far less known. They can surprise even the most fastidious cyclists, while offering tasty local cuisine… and ghosts.

Belta

elarus is yet to become known as a cycling country but each region is working on setting up the right conditions. Already, there are more than 30 ‘official’ cycle routes, and it is obvious that the number will increase annually. The Belovezhskaya Pushcha is famous not only for Father Frost’s Residence and aurochs. Its five bicycle routes vary in length from 10 to 27 kilometres, attracting cyclists from March onwards, as the snow melts. In 2012, the destination saw 16,000 cyclists: last season, there were 23,500. It’s hoped that 2014 will see another rise in cyclist tourism. The fee for using the routes is just Br10,000-15,000, and bicycles can be rented for Br20,000 per hour. The Avgustovsky Canal park has six cycle routes, ranging from 7 to 72.7 kilometres in length. The Deputy Head of Grodnoinvest FEZ, Dmitr y Klimenok, is convinced that the best way forward is to make the use of all cycle paths free, to promote tourism. He as2014 беларусь.belarus

serts, “We want people to simply come ing Wells’; it will comprise a network and enjoy beautiful places: there are of thematic routes — such as fishing or so many! Soon, we plan to open our Already, there are more culinary. We already have a route visown bicycle hire, which should encouriting places connected with legends than 30 ‘official’ cycle age more cyclists.” mystical sites, such as the ghost routes, and it is obvious and Bicycle routes also operate through of the Holy-Ascension Barkolabovo that the number will Monaster y, and life-giving springs the Braslav Lakes National Park and at increase annually Narochansky, as well as within the Beand wells.” The 500km route should launch next rezinsky Biosphere Reserve. The Volozhinskiye Gostintsy paths were launched year, offering a 10-11 day tour. Of course, recently, as part of the Developing Tourist Clusters in visitors can already choose from various cycle routes across Belarus project. In total, 150km of bicycle routes cross the Mogilev Region, and the Chausy, Dribin, Mstislavl, the Nalibokskaya Pushcha, passing eco-museums and Krichev and Cherikov districts. Approximately 300km are agro-estates. already equipped with information signs, and there are The Chairman of the Public Council for agro-eco- many agro-estates along the way, offering accommodation tourism development (under the Department of Physical for Br100,000 per night. Mr. Kulyagin feels confident that Training, Sports and Tourism) of the Mogilev Regional this will inspire the development of agro-tourism. The Chairman of the Board of the NGO Minsk CyExecutive Committee, Sergey Kulyagin, tells us about the Zhivaya Voda (water of life) route, which will run cling Community, Yevgeny Khoruzhy, tells us that it’s inexpensive to open new cycle routes, making this an obvi500 km. He notes, “Today, we’re creating a major route as ous direction for Belarusian tourism. By Galina Kononova part of our regional tourist cluster — ‘Edge of Life-givбеларусь.belarus 2014

TOPIC

NATURE VIEW RECREATION

Vitaliy Gil

550 secrets of hospitality New tourist attractions appear in the Vitebsk Region

he Marc Chagall Museum and ancient Polotsk — the centre of Europe — and host to the annual International Slavianski Bazaar Festival of Arts are, probably, the major pearls that allure foreign tourists to the Vitebsk Region. As 2014 is the Year of Hospitality in Belarus, the country’s northern region decided to considerably expand their tourist potential. At present, there are over 550 tourist routes, including 80 trans-boundary. New attractive sites have appeared and we’ll familiarise our readers with some of them.

From hotel to agro-estate Braslav is not called a natural pearl for nothing. The Braslav lake group, which includes over 30 lakes, is considered to be the largest in Belarus. These originated as a result of the passing and melting of a huge glacier. With its beautiful shores and enchanting landscapes and pine forests filled with the freshest of air, this area is home to rare animals and aquatic inhabitants like lynxes, brown bears, tench, vendaces and eels. All of these act as a magnet for potential tourists. In order to ensure comfort for those visiting Braslav, a new three star hotel — The Braslav Lakes Hotel — is opening there this summer. A contemporary hotel complex, which is being

Braslav Lake National Park. Recreation center Drivyati

constructed on the bank of Lake Novyaty, offers 16 rooms and 8 bungalows. It will also boast its own beach and piers on the territory adjacent to the lake. Moreover, according to the Chairman of the Braslav District Executive Committee, Valentina Vysotskaya, there will be also a restaurant there, alongside a karaoke-bar and even a golf lawn. “The hotel will offer its guests high-class services. We’re convinced that both domestic and foreign tourists will be pleased to stay here,” she explained. Those who prefer to go far away from the urban fuss will be offered a rest in the Lesnaya Polyana agro-tourist complex, which is being built by Russian investors. The first visitors are to be welcomed there this autumn. The facility is situated 20km from Braslav on the bank of the Voloso Lake and consists of 5 cottages, 2 banyas and a café, which are primarily designed for fishers and hunters. Nevertheless, those who simply want to stay in the countryside won’t be bored either, bicycle rental will be available and exciting cycling routes will be developed. It should be also noted that a project is currently under development that deals with reconstruction of an ancient estate of the Plyatery in the village of Opsa. This is a long-term prospect of tourist development in the Braslav area. Located on the picturesque bank of the lake, the estate will be turned into a cosy hotel by 2017. It will be very romantic to spend several days far from civilisation in a former duke’s manor. 2014 беларусь.belarus

Some are keen on trophies while other — on photo shots

the least year, there were over a hundred such clients. Each foreigner spends at least 500 Euros for hunting while also leaving Speaking of the Braslav Lakes area, we can’t but mention the another 1,500-2,000 Euros during his stay in Belarus. MeanBraslav Lake National Park, which was primarily created to defend while, not everyone is keen on shooting animals, so some are specially protected nature territories and to develop hunting. Such eager to wander along Belarusian forests and marshes with a big animals as elks, roe deer and wild boars are bred here. Accord- photo camera instead of a gun, like, for example, French photographer, Thierry Girard. He has worked ing to Director General of the Braslav Lakes National Park, Vitaly Drozhzha, recently, in the Berezinsky Reserve, located at the junction of the Vitebsk and Minsk regions wild boar hunting has become very popuOver a hundred tourist in late spring and early summer this year. lar. “There are many wild boars in this area Coloured and black-and-white works by and this means that almost no hunter who enterprises are currently Mr. Girard, which are created by him with comes to us is left without a trophy.” operating in the Vitebsk the help of a film camera and a special largeThese are primarily Russians, French, Germans and Finns who arrive at the Region, organising various sized camera, can be found in large State tours for guests. and private collections all over the world. National Park for hunting. Everything He makes documentary photos, addstarts with an application by phone, fax or More detailed information email. All the details are available at www. about the tourist potential ing his personal views on the surrounding world. He has shot thick woods, as braslavpark.by. The terms of the tour are of the region well as streams and marshes. He was also agreed with the hunter; depending on is available at interested in Belarusian villages, therefore availability, one can wait from 2-3 days to many portraits of local residents will ap2-3 weeks. The organisation of one day of www.tourvitebsk.gov.by pear at an exhibition, dedicated to the 90th individual wild boar hunting will cost 50 anniversary of this reserve that is due next Euros to a foreigner, while one-year-old year. The visit of the talented master is wild boar hunting costs 90 Euros. According to Mr. Drozhzha, if the hunter fails to shoot an animal, they carried out thanks to the co-operation between the Berezinsky will have to pay only for the organisation of the hunt. Biosphere Reserve and the Northern Vosges Regional Natural “Foreign hunters come to us, not only because they are at- Park, and was organised under the support of the French Embassy to Belarus. tracted by our affordable prices and guaranteed trophy, but because we also provide a whole range of related services: meeting at the airport, accompaniment, provision of transport, accommodation in the comfortable recreation camps of the National Park, meals and a game warden for the organisation and conducting of the hunt.” C lients enj oy this, and many of them constantly visit us. Over

беларусь.belarus 2014

TOPIC

Vitaliy Gil

NATURE VIEW RECREATION

Braslav Lake National Park. Recreation center Zolovo

Seeking for health and impressions Cultural tourism for the Vitebsk Region is traditional. For instance, many guests annually arrive at the regional centre for the Slavianski Bazaar festival. However, alongside the arts festival, Vitebsk annually hosts children’s summer schools of art which are connected with names of such prominent painters as Marc Chagall and Ilya Repin. Youngsters from Belarus, Russia, Latvia and Germany take part in these forums. As far as Ilya Repin’s Zdravnevo Museum-Estate is concerned, which is located not far from the regional centre, Chief Director of the Vitebsk Drama Theatre (named after Yakub Kolas), Valery Anisenko, has an interesting idea. The theatre’s repertoire has the performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which was performed by Vitebsk actors under the open sky at an international festival. Mr. Anisenko proposes to organise a similar open-air festival in Zdravnevo. This is only a project so far, but the pilgrimage and recuperation of tourists is rapidly developing in the Vitebsk Region — for example, the French photographer Thierry Girard

inclusion of the Transfiguration Church of St. Yevfrosiniya Monastery and St. Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk into the preliminary UNESCO World Heritage List. At present, these sites will be also expanded with the John the Baptist Roman Church in the village of Kamai of the Postavy District. Such facilities are always interesting to tourists, as are the spas of the Vitebsk Region. Foreigners have long come to the spas and health-improvement camps of the region in order to take a course of wax and ozokerite treatment, needle therapy and mineral baths. Moreover, the Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Vladimir Terentiev, believes that considerable reserves are hidden in the development of corporate tourism. “Last year, the Russian company, Gazprom organised the Fakel (Torch) Festival in Vitebsk for ten days, which featured over 5,000 people. The participants remained pleased and it brought considerable profit to the region.” Other Russian, as well as Israeli companies have used the ability of Vitebsk residents to organise mass events: both cultural and sporting. This is another good reason for increasing the number of tourists, visiting the region. By Sergey Golesnik

2014 беларусь.belarus

To see it is to return The unique areas of the Belarusian Polesie were, long ago called the ‘lungs of Europe’ and the ‘Belarusian Amazon’

t is hardly possible to find on the map of the world such a miraculously preserved corner of primordial nature, rich with peculiar flora and fauna, which is represented by the Pripyatsky National Park. ‘To see in order to return’ is the impression which people have after first visiting this forgotten world.

беларусь.belarus 2014

Place in the sun

The Pripyatsky National Park, which is popular among tourists, is located in between the Pripyat and the Ubort rivers. About 190 thousand hectares of territory is under special protection, and more than a third is occupied by the wild nature reserve. On the huge areas of the ‘Belarusian Amazon’ are natural systems with the richest plant and animal life remaining in primordial condition, including extensive bogs, wide bottomlands, oak-groves and broad-leaved forests. Pripyat Polesie is not casually called the ‘lungs of Europe’. Here is the largest forest-bog complex of the continent, and these bogs enrich the air with oxygen and the immense oak-groves of Pripyat Polesie are unique across the whole Eastern-European plain. It is remarkable that the idea of the creation of a bog reserve on the Polesie was expressed by scientists in 20s and 30s. For this purpose, Polish academician, Vladislav Shafer offered the largest European and the perfectly preserved Olmanskie Bolota area. Thanks to the examination of the unique nature of Polesie, a scientific basis for the creation of the reserved territory was created over several decades. In June, 1969 the Pripyat state landscape-hydrological reserve was organised which, in 1996, was transformed into the Pripyatsky National Park. In 1995, an experimental forest-hunting enterprise Lyaskovichi was created, and in 1998, the first Belarusian Museum of Nature opened in the park.

TOPIC

NATURE VIEW RECREATION

And what is in the final part of this story? Today the Pripyatsky National Park is one of the most popular tourist sights in Belarus. Fans of nature come on fascinating photo-safaris; here it is possible to see really impressive animals in their native habitat, without open-air cages or barriers. There are 51 species of mammals in the park, including, wild boar, deer, elk, fallow deer, hare, foxes, muskrats, raccoon dogs and beavers. There are also rare species like the aurochs, European mink, European lynx, badgers, garden dormouse, edible dormouse and hazel dormouse. Pripyatsky Park holds the international status of a key ornithological territory. 256 species of birds live here (79 percent avifauna of all country), from them 65 species are included into the Red Book of Belarus. The bottomland of Pripyat is the largest migratory channel of birds in Europe! And 38 species of fish are found in the rivers and oxbow lakes of the park, amongst these are pikeperch, pike, burbot, asp and bream. About 95 percent of the park area is occupied by picturesque forests. Basically these are pine forests and oak groves, but there are also areas of birch, alder, ash, hornbeam, aspen and also maple forests, lime groves and treelike osier-beds.

Eye to eye Safari-tours across a tourist automobile route of 30 kilometres organised in Pripyatsky Park, are very popular. Over 10 thousand people come here in the summer to see wild animals in their natural habitat.

One can understand their interest in this part of Belarusian Polesie. After all thanks to the feeding platforms for wild animals located along the road, even an amateur with a basic camera can take photographs of herds of wild boar and graceful fallow deer. Small groups of roe deer slowly leave the road and wander into the roadside undergrowth. However, the more mistrustful elk rarely gets caught by a lens. The most ancient inhabitant of our forests, the auroch, of which there are nearly 70 such majestic animals in Pripyatsky, observes everything from the forest’s edge. The variety of birds at this ‘Safari Park’ is amazing. One can find rare species found in the Red Book: white-tailed eagle, an amazing bird with a 2.5 metre wingspan, black stork, great white heron and others. The excursion across the park lasts more than an hour, but time here disappears. “The photo-safari in Pripyatsky is increasing in popularity,” local guides add details about tourist life. “During shooting, the photographer is accompanied by a huntsman who provides safety and shows where the animals and birds live. A photographer can take photographs of animals from towers and be in the territory of park up to 4pm. That is the whole daylight, depending on the time of year. The main thing is to catch the moment! Here, it is possible to take such photos which cannot be taken anywhere else.”

2014 беларусь.belarus

Wish for hunting

All inclusive

The ‘Safari Park’ is intended not only for photographic, but also for hunting tourism. And already, it is another attractive aspect of the National Park about which employees of Pripyatsky talk, “Our huge plus is the unique nature of the area, and accordingly, we try to provide a higher quality of trophies, than others offer. Some of the large wild boars can reach weights of 250kg, something not found elsewhere in Europe. The quality of the hunter’s options improves because here we have primordial nature — bogs and forests, and that means these animals live here for, not just five years, as in Europe, but fifteen or more, and this quality is highly valued.” As international hunting exhibitions in Europe show, on shooting protocols there are no equals to Belarus among the other countries both on the quantity and quality of the trophies. More often, foreigners are interested in hunting wild boar in Belarus. “We have high number of wild boar, more than 3.5 thousand, and we should intensively shoot them, otherwise nature itself will regulate their number. There may be a flash of illness. We shoot over one thousand boar each year.” The demographics of hunter visitors coming into Pripyatsky is diverse: Great Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and other countries come here. However, there are also a lot of fans of fishing. After all, the river Pripyat is truly exclusive! Much of it is not as fished as other waterways of Belarus. So it is not a problem to catch especially large specimens. For example, according to locals, a sheat-fish weighing more than 50kg was caught here. Well, that is a good photo opportunity?

In order that tourists are fully impressed by the primordial beauty of the ‘Belarusian Amazon’, the Pripyatsky National Park has a modern infrastructure meeting the needs of any visitor. Here are both comfortable three star, hotel rooms and small guest houses, situated remotely from civilisation. Walks along the river, visiting wild nature, photo-art, hunting and fishing… However, this is not all. This special area will touch the soul and will make you take a strong liking to the local Polesie residents, these special Belarusians, who are quiet, slow and wise. It is here where the unique crafts of our ancestors were preserved. The majority of them were lost long ago, and the Museum of Nature and Mode of Life of Pripyatsky Park testifies this in detail. The construction of the open-air museum, where we plan to gather full-scale exhibits — will include ancient Polesie’s estates, pottery and a working smith’s workshop. For example, during weekends, when the tourists come, national masters could give master classes: how to make a boat with your own hands, how to forge a horseshoe or to plait bast shoes. I wanted to end this article. But how can I without talking about the local cuisine? It is a separate story in a fascinating meeting with the nature of Pripyat Polesie. I am quite ready to call it a separate gastronomic direction of the tourism industry of the National Park. “The assortment is wide — elk, deer, roe, wild boar, duck, goose. Game bird dishes are almost obligatory, and cooked in the traditions of national Belarusian and Polesie’s cuisine beginning with shish kebabs and ending with ragout. Many restaurants in the capital would envy such a varied menu. There are people, who come to us simply to enjoy the gastronomic variety.” ‘Enjoy’. It is a rather accurate word when it comes to the Pripyatsky National Park.

Alexander Stadub

By Violetta Dralyuk

беларусь.belarus 2014

TOPIC

NATURE VIEW RECREATION

Customs for any corner Eight health resorts and 253 homesteads operate in the Brest Region, but many possibilities for recreation exist here

he area heartily welcomes all guests and the Pruzhany District was a true success in 2013. Compared to 2012, its exports of tourist services rose 170 times! Local enterprising managers generated 150 percent more on visiting tourists than the Baranovichi and Pinsk districts together, with foreigners bringing around $2m to the district. To learn where guests can spend their money and what attractions are worth visiting, our reporter travelled to the area, meeting the purposes of our present Year of Hospitality.

Health like hot cakes I supposed that the Pruzhany District made much of its money in hunting (aurochs, in particular). However, the Head of the Pruzhany District Executive Committee’s Department for Sport-Educational Work and Tourism, Sergey Shchipanov, disagreed, “You are not right in thinking so. Yes, the Pruzhany Forestry has equipped its Guta camp for hunters and fishermen, but almost all our revenue has come from the Ruzhansky Clinic. It neighbours, the Ruzhanskaya Pushcha and Papernya Lake where with their swamps are wonderful…” In the past, much was invested into the clinic by the National Bank and, at present, it is subordinate to another establishment and produces great financial results.

Importantly, medical tourism promotes sports travel. Athletes from Russia train at local the Water Palace and Ice Palace. Every year, Pruzhany hosts hockey tournaments, featuring Russian teams. Since last year, these are also attended by sportsmen from Polish Hajnówka.

Air stone or vision Ruzhany is situated 43km from Pruzhany, and Ruslan Kniga, who heads the Sapegis’ Palace Complex, firstly took us to a souvenir shop. Local black ceramics — jars, bowls and mugs — are worth buying. Potter, Sergey Khudyaev, from the village of Staraya Golynka (Grodno Region’s Zelva District), produces them, following ancient traditions and selling them at moderate prices. Last year, the palace was visited by 18,000 guests who spent Br112m on souvenirs alone. At present, foreigners are coming to the site to see the Ruzhany meteorite: Mr. Kniga is convinced that this is the very rock which frightened local villagers 120 years ago. The meteorite is heavy, with traces of combustion, which probably appeared as a result of its passing through the atmosphere. This June, Ruzhany hosted the Ruzhanskaya Gates Festival for the fourth time. Craftsmen surprised guests with their products, and wood-cutters donated ten figurines to the city; these embody representatives of the Sapegi family who left a 2014 беларусь.belarus

Ruzhany Gates Festival

bright trace in our history and culture. Last year, twelve sculptures were erected in the town park — devoted to the site’s receiving its Magdeburg Right.

Under white-tail eagle’s wing This year, Br1.3bn is being allocated to the Ruzhany Palace as part of the Castles of Belarus programme — to strengthen its eastern blocks which would then house a theatre, a hotel and a restaurant. So far, guests can stay at a private hotel. Meanwhile, a Ruzhany branch of the Pruzhany District Consumers’ Society has opened a Taverna in the village of Lyskovo, not far from Ruzhany. Its pine furniture was produced under individual designs while dishware was supplied by the Radoshkovichi Ceramics Plant. The walls are decorated with emblems belonging to ancient families, while a stuffed whitetail eagle perfectly fits the interior; the bird was not killed, but unfortunately died after being trapped by electrical lines. Mr. Kniga took an active part in breathing ‘the atmosphere of the epoch’ into the café. “It was initially set up due to the Queen and Great Duchess of Lithuania, Bona Sforza (who was born in Milan). She had a castle not far from Lyskovo. Only boulders remain on the site which we show to our tourists,” he explains. Dozens of monuments — including the majestic Trinity Roman Catholic Church — are found in Lyskovo. The беларусь.belarus 2014

Objects and events worth visiting in the Brest Region:  Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park (Kamenets District)  Brest Hero-Fortress Memorial and its historical reconstruction of June 22nd (Brest)  Sporovo Haying Championship on Haymaking (Bereza District)  Master Nikolay Tarasyuk’s workshop (Stoily, Pruzhany District)  Motol Delicacies Festival (Motol, Ivanovo District)  Sapegis’ Palace and Ruzhany Gates Festival (Ruzhany)  Kosciuszko’s Mansion of Merechevshchina and Puslovskis’ Palace in Kosovo (Ivatsevichi District)  Kamenets Tower and Medieval Culture Festival (Kamenets)  Nemtsevichs’ Mansion and military-historical reconstruction (Skoki, Brest District)  Malty Semukha on Trinity (Khmelevo, Zhabinka District)

TOPIC

NATURE VIEW RECREATION

grave of Polish poet and playwright, Franciszek Karpiński, is found nearby, while an old cemetery — with graves of the Bykhovets family members (who represented Bykhovets’ Chronicles to the world) is a little farther. A road now runs to the Belovezhskaya Pushcha — bypassing Lyskovo. This gives hope that the century old village would actually revive.

Arms-length event

Around eight dozen elements are included on the list; most of them are emblems, customs and crafts. Among the Brest Region’s state protected intangible treasures are the rootstock weaving craft (Podbela village, Kamenets District), Namsky Easter (honouring dead relatives in the village of Obrovo of the Ivatsevichi District). In early 2014, the ‘Sporovskaya Polka’ dance (Bereza District) and the Strylka Ester custom (Drogichin District) joined the list.

Never leaving empty-handed

Legends should exist, and if not, they can be invented, with help of marketing mystification. With this in mind, Mr. Kniga deserves Tourists love to buy souvenirs which remind them of respect if sceptics are right in doubting the meteorite’s origin, as the the places they have visited. Books, jars and magnetic signs are sold at any shop, but the real, local craftsmen continue artefact of the Sapegi Palace continues attracting tourists. Really, castles are not our major treasure. Any corner of inventing their own unique souvenirs. Moreover, each disBelarus boasts its own custom which is definitely unique. It’s no trict has its own. need now to convince anyone that intangible cultural heritage Pruzhany has revived an ancient custom of Belarusian vilis an important component of the Belarusian tourist product. lages: doll weaving. Our rolled dolls are an ancient symbol of In May, the I Come from Stoily Festival gathered over a the Slavonic culture and our grandmothers could easily make thousand guests in the dying village neighbourthem without a needle or even scissors. The Director of the Pruzhany Centre of ing the Belovezhskaya Pushcha. A local woodcutter — 82 year old Nikolay Tarasyuk Children and Youth Art, Alena — could hardly believe that all Pukharevich, recollects that everythese people came to visit him thing began with the establishment (as he is the only villager). A week of a group involved in European later, Pruzhany invited friends to toy making. “We then decided to return to our origins: talked the Echo of the Roof Festival of to local elderly women, drew Experimental Art, and then the doll sketches — which were Ruzhany Gates event was organonce woven in the Pruzhany Disised. All these events take place Rolled on the territory of the Pruzhany trict — and offered a master class, dolls District and are a worthy tourist attraction. taking some knowledge from the InThe Brest Region offers many more festivals and holidays: ternet. Originally, such rolled dolls were used as talismans in June, the Ruzhany Gates Festival of Arts is organised, in but, at present, souvenir-dolls are the most popular. Among addition to the Kamenets Vezha Festival of Medieval Culture. them is an herbal doll, whose head and chest are filled with The Luninents Strawberry holiday is hosted by the village of thyme. We also use other healing herbs, such as mint, or use Dvorets, while Troitsa is celebrated by the Stolin District, grain for a grain-doll,” she explains. While demonstrating a bird-talisman, Natalia KovaleMalty Semukha — by the Zhabinka District, and the Bereza Serbiyanka Folk Festival — by the Bereza District. July is vich, the Director of the Bereza Crafts Centre, says, “Young known for the Napoleon Orda’s Parlour art project (Ivanovo master Alexander Lavrinovich, who learnt from Nikolay District) and an international open-air gathering of potters Galaburda (from the village of Sudilovichi), has revived a in the village of Gorodnaya (Stolin District). Meanwhile, the previously popular craft: the making of bird-talismans from Motol Delicacies Festival (near Ivanovo) and the Sporovo wood chips, and which is called ‘a bird of happiness’. The latHaying International Championship (held for the first time ter saved young Nikolay many times in Germany, where the this year under this status) on Haymaking are held in August fascists forcibly sent him to work. The craftsman then made on a swamp near Bereza. these birds and exchanged them for bread…” No doubt, the choice is rich and, at the moment, the pottery Vladimir Zhurko, from the village of Minki in the Bereof Gorodnaya and artistry of woodcutter, Nikolay Tarasyuk are za District, weaves baskets from woodchips. The Stolin and included in the Belarusian list of intangible historical-cultural Gantsevichi districts are pleased to offer their ceramics to treasures. This year, a documentary (directed by Viktor Aslyuk) tourists, while the Ivanovo District’s coopers produce unique on the unique master — Wooden People — won a top prize at barrels and spoons. By Valentina Kozlovich the International Film Festival in Montpellier, France.

2014 беларусь.belarus

elieves Renata Zakrzewska, the Head of Poland’s Suwalki Agriculture and Tourism Chamber Bureau. Ms. Zakrzewska emphasises, “Interest in visiting Belarus increases every year among the Poles, despite Belarus not being a Schengen member; many tourists want to see your country. I haven’t met a single Pole who was disappointed after visiting your country.” She believes that there are many places in Belarus of interest to Polish people, either because they are related to Polish kings — like Grodno, or to Polish writers, musicians and public figures — like Eliza Orzeszkowa, Czeslaw Niemen, and Tadeusz Kosciuszko. “For the

firms Polish interest in opening a new border checkpoint on the Belarusian-Polish border, at Sofievo-Lipshchany. The Suwalki District of Poland recently hosted a joint media tour for Polish and Belarusian journalists, focusing on cross-border tourism. The joint BelarusianPolish project — A Trip to an Ethnic Tale — is being implemented as part of the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine 2007-2013 cross-border co-operation programme. Meanwhile, Grodno and Suwalki are planning new cycle and hiking routes, continuing the joint Communication Without Borders project. By Veniamin Mikheev

Invitation to sentimental trip Belarus becoming more attractive to Polish tourists

беларусь.belarus 2014

Bogdanova homestead of the Dribin District was included in a tourist route of the Mogilev Region Belta

Poles, this is sentimental tourism; many facts, details and names of common history connect our territories. We’ve been offering Polish tourists one-day and multi-day trips to Belarus,” explains Ms. Zakrzewska. One-day trips to Belarus are very popular among Polish touristsm as are multi-day group visits. Polish doctors recently enjoyed a six-day trip through the GrodnoBogatyrevichi-Pripyatsky National Park. Ms. Zakrzewska underlines that the group wish to return, so another holiday is being planned for them, to include Lida, Novogrudok, Mir, Nesvizh, Minsk and the Braslav Lakes. Over seven days, they’ll travel at least 1,000km across Belarus, taking part in an eventful and interesting programme. “Such tours are sure to prove popular with Polish tourists. Of course, it’s impossible to significantly increase the number of Polish tourists to Belarus immediately but, with systematic effort, volumes will grow,” notes Ms. Zakrzewska. She sees great potential in cross-border river cruises between Poland, Belarus and Lithuania and con-

Spot on map

Belarussian Borisov with French lace

Monument in Studenka

In April 2014, ancient Borisov — one of the most interesting cities in Belarus — joined the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities and, accordingly, the Napoleonic Roads European programme. Over the past decade, the programme has united over 60 cities across France, Italy, Poland, Russia, Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria and Spain. Belarus is the Federation’s ninth participant so far.

f course, no one expects tasty croissants to begin falling from the sky or for the Berezina River to turn into a Bordeaux wine. However, the move should inspire tourism development — as the city and its suburbs offer many worthy attractions. Representatives of the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities’ magazine are soon to visit Borisov to photograph local attractions for their December issue (which is devoting

around 80-100 pages to the Belarusian city). The edition will be presented, in Paris, by the Borisov City Executive Committee’s Chairman, Vladimir Miranovich. The Deputy Head of the Department for Culture and Youth Affairs, Alla Lenkina, notes increasing interest in Napoleonic history, within a 50km radius of Borisov. She tells us proudly, “International contacts and acquaintance with foreign culture always bring benefits. This memorandum should support interaction between historians and between educational and cultural establishments, while aiding 2014 беларусь.belarus

Spot on map the development of tourist routes and attracting foreign guests’ attention to Belarus. The Federation plans to issue a magazine reflecting the city’s history and modern life and the French have a special plan of mutual actions, as we’ll soon discover.” Speaking of particular French interests, Ms. Lenkina notes, “Our work is related to local historical studies, with some Borisov specialists making thorough investigations. Since 2009, we’ve organised the Kolodeev Readings, attended by an ever growing number of French people.” A historian working at Borisov’s Kolodeev Central District Library, Vladimir Kishchenko is among researchers who have gained European recognition. His articles are translated into French and printed in Paris’ Centre of Napoleonic Studies. Mr. Kishechenko’s texts attract the French with their objectivity and interesting interpretation of fact, without blather. Mr. Kishchenko believes that the city is worthy of this honour. Truly, Borisov seems to have all grounds to be included in the project. The Federation embraces over 60 cities and each views Napoleon differently. The Emperor is primarily an invader for Borisov, isn’t he? You’re wrong. Let’s have a wider look: the 1812 War was a collision of two civilisations: of two worlds which negated each other. What will the Napoleonic Roads programme bring to the city?

It will entail a great deal. The city is lucky — to a certain extent: here, in 1812, European historical events occurred on world scale. Signing an agreement with Charles Napoleon would help develop domestic tourism. To see more foreign guests coming, we need to actively promote this avenue. From time to time, I act as guide to foreign tourists, seeing their great interest in the topic. Sometimes, they know more about Borisov than its residents. Sadly, we mostly know about that war from Eldar Ryazanov’s film entitled ‘Hussar Ballad’: it featured much champagne, snow, romances and handsome hussars but the reality was different. Everyone in Belarus knows that Napoleon crossed the Berezina but, actually, that crossing was a small episode. The true Berezina Operation featured five battles over nine days — but this is often forgotten. We lack a rich museum devoted to the 1812 War — like the one in Maloyaroslavets. The city is three times smaller than Borisov but has a two-storey museum, with guns. We also lack many monuments, although more are being erected of late. In November 2012, a memorial plaque was unveiled to honour the events of 1812 at Brilevo Field. I take French tourists to these sites but we need to develop our infrastructure. Modern tourists like comfort: ‘uniqueness’ alone isn’t enough. The city needs investments, money and sponsors. Borisov is at the beginning of a major path — like Belarus as a whole. Our country is actually very young, only just realising itself nationally. By Valentin Pepelyaev

Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Borisov

беларусь.belarus 2014

Russian artillery cannonades the French during crossing the River Berezina. Oleg Parkhaev

 In November 1812, the territory of Belarus saw one of the greatest tragedies in early 19th century European history. The Napoleonic Army, victoriously coming from the borders of the Russian Empire to its ancient capital, had to leave Moscow without fighting and quickly retreat under the attack of the Russian troops. The culmination was the entrapment of the surviving parts of the great army at the Berezina River. It was only the lack of cooperation between Russian commanders, which enabled Napoleon to distract their attention from the true crossing place and to successfully organise it 14km upstream from Borisov, near the village of Studenka. However, the success reached by the French Emperor is considered a ‘pyrrhic victory’. At that time, a direct participant of the battles, Colonel Pokhvisnev, hit the nail on the head when he wrote ‘…the River Berezina will be eternally remembered by the forthcoming times, due to the unprecedented number of deaths of French troops’. Between July and December of that year, 647,000 soldiers of the Great Army, representing almost all the countries of Europe conquered by Napoleon, took part in the battles. From this number, no more than 100,000 reached the Berezina River in November 1812, and only 36,000 of these were armed. The rest represented an armless crowd of ill, wounded and weakened soldiers, who’d left their units.

REGION

Town portrait taken from life Gorki is a small and rather old town. This year its residents will be celebrating its 470th anniversary. However, Gorki is not a provincial place with patriarchal views and deliberations. As you walk along the streets, you can feel the place throbbing with life.

do not know if there are any official statistics regarding this but, if I was asked to name the Belarusian city with the youngest population, I would choose Gorki without hesitation. After all, from a population of around 30 thousand residents, about a third of them are students of the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy. The Gory-Gorki agricultural school opened in 1840 by decree of Emperor Nikolay the First, and was soon transformed into an agricultural institute. It was the first agricultural educational institution in the territory of the Russian Empire. During that period, many things occurred for the first time. The first village

regulators — today’s managers — studied here. Agrarian science and education arose here. For the first time, reclamation drainage was used, which, by the way, operates even today. The first combine harvester was also created in Gorki. Based on the destinies of graduates, pupils of the Gory-Gorki agricultural institute, and later, the Belarusian Agricultural Academy, it is possible to learn the history of Belarusian and Russian literature. Ivan Turgenev wrote in Gorki: his serf, Fedot Bizyukin, studied here. Kobza player, Taras Shevchenko, was on friendly terms with Korolev, who was a teacher at the institute and a Gorki student, Pavel Bakhmetiev, was the inspiration for Rakhmetov in the novel What to

Do? by Nikolay Chernyshevsky. Traces of the legendary poem Taras on Parnassus also lead to Gorki. The townspeople like to walk along academgorodok (academic town). Here, there is small ‘Arbat’, a cosy small pedestrian street. Almost everywhere you see young mums with strollers or babies in their arms. The city has no reasons to worry about its future and the local people strictly keep order. For example, a guy ahead of me threw a wrapper from his ice-cream in a refuse bin but missed it. He bent down and picked up the litter. It is a trifle, but it is so pleasant to see... Not far from the academy, in an ancient building, there is the local history museum. Once I was told a very curi2014 беларусь.belarus

REGION

ous story about the former owner of this house. His was a pharmacist called Kazimir Padzersky. This dwelling was not only his home, but his pharmacy too. Padzersky became famous for a cream that prevented freckles. At the World’s Fair in Paris, he was given a gold medal for this creation. The cream was sold across the Russian Empire, and in prerevolutionary newspapers, there were many warning advertisements about the purchase of fakes. Padzersky earned a lot of money from his invention, but unfortunately, the recipe of this cosmetic marvel, for which many modern women would pay a fortune, is lost. However, historical justice has to some extent prevailed. The museum exposition has a ‘chemist’s corner’, recreating part of the establishment which existed here in the past. The museum also boasts receipt stubs from Padzersky’s pharmacy which were found during the restoration, and even an ancient cash register. The museum workers offered to move it, беларусь.belarus 2014

but the iron contraption did not move. It appeared that in those days, cash registers were purposefully made very heavy in order to deter people from stealing it together with the money. A children’s park is situated near museum. Near to this favourite place for the youngsters is a local children’s school of arts and crafts. When you enter the corridor, you realise that really talented children study here; the whole gallery of diplomas is evidence of that. These diplomas have been won by pupils at republican and international competitions. When asked about how many diplomas were hanging there, the director of the school, Lyudmila Stavskaya smiles, “I did not count, but more than 100...” When the school first opened 1995, it was the first of its kind in Belarus. Now other cities have educational institutions where children master the art of workmanship. However, in Gorky people also revive the traditions — for example, weaving which was once forgotten. There is also a handmade weaving loom, as well as ancient one was found and put into use. When a computer club was opened near the school, the teachers worried that it may ‘entice’ children away. However, there was no need to be afraid. The boys and girls played a little and then returned. Each year, more and more children wish to master elements of weaving, plaiting

from straw and ceramics and, apart from this craft school, Gorki children also attend a vocal-choral school and children’s school of art; both of which are excellent. Not so long ago, in the suburbs of the city, an ice palace appeared. I decided to drop in and take a look. I thought that I would be greeted by emptiness and silence — after all it was the middle of the working day and students and pupils were at class. But it was very busy on the ice arena as children’s ice-hockey teams battled each other. It was just like an adult game. The board displayed the results, judges on skated on the playground, and spectators on tribunes. The director of the ice palace, Vladimir Korolev, says that the rink is almost never empty. People come here to skate and sports sessions are held here — and not only for Belarusians, but also Russian sportsmen train here too. For example in July, 20 young hockey players from St. Petersburg will arrive. Informal fans of hockey have taken a fancy to this arena. On social networks they announce they are carrying out their own mini-tournament. And for several days players from St. Petersburg, Moscow and Tver will gather in Gorki to find out whose team is the strongest. The ice palace is ready and happy to organise such informal competitions almost every month. By Pavel Minchenko

PANORAMA  Strenki’s dolls

Alexander Ruzhechka

The Museum of Belarusian Dolls — the only one in our country — exists and is running successfully in the Rogachev District’s Strenki at the crafts centre. The centre is 10 years old this year and the doll museum was opened 4 years ago.

 Where tourists hasten Nesvizh Castle, Brest Fortress and Rumyantsev-Paskevich Palace in Gomel are among the top three historical and cultural sites in Belarus, as declared on the International Day of Museums

elarus has 162 museums: historical, fine arts, literary and specific. Last year, they welcomed 5.7 million visitors, with the greatest number (395,000) visiting the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve of Nesvizh, the former

residence of the Radziwill princes. The second most popular site was the Memorial Complex of Brest Hero Fortress, with 355,000 visitors, while 309,000 people went to Gomel’s Palace and Park Estate. Mir Castle received 275,500 visitors, followed by Polotsk National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve, with 226,000, and Khatyn State Memorial Complex, which welcomed about 205,000 visitors. Meanwhile, the Belarusian State Museum of Great Patriotic War History had almost 202,000 visitors.

 Gomel gives up evidence of princely past Unique items with images of Rurikids’ sign to be showed at exhibition in Gomel

he exhibition is unusual. There are pendants and ancient seals — historical evidence of the active participation of nobles in the life of various regions of the Ancient Rus. The territory of the Gomel Region was, at that time, part of Chernigov’s and Turov-Pinsk’s Principalities and repeatedly the scene of military engagements and political infighting of various princely families. Interesting findings on the territory of the region are evidence of those life-changing events.

eanwhile, this unusual museum has made its mark in Belarus. People from all over the world come here to see interesting works of folk foremen. Apart from the traditional crafts (weaving, ceramics, wood engraving etc.), the old tradition of making dolls without scissors and needles has been developed in the Strenki’s District crafts centre. Dolls are made only from natural materials and only for family and everyday use — for young people, upon the road, for luck, for children’s plays — about 10 ways.

“Princely seals of the middle of the 10th century were introduced in Rus in imitation of Byzantium,” Oksana Toropova, Director of Gomel’s Palace and Park Ensemble Museum explains, giving an insight into the area’s history. “There are so called pendent seals-bulls — round metal items with depictions on both sides. They fastened the ends of a silk thread that had been run through an aperture at the corner of documents. Applied seals appeared much later. Firstly, the Old Russian pendent seals supplied evidence of the authenticity of the document and secondly, they were the credentials for people who had such credentials with a princely seal. We know they had golden, silver and lead bulls.” In total, seven pendent lead princely seals have been found in the territory of the Gomel Region.

2014 беларусь.belarus

Soyuz

Belarus — Russia

Belta

Victorious Operation Bagration Seven metres of military glory — a victorious monument was erected near Rakovichi village (Svetlogorsk District, Gomel Region) on June 21st, 2014 — on the eve of the famous Operation Bagration campaign’s 70th anniversary. The operation, aimed to liberate Belarus from German occupation, was the 20th century’s most successful attacking campaign. Meeting victors Under the leadership of Marshall Rokossovsky, soldiers passed over the local Bridsky Mokh marsh in June 1944 to attack the enemy, and this part of our history is depicted on the monument. It features four figurines: Konstantin Rokossovsky, Georgy Zhukov, Pavel Batov and Mikhail Panov. Attacking Soviet soldiers are sculptured on the left and on the right. The background features arrows indicating the two major attacking points of the Red Army. Veterans who had taken part in the country’s liberation met by the monument with tears of joy and sad memories. Minsker, Lev Klimovich, was among those who began his war service on the marshes. While attending the monument opening, he recalled, “I was 18 then and that was my first attack. I was seriously wounded with a shell just two hours after the Bagration campaign started. I spent six hours in a bog, until nurses brought me out.” беларусь.belarus 2014

Ivan Malinovsky, from the village of Svetilovichi in the Vetka District, received gratitude from Stalin, for bravery demonstrated during the Bagration campaign near Bobruisk. As the veteran admits, back then, he was impressed by crowds of captured Germans, “Thousands of them were moving, after their entrapment near Minsk. Captured enemies were the best proof of our victory. This thought was shared by our Soviet leaders as well. On July 17th 1944, fifty thousand German soldiers, as well as officers and generals were captured during Bagration and were led across Moscow.” A Great Patriotic War veteran, Ivan Ivkin, came to the memorial opening from his home in Bryansk. He liberated Belarus as well but, as he now jokes, failed to live until the beginning of the Bagration campaign. “I was ‘killed’ during a fight near BudoKoshelevo,” he recollects. “After returning to my military unit (with a bandaged hand), my commissar asked me, ‘Where have you come from? We’ve already prepared a death notice for you!’ That was my second birth and, afterwards, I reached Vienna on a tank. We’ll definitely go on living!”

Uniting the efforts of entire world The solemn unveiling of the memorial was attended by the Union State’s State Secretary, Grigory Rapota, the Chairman of the State Control Committee, Alexander Yakobson, the Deputy Prime Minister, Anatoly Tozik, and the Chairman of the Gomel Regional Executive Committee, Vladimir Dvornik. The idea of a monument at the site where Belarus’ liberation started belongs to poets and researchers Izyaslav Kotlyarov and Sofia Shakh, a family couple from Svetlogorsk. They’ve been pushing for a monument for several years, pointing out that no monuments of this kind existed in Belarus. “Almost all our monuments are devoted to the dead soldiers. However, this would be a memorial honouring an attack — the Victory Monument. Even German historians note that the Bagration campaign became the beginning of the fascist Germany’s defeat,” Mr. Kotlyarov asserts. The Chairman of Belarus’ State Control Committee, Alexander Yakobson, was among the initiators of the project, which was also supported by the Union State (which allocated 32m Russian Roubles out of the total cost of 42m). Meanwhile, over Br8bn was collected with the help of volunteers and donations of the Gomel Region’s labour teams. The Union State’s State Secretary, Grigory Rapota, is convinced that such monuments are really needed, “Belarus and Russia and actually the only states in the world which unveil monuments to the WWII victors. These honour true heroes, our fathers and grandfathers, who laid down their lives to liberate the globe from fascism.” The monument will become a central part of a future memorial. An open air museum is supposed to open on the site as well — devoted to the years of the past.

Secret weapon — frog shoes Operation Bagration, named after the 18th-19th century Georgian Prince Pyotr Bagration, general of the Imperial Russian Army, is known in military history as the 20th century’s most successful campaign, astonishing in its scale. The German Tsentr (Centre) group of armies (including neighbouring groups) numbered 63 divisions; among them were four tanks and three motorised divisions. Those included 1,200,000 soldiers and officers, 9,500 guns and mortars, 900 tanks and 1,350 planes. Before the campaign began, the Soviet group of armies comprised 1st Baltic, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belarusian fronts. Soviet troops enjoyed a twofold advantage in soldiers and had 4 times more artillery guns, planes and tanks — which ensured a further strategic success. The Director of Gomel’s Regional Military Glory Museum, Pavel Zhdanovich, explains, “The enemy’s defence in depth operation, the Fatherland, relied on Belarus’ natural conditions:

swamps and numerous water barriers. In June 1944, Soviet troops made a ‘death-doing’ surprise for the enemy, using frog shoes, drags and rafts: tanks, soldiers and artillery passed these impassable bogs and caught the enemy unawared. Just two major attacks were needed to trap the Tsentr group.” The perfect result of Operation Bagration was achieved thanks to the troops’ great masking and enemy disinformation. German commanders made the conclusion that the USSR would attack in the south — in Galicja, Soviet troops had a wonderful opportunity to enter Warsaw and then attack Tsentr’s rearward. The Germans were convinced that the Red Army planned a deceptive manoeuvre in Belarus — which was, of course, a fatal mistake. Interestingly, such a large scale campaign required close ties with partisans. The ‘rail war’ launched unexpectedly, with over 10,000 explosions, disrupted railways in the area between the Dnieper and Minsk (including to the west of the Belarusian capital). As a result of the Bagration campaign (from June 23rd-August 29th, 1944), the enemy lost 539,000 soldiers with 381,000 dead and 158,000 taken captive. The Belarusian territory was liberated and a 900km gap was created between the South and North groups of German armies. To close it, the Wehrmacht leaders sent an additional 46 divisions and 4 squadrons which eased the onslaught of allies in the west and of Soviet troops in Ukraine and the Baltic States.

Remembering each name Svetlogorsk researcher, Alexey Rusinovich, from the village of Petrovichi, lived with his mother close to the Bagration territory and personally witnessed the war. He recollects, “Foot soldiers were spearheading where the monument is now erected. Panov’s tank squadron was attacking 7km to the south — through our Petrovichi. After the battles, villagers took the log roads to pieces, to build houses. Those log roads had two layers — to withstand tanks’ weight. Of course, soldiers were killed during the attack, but many of them died before the major battles began. Local battling and developing attacks lasted for six months and, in 1944, all our villagers were involved in the burial of corpses. Thousands of soldiers died in our marshes.” Mr. Rusinovich adds that sorrel was the first ‘monument’ to those killed; it was growing in abundance on the sites where human bodies were buried. Those were hungry times, and children used to collect that sorrel. His mother got angry and always threw it away… During Bagration, 600,000 Soviet soldiers were wounded and 180,000 were killed. For many years, tall grass and small star-crowned monuments reminded people of the campaign, but Mr. Rusinovich believes that the future memorial will unite the names of all those who laid down their lives for Belarus. By Stanislav Galkovsky

2014 беларусь.belarus

Pills for all problems ‘BelRosTransgen’ programme works on health

беларусь.belarus 2014

Vitaliy Gil

ne of the most technological and knowledgeintensive union programmes — ‘BelRosTransgen’ — yields practical results. This long-term project began in 2003 and had an ambitious aim — to begin production of medicinal drugs with the unique protein, human lactoferrin. According to the programme, they could raise a herd of goats with the introduced human gene. They created all conditions for these unique animals at a special firm in Research and Practical Centre on Animal Breeding of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, not far from Zhodino town. Recently, Grigory Rapota, Secretary of the Union State, visited the centre and got acquainted with the realisation of the programme. It is sufficient to look at the list of unique characteristics of lactoferrin to make sure of the exceptional importance of this work by the Belarusian and Russian scientists. It strengthens immunity, has an anti-inflammatory effect, lactoferrin can be antibiotic by itself but without self-tapering. It can be used also in the production of artificial food for infants. Ivan Sheyko, First Deputy Director General of the Scientific and Practical Centre on Animal Breeding of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Doctor of Agricultural Science, Member of the Academy, tells about everything that they could realise within the framework of the programme. “This year is a transition period from the ‘BelRosTransgen’ programme to the ‘BelRosFarm’ programme. The task of the first project had been the creation of technology for the getting of primary transgenic animals. This was achieved in 2007. The second phase of the ‘BelRosTransgen’ programme was the breeding of these animals. By the end of 2013, we had about 200 transgenic animals already. From the goats’ milk, we could get a sufficiently large amount of lactoferrin — about 6 grams per litre.” Certainly, considerable volumes of protein are needed for mass production of medicinal products with lactoferrin and food additives containing it. So, it is necessary to come over to an industrial form of its extraction from milk. Currently, Russian colleagues have set standards here — project partners from Nizhny Novgorod have already bought, and are installing associated hardware. Belarusian scientists brood over plans on the pur-

Grigory Rapota, Secretary of the Union State, got acquainted with unique medicines on the basis of lactoferrin

chasing of an installation which will allow for the processing of milk from existing livestock effectively. In the future, heavy duty equipment will be needed as the number of transgenic animals is permanently increasing. A new farm for 250 goats and 500 young animals is being built especially, as well as an experimental processing module, where they will evolve protein. Grigory Rapota, Secretary of the Union State, has estimated the scene in the scientific and practical centre and the results of the execution of the ‘BelRosTransgen’ programme. “In theory, I have known what happens here, but it has been important to form some impression. What the flock and the final product are like and which scientific work is being done to work out the issue of evolving of human lactoferrin from milk. And this impression is contradictory. On the one hand, I see that the work is delicate, meticulous and demands great patience, and it has been conducted to a large extent. It is a very knowledgeintensive product and there is a lot of high qualification here. On the other hand, it is obvious that we still have a lot to do. We haven’t reached our final goal, where we could say that the programme has been finished, and when we could kick-start production and put a full stop to this part.” Realisation of the programme will continue as a programme entitled ‘BelRosFarm’. Calculated to run until 2018, it stipulates development of technologies for industrial production of medicines, food additives and products on the basis of lactoferrin. By Anton Kostyukevich

You are always welcomed Representatives of nationalities living in Belarus invited guests to their farmsteads

his striking holiday has already become a tradition, the calling card of Grodno. Every two years, representatives of all the numerous nationalities living in Belarus gather here at a unique All-Belarusian festival of national cultures. This year the ‘Grodno carnival’, as local residents call it, celebrated its 10th anniversary. The Chairman of the Grodno Regional Executive Committee, Vladimir Kravtsov, opened the festival. “Today, representatives of 141 nationalities live in Belarus, including 92 in the Grodno Region. All of them have equal opportunities for the preservation of their own culture, national traditions and spiritual ideals. Many can get an education in their native language. Such people do not feel themselves as national minorities here.” It is especially true, as far as it concerns Russians, and those nationalities, which in public consciousness are inseparably connected with Russia — Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvashes and representatives of many other nationalities living in Russia. The Russian delegation at the festival is traditionally one of the most numerous, and it is no surprise, after all about one million Russians live in Belarus. And on the national farmsteads, with their pancakes and samovar, sincere songs and incendiary dancing there was no room to swing a cat all day long. It would seem, there was nothing exotic for the Belarusians, everything was native, even normal, but heart reaches out for congenial people. And here spectators already harmonise with Russian national songs performed by the Grodno vocal ensemble Garmoniya, the participant of all 10 festivals, and run out on the stage together with the folklore collective Ivitsa from Mogilev. National dances are so similar, songs and languages are so close that you feel like you’re visiting your relatives, where you are always welcomed and warmed. Artistes very much tried to ‘inflame’ and show what they are capable of. Dancer, Natalia Kharkevich from Ivitsa did not hide her pleasure from that lively response of spectators on their performance. “Our collective is a frequent guest at festivals in Grodno. This time we again brought our best programme here, which we created in the city centre of culture of Mogilev.”

Guests of the festival were lavish with their applause and gave a standing ovation to artistes of the Brest national chorus Verbnitsa and the Ramonki ensemble. It is hard not to succumb to an atmosphere of general pleasure when you are entertained and treated with delicacies. Old Russian strong men, jingling with armour and smiling from the height of their huge growth, were willingly photographed with guests. It is easy to recollect common roots and that the ancient, ancestral home of the Slavs is on the Belarusian Pripyat river. The present festival was notable not only for high jinks and plentiful meals, but many masters also showed their abilities in the field of various national crafts. On the Russian farmstead, for example, it was possible to learn the traditional Russian craft of willow-weaving. The master from Molodechno, Gennady Vnukov who is a teacher on willow-weaving, brought amazing souvenirs, and invited all interested people to try to make, for example, a vase from willow. Many people tried, but it was difficult to compete without practice and preparation with a master who has devoted 30 years to his favourite craft! On the neighbouring farmsteads there were representatives of the Russian Caucasus — Dagestanians, Kabardinians and Balkars. Here it was possible to take in one’s hands a real cold weapon of the horsemen (Dzhigits) and even to receive your own photo in national costume and with the blade in hand. Ramazan Makhmudov showed an unusual exhibition Pride and Greatness of Country of Mountains. He brought daggers, knives, cavalry swords and sabres from Dagestan. “There is my native land,” tells Ramazan. “While in Belarus I studied in agricultural academy, and for almost 20 years live in Vitebsk. Whenever possible I try to acquaint Belarusians with our ancient culture. As well as the cold weapon of masters of Dagestan, I also bring well-known Tabasaran carpets, jewellery, filigree, embossment, ceramics, copperware and many other things.” It was impossible to get past the hospitable pavilion of the Tatars and Bashkirs. One did not know where to look as there were so many examples of masterly handwork. In the family of Romuald Yanchenko there are three national skilled craftsmen. “I am Belarusian Tatar,” tells the master who makes items from wood. “While my wife, Tamara, was born in Tatarstan.We have 2014 беларусь.belarus

Vitaliy Gil

lived together for 45 years. We are here at the festival in Grodno for the second time. For a long time we have made wooden spoons, scoops, other souvenir production in single copies. Our daughter Inna helps us. She began with national straw works, and now she also knits and weaves. And she teaches children her art free of charge.” In the meantime, in a tent with refreshments was a real feast! The careful mistress of the kitchen, Zaviya Salyakhova stood at the entrance and offered flavoured tea and chak-chak- farinaceous sweetmeats, favourite both among Tatars and Bashkirs. In Russia,chak-chak can be bought in almost any supermarket. Guests tried and enjoyed ochpochmak- potato with meat, qistibi porridge in a filter cake, and alsobekkyan — cheburek with cabbage stuffing. In general, for connoisseurs of special dishes, the festival turned into a true holiday of gluttony. Chuvashes also treated people with their national dishes. Though Luisa Aleksandrova, one of heads of the international public association of Chuvashes Atal, refused to reveal the secrets of the preparation of their original dish — shorta–made from two stewed rams. However, all who tried it confirmed that it was a real delicacy! Other farmsteads were no less hospitable: Azerbaijanis offered shish kebab, pilau and lavash, while those who like sweets were treated with shekerbura and rahatlakum. Estonians treated visitors with syir, a variety of cottage cheese, a favourite liqueur from Soviet times‘Old Tallinn’, Baltic sprat and rye bread. Ukrainians, Poles, Gipsies invited people in. беларусь.belarus 2014

A carnival procession became the festival culmination. Bright, cheerful and well-dressed crowds of Belarusians, Russians, Armenians, Kazakhs, Venezuelans and even Italians and British who took part in the festival for the first time this year, came along to the streets of Grodno. Representatives of 35 nationalities arrived to Grodno. And 18 years ago, at the very first festival, there were just 11 of them. The Consul General of the Russian Federation in Brest, Nikita Matkovsky shared his sincere delight with the holiday. “I have visited Grodno many times, but now the city impressed me even more. Take the dramatic procession on the central streets and areas, which gathered tens thousands of people! I saw smiles on their faces, felt unusual goodwill and warmth of the residents and guests of the city. Three days of a wonderful holiday flew by in a flash...” And the most important and main date for Belarusians — the 70th anniversary of liberation from fascist aggressors — passed with festive activities. This theme sounded on each national farmstead. After all, victory in the Great Patriotic War was won together by all the people of the USSR. Shoulder to shoulder into attack went the Russians and Belarusians, Kazakhs and Ukrainians, the Armenians and the Georgians. The liberation of each city, each place was a common holiday. Probably, therefore, when on the main stage under the open evening sky the People’s Artiste of Russia Lev Leshchenko sang the well-known song Victory Day, everyone, thousands of spectators stood up as one. By Iosif Popko, Yuliana Lenonovich

At a media forum in Minsk, the problems of globalisation were discussed

n Minsk, the 9th Belarusian International Media Forum entitled Partnership in the Name of the Future: Realities of the Global World was held. Representatives of 26 countries discussed at thematic panels, participated in expert-sessions, became acquainted with each other and considered new common projects — just co-operation and dialogue are the main objectives of such meetings. The issues which have been discussed at the forum are very relevant: ‘Sovereignisation and Integration. The Eurasian Economic Union as a Platform of Creation of New World’, ‘World Communication in the Contest of a Multipolar World’, ‘Challenges and Menaces of the 21st Century and The Role of the International Community in the Prevention of Conflicts and Wars’. Grigory Rapota, Secretary of the Union State, who took part in the work of the forum, commented on this event. “Always, when you appear in front of people united by a common professional interest, you want to give a message, to define the issue whose discussion will help to solve the problems. Today, we are discussing the problems of globalisation. The theme is very broad. If I were asked what is interesting for me, I would have answered ‘the fact of how the Union State has to position itself in a steadily changing structure of integration associations that exist in the former Soviet Union and worldwide.’ Sometimes it’s

Vitaliy Gil

Word must be honest

difficult for average people to puzzle out the mosaic of existing integration formations. Currently this theme will arouse interest because of the appearance of the EAEU.” About 500 participants of the forum are the heads of news agencies and web portals, editors of newspapers and magazines, reporters and press secretaries, TV presenters and broadcasters, as well as political analysts, historians, social scientists and economists from various countries of the world. So it’s natural that opportunities of objective delivery of information have been discussed, and how journalists can promote the prevention of international conflicts and wars. The issue of the Eurasian Economic Union has been actively discussed. According to Liliya Ananich, First Deputy Minister of Information of Belarus, the media forum is a serious discussion of relevant problems of the modern world, significant discussions about geopolitics, world economy and journalism. The forum was held on the eve of the 70th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from Nazi Germany. So the programme contained a lot of events connected with the theme of the Great Patriotic War. The participants placed wreaths at the monument on the Victory Square in Minsk and visited the ‘Stalin Line’ Historical and Cultural Complex. The first ‘Minsk — Heart of Belarus’ expert-session, held in the City Hall, discussed the theme of preservation of historical truth. Nikolay Ladutko, Chairman of the Minsk’s City Council, told about the opening of a new museum of history of the Great Patriotic War, as well as about the fact that Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, took part in the laying of the memorial complex at the place of the ‘Trostenets’ Death Camp near Minsk. They couldn’t overlook the fact that sometimes, truth about events of the war is distorted. Rizvana Sadykova, a guest from Kazakhstan, a granddaughter of four participants of the Great Patriotic War and a grandniece of Khasan Mamutov, Hero of the Soviet Union, who had liberated Belarus, said that the mission of a journalist is to not allow the rewriting of history. The work didn’t isolate itself in a narrow circle of specialists. Masters of the pen and the microphone gave master classes in the ‘Summer School of Journalism’. Leonid Mlechin, Diplomatic Analyst, Master of a TV programme on the ‘TV Tsentr’ channel, explained to young people that it’s impossible to work as a journalist without wanting to first find and then to tell other people about something unknown. A real journalist can’t hide from the eternal question of his profession — “And what useful thing have you done for people?” The ‘Belarus Hospitable’ expert-session became the finishing event, and as 2014 had been declared the Year of Hospitality, guests could get acquainted with the sights of our country and learn better the culture of the Belarusian people. By Lyudmila Ivanova

2014 беларусь.belarus

Belarus increases food supplies to the Russian market by $4.7bn

ast year, Belarusian food exports to Russia reached a record level of a 17-percent growth in comparison with 2012, thanks to demand on milk and skimmed milk powder, sugar, butter and beef. More than 80 percent of Belarusian food supplies went to Russia. This year, the positive trend continues. For 4 months, food exports to Russia have reached $1.5bn; almost 85 percent of all Belarusian exports. Recently, Moscow has shown its desire to see more Belarusian food on their counters, meaning an increase of supplies to the Russian capital of 15 percent and confirmed by a document signed in Minsk by Leonid Zayats, the Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, and Alexey Nemeryuk, the Head of the Department of Trade and Services of Moscow, during the Belagro-2014 international exhibition. Overall, 77 Russian regions are consumers of Belarusian food. The biggest amount of supplies, are traditionally provided to the Moscow Region and St. Petersburg, closely followed by Minsk, where there is an opportunity to deliver chilled fresh products within 24 hours. But they know the taste of Belarusian milk and meat products as far away as the Amur Region, where last year, produce was also exported to. Alexey Bogdanov, Head of the Main Department on Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, thinks that the revival of export in the Russian direction is a result of bilateral economic co-operation supported by the recent signing of a contract about the Eurasian Economic Union. “We have constructive relations with our Russian colleagues. Trade and economic wars, and reciprocal claims concerning the allocation of quotas for food export or dumping at the common market have remained in the past. The issues which emerge are discussed within the framework of balance commissions and at the common Collegium of Ministries of Agriculture of Belarus and Russia. It has become possible thanks to agreement of mutual positions беларусь.belarus 2014

Artur Prupas

At the common table and the understanding of tasks allotted before the branch by the Presidents of Belarus and Russia. Not a ‘colliding’ of national producers at the common market, but the planned development of agriculture and processing industry for the purpose of providing food supply security of the Union State, and entrance to the markets of third countries with competitive products.” Currently, the share of Belarus in the common food import of Russia is 12.5 percent. The large-scale upgrade of the milk section which is held in our country over the last years, has promoted a solid presence on the Russian market. Modern equipment at the processing enterprises, the reconstruction of 1,200 dairy farms, an increase of refrigerating power, strict veterinary and sanitary inspections have all significantly increased the quality of milk products. But there are also some problems. This year, supplies of counterfeit products to the Russian market have increased. Under the ‘Made in Belarus’ brand counterfeit goods of questionable quality are also being sold. In particular, a so called Belarusian cheese product is sold in Russian chains. It contains vegetable components that are a mixture of palm oil and casein instead of proteins and adipose. The wholesale price of this product is almost two times cheaper than the real cheese, but at the shop counters, its cost is almost the same as the original, and buyers can’t always distinguish the fake. Concerns about the flow of these counterfeit goods have been brought up many times in Belarus and in Russia, but the problem hasn’t been solved yet. By 2020, Belarus intends to increase the production of milk to 10,000,000 tonnes from the present 6,000,000. So, alongside with the expansion of our market presence in Russia, our country plans to develop other channels of marketing. At the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, they expect that in the near future, a list of more than 60 countries worldwide, which consume Belarusian food, will be refilled with new addresses. By Lilia Khlystun

Romanticism not gone out of vogue Schoolchildren of the Union State meet at tourist rally which experienced a great many troubled years during the war, are considered, rightly, to be a pearl of our country. 42 teams — 34 from various regions of Russia and 8 from Belarus — competed for the title of the craftiest, strongest, quickest and the most knowledgeable in the history and nature of their countries. Every team consisted of 10 schoolchildren, aged 14-17, plus two adult curators. There were a lot of opportunities to show one’s abilities — from orienteering to working at the Weekdays of Tourist Rally wall newspaper. Looking at these girls and boys, there is doubt that today’s generation of teenagers, like their parents in the past, enjoy the romanticism of tents, fires and songs accompanied by a guitar. Some participants of the competitions have been coming to the tourist rally for several years. For example, friends Lena and Tanya from the Vladimir Region. At the last year’s tourist rally, in Kaluga, they became acquainted with guys from Udmurtia, quickly found common interests and shared contacts. And when they came home, they continued to communicate via social networks. And now there has been a joyful reunion in the Myadel District. Mikhail Orda, Head of Representative Office of the Permanent Committee of the Union State in Minsk, says that every participant of the tourist rally isn’t an accidental person, “This

is an important event, where sharing experiences in the tourist work happens. And the rally helps to form civic position. Before coming here, they had to go through a series of competitions in their regions. Eventually the best and strongest found themselves at the rally.” Dasha Petrulevich and Natasha Petrova, ninth-form girls from Grodno, confirm that. To get to the tourist rally, they had to make many efforts. The guys have taken all contests — from calling card to orienteering — seriously. For example, team from Rostov Region has learned a song about Belarusian Polesie. They say that they have found it on the Internet and understood that this is quite the

Alexander Ruzhechka

he tourist rally of schoolchildren of the Union State has already become a good tradition. For nine consecutive years now, girls and boys from various corners of Belarus and Russia gather for a week to spend an interesting time, to compete and to get to know more about the lives of each other. A year or two yearlong tent camp is pitched on the territory of one country, and then after, moved to the neighbours’. This time, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from the Nazis, school children met on the shore of Lake Shvakshty of the Myadel District of the Minsk Region. These places in the Naroch area

thing. Natasha Zemlyanenko, a participant of the team, is mad keen on the chosen music composition, “Belarus is famous for its partisan movement, so such a battle song is just right! And it turns out that one of our boys plays the piano accordion. In short, everything has coincided!” So as in the atmosphere of the rally, the guys quickly found a common language, and it surprised nobody that a song about summer, Yalta and love, sung by girls from Kaluga, sounded from Sevastopol’s camp. The pupils invited each other and planned for the future summer months. On the day of their arrival to Belarus, the participants of the rally visited Minsk’s Victory Square and laid flowers and garlands to the Eternal Flame. And now they don’t hide their emotions — at such monuments, the high sense of heroism of our forefathers is felt most acutely. And veterans of the war were not only honorary guests but, in spite of their advancing years, also judges at competitions. An excursion to the ‘Stalin Line’ Museum Complex and real soldier’s ‘mush’ for lunch — from a field kitchen — became the finale of the meeting. Next year, the 10th anniversary of the tourist rally of schoolchildren of the Union State, will be held in the Kursk Region and dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory. By Olga Pasiyak

2014 беларусь.belarus

RARITIES

In search for a clue to biblical secrets Incomplete copy of the Brest Bible of 16th century is researched in regional library

he Brest regional library is researching the original pages of the Brest Bible, published in the second half of the 16th century. The incomplete copy of the Brest Bible was published in 1563. The original edition of the 16th century begins from page 121 and does not have the ending. However, the cover of the folio was made in the 18th century. The fact that it is the original is confirmed by the conclusions of international bibliologists. “The book is in very good, almost perfect condition. We did not manage to find out whom or for why whole pieces of the text of the Bible were removed. We hope to find it out with the help of authoritative experts,” says Alla Myasnyankina, Deputy Director of the Library for Scientific Work. The unique monument of culture is already officially included in all the registers and catalogues. In Belarus this was registered as one incomplete copy of the Brest Bible and was placed in the central scientific library of the National Academy of Sciences, and it was established that other parts of the book are missing from it. The conditions of the occurrence of this rarity in the regional library are not disclosed, but it is known that it happened at the end of last year. The book was bought in one of book salons of Minsk using the regional budget. “We managed to agree the price and, as a result, it has not exceeded the sum which we receive for the acquisition of books,” said the Deputy Director. “Certainly, our dream is to find a full copy of the Bible and to present it to native city by the thousandth anniversary, and we are actively doing this.” According to the Deputy Director, it is known that about 120 copies of the Brest Bible are stored in various libraries of Europe. However it is impossible to buy these copies. “The only way is to find private owners of the book. They do exist,” said Ms. Myasбеларусь.belarus 2014

nyankina. However, a financial problem would arise. At auctions, the price of such books can reach $30 thousand or more. Workers of the regional library hope that, if necessary, sponsors and townspeople will help collect the necessary sum. To return the Bible home is a point of honour for Brest residents. The Brest (Radziwill) Bible was printed on September 4th, 1563 in the Brest printing house of Mikolaj Radziwill the Black. According to the official site of the Brest regional library, it is the biggest printing edition, by volume, of the 16th-18th centuries of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Thanks to its excellent appearance (a leather cover with metal corners and engraved title pages) the book was ranked as masterpieces of polygraphic art of the Renaissance epoch. The edition is supplied with engravings and illustrations for the first parts of the Old Testament; it has beautiful, conveniently readable gothic print and a subject index that was unique in Belarusian publishing of that time. The majority of the copies of the Brest Bible are lost. Its preserved copies are stored in the Russian National Library, named after M. Saltykov-Shchedrin, in St. Petersburg, the library of the Academy of Sciences of Lithuania and the library of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. By Vladimir Khromov

ENOUGH WORK FOR EVERYBODY

Belta

Volunteers race to help The Ursula Radziwill Theater in Nesvizh restores traditions of court theaters

UNESCO to help restore Belarusian monuments this summer

esvizh National Historic a l-Cu ltura l Museum-Reserve is known worldwide: in 2012, it received 430,000 tourists, followed by 390,000 in 2013. Foreign visitors are attracted by the site be-

ing included on UNESCO’s World Cultural and Natural Heritage List and are fascinated by the lifestyle of the famous Radziwills. Some even offer help in restoring local historical monuments. The Reserve’s Director, Sergey Klimov, believes that the state has helped enormously in promoting Nesvizh but concedes that UNESCO’s recognition has ensured global fame for the architectural monument. “UNESCO acknowledged the significance of Nesvizh’s sites relating to the Radziwills only once restoration work began, with the President’s support. Nevertheless, the inclusion of the castles of 2014 беларусь.belarus

PROJECTS Nesvizh and Mir on UNESCO’s List has expanded possibilities for Belarus’ wider representation abroad. It’s an additional path to creating an attractive image for the country globally.” With UNESCO’s help, volunteer camps are being set up near Nesvizh to study the district’s past and to collect historical artefacts. Enthusiasts are already flocking from Holland, Ukraine and Russia, with some helping clean up Alba Park this summer. UNESCO plans to include 11 more Belarusian sites on its list: General Director Irina Bokova recently announced the potential inclusion of Avgustovsky Canal, Polotsk’s Transfiguration Church and Sofia Cathedral, Kamenets Tower, Grodno’s Church of Boris and Gleb, Mogilev’s St. Nikolas Nunnery, Brest Fortress, Gomel’s Palace-andPark Estate of the Rumyantsev-Paskevichs, Minsk’s Nezavisimosti Avenue and Polesie’s wooden churches. In addition, intangible cultural heritage treasures are being submitted for inclusion: Tereshka’s Wedding folk game (in the Lepel District’s Anoshki) and Dribin’s felting tradition (in the Mogilev Region). Ms. Bokova believes that UNESCO offers a wide platform for international co-operation in the field of cultural heritage. “We’ll continue our joint work to preserve Belarus’ legacy. Belarus is an old country and has much to show to the world,” she notes. Foreign volunteers are offering their help to Belarusian sites outside of UNESCO patronage, with summer camps for history lovers regularly organised at the castles of Lyubcha and Krevo and at the churches of Synkovichi and Murovanka. Timofey Akudovich — a local history researcher who supervises educational projects for the International Council on Monuments and Sites’ Belarusian Committee — explains, “We’ve run camps countrywide for three years in a row and have now cleared Golshany Castle of rubbish, so that we can prepare the ruins for conservation. In addition, we’ve developed grounds around Smolyany church (in the Orsha District) and have inventoried its ancient cemetery. In fact, we’ve uncovered the ruins of a castle, a Roman Catholic church, a monastery and 20th century buildings there. We are now preparing a proposal for the Ministry of Culture to include Smolyany’s historical centre on Belarus’ List of Historical-Cultural Treasures (as a single city-planning monument).” Mr. Akudovich and his Golshany colleagues are being assisted by the village council and a church priest in revamping the Smolyany site, and young people are lending their help this summer following an online plea. The scope for volunteering is huge, and there are certainly plenty of sites needing help: almost 5,400 are currently included on Belarus’ List of Historical-Cultural Treasures.

The past in pictures Mogilev’s History Museum plans to publish an album of age-old reproductions with landscapes of the city

here are a town hall, cupolas of the church, and dandies in toppers on the front of the Dnieper. Today’s citizens haven’t seen the Mogilev of the 18-19th centuries yet, drawn by Polish painter, Yuzef Peshka, and Russian architect, Nikolay Lvov. “In these pictures you can see familiar places, get to know how people dressed formerly and the fact that there was already a river police service in the city two centuries ago,” says Alexey Batyukov, Director of the History Museum. A local businessman helped to bring about the idea of creating an album with age-old reproductions. “The fact is that these pictures of ancient Mogilev have only been found abroad — in libraries and museums of Russia, Ukraine and Poland. We needed a lot of money to get hold of the original ‘soft’ copies,” says Batyukov. Historians think that there are views of Mogilev also on the ‘Birth of the Mother of God’ icon made in 1649 by Piotr Yevseevich. The inscription at the bottom also specifies the place of residence of the foreman, the Golynets settlement by Mogilev. Buildings in the background are thought to be a part of landscapes of the city. Vasily Voshchanka, Mogilev’s print worker, has also captured the capital of the province on his engravings from the 18th century. Workers at the museum have promised that there will be a lot of surprises for lovers of the history of the city, as each picture will be accompanied by a detailed story about both the picture and the period of Mogilev’s life that is showed there. The authors hope that the album will be interesting for experts and for residents of Mogilev. By Svetlana Markova

By Viktar Korbut

беларусь.belarus 2014

CULTURAL SPACE

Between past and future

Berlin palace

lightly more than a thousand kilometres divide Minsk and Berlin, with only Poland between. German archaeologist and expert in Scythian culture Hermann Parzinger, the President of the Berlin Fund of Prussian heritage, visited the capital of Belarus for the first time in mid-May, although he has often travelled to neighbouring countries, for extensive projects. He now knows a great deal more about Belarus, at the centre of Europe. Of course, as the head of a network of major museums and leading research centres, which store treasures from ancient Egypt and Greece, through to the modern day, he has much expertise to share. Berlin’s experience in preserving cultural heritage is interesting to Belarus and Minsk, since many of our country’s architectural monuments were destroyed during the Second World War. Dr. Parzinger recollects that German cities also lost much at that time, including buildings on Berlin’s Museum Island. It has taken five decades for restoration to commence and Berlin Palace has only recently been designated for rebuilding, having been damaged during the war, then demolished. It is now reviving, like a phoenix. A number of Minsk’s ‘lost’ buildings have been restored in recent years — such as the Europe Hotel (destroyed in 1941), the city hall (demolished in the 19th century) and Holy-Spirit Church (demolished in 1936). All are located on

Minsk and Berlin museums search for common ground Svobody Square: the ancient centre of the city. Hermann Parzinger met us at the Mikhail Savitsky Gallery (Hero of Belarus) — located on this square — to chat about the past and future of the capitals of our two European countries. What brought you to Minsk? I came at the invitation of the Goethe Institute. I know many Slavic countries — from Slovenia to Russia — but have never before visited Belarus. It is a fragment of the European continent to have unexpectedly opened up to me. The ancestors of Germans were not only ancient Germans and Celts, but Slavs. Meanwhile, the ancestors of Belarusians were not only Slavs but ancient Germans. We have much in common, and have much to learn about each other. The destinies of Belarus and Germany have intersected more than once in the

past; is this reflected in the collections held by Berlin museums? Prussian cultural heritage collections are held in 16 museums, and in a library of 12 million volumes. The Secret State Archive of Prussia has 38 million kilometres of documents, and there are other establishments too. The Prussian State ceased to exist after the Second World War but, considering past ties between Belarus and Germany, the exhibits may include some interesting objects from our shared history. The exhibition buildings on Museum Island in Berlin were emptied after the Second World War, and some fell into ruin. Now they are restored. What comes next? When I first arrived in Berlin, I saw these ruins. I couldn’t understand why they hadn’t been restored in the intervening five decades. Then I understood that it was an uneasy task. Finally, restoration was car-

2014 беларусь.belarus

CULTURAL SPACE ried out with state assistance; it was an important project for Germany, taking 15 years. We still need another 15-20 years to restore Berlin Palace. It is important as a symbol of our nation’s traditions: a centre of science and art. In fact, 3.5 million people visit Museum Island annually, showing that it benefits the city and wider society. Berlin has Museum Island, while Minsk has its Museum Quarter, which is being created around the National Art Museum. There are discussions concerning as to what to do with this part of the city. How do you view such work — including at Berlin Palace? These are important centres of culture for a capital. The area around Berlin Palace is the oldest in the city, where Berlin began. It was a big mistake that it was demolished. During the war, it suffered, but it wasn’t completely destroyed. From 1946-1949, it housed various establishments but then the GDR authorities made the barbaric decision to blow up this baroque style architecture. Digs began there recently and we’ll soon be opening up its 15th century cellars to the public. During restoration, we’ll recreate the facades exactly but will make the interior modern. Its halls are to house artefacts currently in storage, from America, Asia and Russia. Our style of exhibiting will differ greatly from a hundred years ago, when artefacts were presented as ‘trophies’

from colonies. We now aim to help visitors understand the individual significance of each object. The museum should be a great deal more than a storage facility; it needs to reflect contemporary needs. Having chatted with experts from Belarus, I’m convinced that you share our understanding of that, and follow world trends. During the post-war period, many architectural monuments were bombed and destroyed: both in Berlin and in Minsk. How is it decided which should be restored? There was much destruction in Germany. Only two ancient cities escaped: Wiesbaden and Heidelberg — as the Americans chose them for their main bases. Alas, Frankfurt, considered to be the greatest medieval European city before the war, was almost completely razed. After the war, many believed that the future would be better than the past, so were indifferent to the preservation and restoration of their architectural heritage. The vogue was for spacious new homes, so historical buildings were demolished. Alas, it occurred not just across ‘socialist camp’ countries but across all Western Europe. Only Munich and a few other cities have been restored in their former form, because the authorities decided so. Now, as I see it, most people welcome restoration of city sites, although it really depends on investors. What impression did you have on seeing Minsk’s old city? It’s modest in size, but its appearance is evidence of Belarus taking good care of its heritage. This unites us. By Viktar Korbut

Museum Quarter on Lenina street in Minsk

беларусь.belarus 2014

Belarus’ reference:  Hermann Parzinger was born in 1959 in Munich. From 2003-2008, he was the President of the German Archaeological Institute. Since 2008, he has been the President of the Berlin Fund of Prussian Cultural Heritage. He is the author and co-author of more than 20 monographs and over 230 scientific articles on archaeology, covering the period from the Stone Age to the Early Iron Age. He has carried out digs in Europe and Asia and his discovery of the tomb of the Scythian Tsar in a barrow in Tuva in July 2001 brought him world renown. An incredible 6,000 golden objects were discovered there. Another of his sensational discoveries occurred in the summer of 2006, in the eternal snow of the Altai: a frozen mummified Scythian warrior, covered in tattoos, fully dressed. In 2009, the President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, bestowed the order of Friendship for Outstanding Scientific Achievements and Active Participation in Developing GermanRussian Scientific and Cultural Ties to Parzinger. In 2011, he received the German order Pour le Mérite, and, in 2012, he was given the main officer cross ‘For merits to Germany’. In his spare time, he is keen on judo, having a black belt, and has taken part in European and World championships. He has repeatedly been named as Berlin champion (last in 2010).

LEGACY

Belta

Traditional Belarusian wedding songs may become as fashionable for newlyweds as flying lanterns and champagne fountains

Wedding folk songs

fter eight years of hard work, GUDA folk group has issued a unique a lbum of ceremonial wedding songs. The CD, simply entitled Wedding, features over 30 ceremonial wedding songs, as well as descriptions of rituals — so that couples can incorporate them into their own ceremony.

From grandmother’s cofferet Viktoria Mikhno, who heads the group, explains, “Wedding ceremonies are part of our traditional heritage; this exists today, but is embodied in other forms. In many countries, ancient traditions are used in modern ceremonies, while in our country, for some rea-

son, we seldom do so. We decided to take action, as our ceremonies are so meaningful. It would simply be wrong to allow them to be forgotten. Traditional wedding songs are a wonderful addition to a modern ceremony: just as viable as anything offered by the modern ‘entertainment’ industry. It’s actually becoming fashionable to marry in national dress rather than in white, with the groom in a

formal suit — so why not add more elements of a traditional ceremony?” The album includes songs from across all Belarus, so that listeners can enjoy the rich legacy of Belarusian singing traditions from all regions.

Wisdom in voices In order to implement the project, a whole generation of singers were called upon. Thanks to their talent and dedication, the album came to life, emphasises Ms. Mikhno. She tells us, “Our singers managed to convey the experience of previous generations, sharing the wisdom of a bygone age. We sang the songs over and over, so that those young girls’ voices would seem to have wisdom and maturity. While preparing the project, some actually became married themselves — so were able to promote the process, having the songs sung at their weddings.” 2014 беларусь.belarus

THEATRE

Songs instead of psychologists

Gold in hair Such songs also taught young people how to behave during a ceremony, to whom they should give presents, and how to treat relatives. Also, in many songs, newlyweds, matchmakers or parents are praised. Ms. Mikhno continues, “I love a song we recorded in 1992, in the village of Zagatie, in the Chashniki District of the Vitebsk Region. It was sung while a bride’s hair was being combed, before placing her headdress upon her head. The song tells of her hair appearing as if it has drops of gold falling upon it, as her bridesmaids sit and comb her tresses. The song’s mood is so beautiful.” The Wedding album is the first in Belarus to collate ceremonial wedding traditions. Now, any bride and groom incorporating some songs from the CD into their wedding ceremony will be helping preserve our national cultural heritage, while bringing delight to all fans of folk music. By Lyudmila Minakova

беларусь.belarus 2014

Bolshoi Theatre built on a hill with good reason

Вялікі тэатр спецыяльна пабудавалі на ўзвышшы Belta

Ceremonial wedding songs were not just performed in celebration, but with the intent of sharing advice and creating a certain mood. Ms. Mikhno explains, “While today’s brides-to-be look at glossy magazines and Internet sites for advice and await their big day with excitement, in days gone by, the newly married state was considered to be a difficult, transitive stage. Brides were encouraged to ponder the changes before them and the challenges of joining a ‘new family’: submitting to different routines and duties. Ceremonial songs aimed to prepare brides for this time in their life. In fact, they fulfilled a psychological role, warning brides to be realistic in their expectations, rather than living in a fairy tale. Songs detailed the cares and duties to be expected — including the birth of children. They helped young women make the adjustment to their new life.”

Ballet at Troitsky hill

he Nat i on a l Ac a d e m i c Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre was built 75 years ago, on the site of Minsk’s oldest market, which stood until 1934. The city authorities decided that Troitsky Market was on the perfect elevated site for a grand building. In 1932, young Moscow architect Georgy Lavrov received first prize in a competition to design the new Minsk Opera Theatre and, on June 11th, 1933, the first stone was laid — on the day of celebrating the city’s liberation from White Poles: on Paris Commune Square. However, a few months later, Lavrov’s project was rejected as unrealistic and the contest was relaunched. This time, the winner was famous architect Iosif Langbard, who suggested creating a grand palace in constructivism style, with a set of sculptures and bas-reliefs. Inspired by Roman amphitheatres, he planned niches within the second and third circles of the facade, and in front of the entrance, in which to place statues. The auditorium was to seat 5,000 — although this was reduced first to 3,000 and then to just 1,500, over its five long years of construction. Sculptures and many other elements ‘disappeared’ but

the central idea remained: three huge tiers, one upon the other. On June 24th, 1941, an aerial bomb hit the building and destroyed the whole auditorium. The troupe were evacuated and, on returning after the city’s liberation, opera singer Larisa Aleksandrovskaya recollected: ‘There is no Minsk anymore; just ruins, burning. Our opera company is located in a backstage section of the theatre. The stalls and boxes are now a stable for horses, filled with piles of manure. There’s no light, heat or water...’ The theatre was completely restored in 1948, overseen by Langbard. This time, tier balconies were added and sculptor Andrey Bembel created beautiful embellishments. The building has been several times reconstructed in its long history, most recently from 2006 to 2009, based on photos from the 1940s-1950s and Iosif Langbard’s sketches. Crystal chandeliers from the 1950s were added, alongside gypsum elements, painted ceilings, gilded mouldings, and curtains and drapes in red velvet. The interiors were made from natural marble and granite; the foyer floors used nine kinds of granite, incorporating an ornamental pattern. By Svetlana Semenova

UNUSUAL FESTIVAL

Puppets over the Niemen The Grodno Puppet Theatre has enjoyed many premieres and unusual stagings over its 240year history, while welcoming performers from across the globe. The Grodno puppeteers are also frequent guests at European events and entertain from various theatrical stages, being laureates of prestigious competitions. These days, it’s difficult to surprise audiences but Grodno’s International Puppets Over the Niemen Festival has worked hard to bring originality and innovation to its genre.

Procession in the festival

ast year, when the event was first hosted by the city on the River Niemen, it received wonderful feedback from participants. Recently, the second festival delighted visitors, with 20 theatres from 9 countries taking part: from Belarus, Russia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, as well as newcomers Serbia, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. Oleg Zhyugzhda, Art Director of the Festival and Chief Director of the Grodno Regional Puppet Theatre, tells us, “We’ve aspired to show the best of international modern theatre, so that our city on the Niemen can become known for more than just provincial art, but for major global trends. We chose not to participate in the competitive programme, so that the jury could be objective, but we certainly gave audiences something to admire: our most recent premiere — Faust. Dreams.” 2014 беларусь.belarus

UNUSUAL FESTIVAL The festival began with a colourful fancy-dress parade through the historic streets of the city, with puppets held high. Every participant received a puppet-angel ‘guardian’ to protect them. Of course, everyone was excited to see the performances, inspired by Serbian, Lithuanian, Czech and Ukrainian fairy and folk tales and Belarusian, Russian and English classics. Puppets Over the Niemen presented Grodno residents and city guests with a unique selection of entertainment. Poland’s Białystok Puppet Theatre gave the audience a new version of Shakespeare’s famous Romeo and Juliet love story, directed by leading Russian director Ruslan Kudashov. Their Montagues and Capulets was performed almost in mime, using striking intonation and versatile gestures. Lele troupe, from Vilnius, also gave the audience a mime performance: Meteo, telling of a man’s struggle to restrain the elements of a dying planet. The Belarusian State Puppet Theatre introduced national classics: Why People Grow Old, based on a work by poet and playwright Anatoly Vertinsky; and a version of Leo Tolstoy’s Kholstomer. The Brest theatre won the Grand Prix in 2013. Meanwhile, Russia’s Ivanovo Theatre acquainted young spectators with the music of Tchaikovsky, the actors using a rich figurative palette, creating ‘live’ pictures on glass. Two lively, interactive performances were given in the open-air: the

Czechs and Serbians gave their shows in the courtyard of Belarus’ Museum of Religious History: Prince Yaromil and Kuku Todore. The five-day theatrical marathon on the banks of the Niemen ended with the announcement of the Grand Prix being awarded to the Białystok Puppet Theatre, for its Montagues and Capulets. Honoured cultural figure of Russia Valery Shadsky, who chaired the jury, delivered the news to unanimous approval from all gathered. Several playwrights and troupes were mentioned across prestigious nominations. Alexey Lelyavsky, of the Belarusian State Puppet Theatre, was named ‘best director’ for Why People Grow Old. Meanwhile, ‘best set-designer’ went to the Khmelnitsky Academic Regional Puppet Theatre’s Mikhail Nikolayev, from Ukraine, for his work on Olenka and Ivanko. Lithuanian composer Šarūnas Datenis’ score for Meteo was also the centre of attention. Rovno Academic Regional Puppet Theatre, from Ukraine, was awarded for ‘best acting ensemble’ in Christmas Night and individual awards went to Vladimir Tevasyan from the Brest Puppet Theatre, as ‘best male’ and to Klaipeda’s Renata Kutaite, from Lithuania, as ‘best actress’ for her performance in Magic Time of Cinderella. For the first time, 20 young theatre critics, from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, chose recipients for two diplomas: for ‘wise repertoire’ and for ‘best

acting ensemble’. Both awards went to the troupe from Białystok. A special children’s jury, which included five Grodno pupils, selected Kaunas’ Swan Queen for an award, and the group from Ivanovo for an additional prize. Besides wonderful performances, the festival welcomed world-known puppet theatre expert Professor Marek Waszkiel, from the Warsaw Theatrical Academy, who gave an interesting lecture, entitled ‘Puppets, Forms, Animators, Objects — New Prospects’. Moreover, Moscow art critic Boris Goldovsky presented his new book: History of Belarusian Puppet Theatre. The Puppets Over the Niemen festival looks set to enjoy many years of success. The director of the Grodno Regional Puppet Theatre, Maria Shabashova, asserts, “I saw and felt the high spirits of many foreign visitors to our festival. We’re delighted that our guests enjoyed the festival. Puppeteers could see our ancient city, to visit its ancient castles, churches, to walk along historical places, and even simply to have rest in a cosy park, to admire Niemen… We’ve already received preliminary applications from theatres to take part in the third festival: planned for next year. I’m sure that we’ll see more participants for that event, extending the geography of entrants. Our theatre is now taking a break, but we’ll be bringing several premieres — for children and adults — in the new season.” By Iosif Popko

 The Grodno Puppet Theatre is located in a building constructed in 1772, for city head Antony Tizengauz, in Italian style. It has a semi-circular design, with an amphitheatre of multilevel galleries, and 22 boxes. In 1859, after reconstruction, the auditorium gained an extra floor. For over two centuries, Tizengauz’s troupe performed on the old stage, as did Polish Salomea Deszner’s troupe, and the Russian-Polish Eliza Orzeszkowa Theatre. From 1945-1947, the State Russian Drama Theatre of the BSSR took residence, and then the regional drama theatre took possession, until 1984. Since then, ‘puppeteers’ have occupied the building. Reconstruction was complete by late 2012, giving the building new offices and a museum of puppets, which is now displaying some of the ‘heroes’ of the Puppets Over the Niemen festival.

беларусь.belarus 2014

MASTERS

Workmanship does not tolerate low quality It seems that nowadays, only lazy people are not making hand-made things. Here someone makes soap, there someone makes dolls, and another person is making various hand-made woollen articles. These types of crafts have developed to such a scale that the fairs and festivals become crowded for national skilled craftsmen yet, until recently, we did not have specialised exhibitions, the goods for needlework or even shops selling these items.

he popularity of this kind of activity was promoted in many respects by occurrence of the First Belarusian Forum of Handicraftsmen — remesla.by. Belarus magazine correspondent decided to ask its founders, Antonina Yeliseeva and Novomir Kudinov, about how they find their customers, what the basic problems are for modern craftsmen and what new kinds of hand-made needlework is appearing in Belarus.

Platform of adherents Antonina Yeliseeva turned to needlework after she gave birth to her first child. “I could not stay at home, simply

looking after the kid,” she recollects. “I tried making a scrapbook — creating photo albums and handmade postcards. My husband, having seen my creations, suggested that, instead of a physical presence that I develop a forum for all people interested in handicraft. So in 2011 there appeared the First Belarusian Forum of Handicraftsmen –remesla.by. It became a platform for the communication and exchange of ideas by the masters of handicraft from all over Belarus and neighbouring countries like Ukraine and Russia.” “We travelled widely across the country,” says Novomir Kudinov, friend of the Yeliseev family and manager of portal. “We happened to meet the most talented people who did interesting work but who did not have ability to publicly show off their hobbies. After all, at that time in Belarus, there were no exhibitions, festivals or handicraftsmen’s shops.”

The country does have the Belarusian Union of People’s Masters, but its participants work basically using traditional techniques. “We wanted to show that for last 150 years, people have invented a lot of interesting things. Materials, presentations and design and that our perception of the world has changed,” explains Novomir. “New techniques allow us to better express modern realities. There are, of course, masters who use old ‘recipes’ when creating something new, but there are few such masters.”

Price tag — one basic salary Today, more than 6,000 users are registered on the forum, which helps those people who is looking to find their own vocation, to find what they really would like to do. Here it is possible to learn in detail about different kinds of handicraft, to participate in master-classes and to receive legal support. On remesla.by there is a section which describes in details how to register as a handicraftsman and where to apply. “In my opinion, Belarus has the ideal conditions for handicraft activity,” says Novomir. “You need to file an application to the internal revenue service at the place of registration, to pay duties in the amount of one basic salary, set up the check book, and that’s all. Then it is possible to start working.” 2014 беларусь.belarus

MASTERS

‘Genre crisis’ Probably, the so-called ‘genre crisis’ arises because of such simplicity. “Let’s have a look at workmanship from another, less optimistic point of view. Nowadays there are not so many handicraftsmen as before. The problem is that some of them start to churn out their works, turning a uniquely crafted thing into a conveyor-belt of products,” Kudinov reasons. “When people cease to search or think and just start copying their work (and sometimes even work of other craftsmen, without being ashamed of it) you can no longer call it handicraft, the meaning is lost in this situation. At this point, what is the difference between workmanship and manufacture? Currently there is also another issue. At present, needlework master classes are held in every corner of the country but often, the teachers are not so highly skilled. However, even this isn’t a problem. “A newcomer attends a couple of lessons and, for example, learns how to make earrings from polymer clay. They then immediately come to the trade fair with them, even though they have not mastered the technique properly, treating the handicraft беларусь.belarus 2014

as a source of income rather than creativity. Selling their earrings ‘for a song’, and knowing that these hand-made items won’t live long, they deface true masters by their activity,” explains Ms. Yeliseeva. “Meanwhile, a true master puts their soul and knowledge into each item and, due to their constant and hard working labour, wants that their pieces are highly appreciated. Therefore, they can’t allow themselves to sell their goods cheaply. I wouldn’t like that ‘stuff’, those goods of poor quality, appeared on these craftsmen’s counters; otherwise, interest towards handicraft would disappear overnight. Handicraft isn’t simply ‘stuff’, created willy-nilly, and it definitely costs more.”

Resourceful masters This ‘genre crisis’, about which Kudinov talks, is also felt by the consumer. Two or three years ago, a buyer visited exhibitions of handmade products and was surprised, seeing, for example, a watering can designed using a decoupage technique, or a notebook made to look old by using a scrapbooking process. Today these items do not have the same effect anymore, because they want to see something new. It is good that we still

have masters who have not forgotten how to search for something new. “Nowadays, decoupage and scrapbooking no longer cannot surprise anyone,” Antonina Yeliseeva says. “But ‘lampwork’ (artistic design of glass) is seeing an increase in popularity among Belarusian masters, wirework (decorations from copper wire), weaving from newspapers, painting with pointto-point techniques (dotty painting), painting using ‘One Stroke’ (a technique of ‘double dab’) and many other things. We also have masters with great natural talent. One of them, Ksenia Belyaeva, is engaged in painting using the zentangle technique, using simple rollerball pens. It is very beautiful! Her works are even exhibited in the USA. Embroidery, using ribbons with painting of background by oil or acrylic paints has also gained popularity. Such works are very alive and attractive to the customer.” “I could talk about needlework and workmanship forever,” Antonina continues. “If the destiny of workmanship in Belarus is interesting for you, and you have something to say or share, you know where to come.” By Lyudmila Minakova

FOLLOWING ANCIENT RECIPES

‘Kvasnik’ knew his business through and through

If today, we were offered a list of Belarusian drinks from say, 300 years ago, I am sure, we would be very surprised

bviously, we would not see a mojito cocktail or an elite tea from the Junshan Mountains. But the variety of Belarusian drinks would undoubtedly amaze us. Kvass, kissel, syta, sbiten, klenovik, krupnik, krambambulya... And, surprisingly, even coffee! Even in the 17th century, when in many neighbouring countries people did not even know of its existence, Belarusians savoured this flavoured drink. So we ask the questions: How did coffee beans get to Belarus, what did mulled wine substitute to our ancestors and why did they set fire to krupnik?

ger and bay leaf. People drank sbiten hot, especially during the winter months, in order to get warm and to protect oneself from cold. According to Chronicles of Drinks of Belarus, based on materials of historical youth competition which was held in last year by the Lidskoye Pivo Company, sbiten gained popularity in the

territory of Belarus around the 16th century. It was available in fairs where cups of sbiten sold like hotcakes. Based on these old texts, we safely call sbiten a Belarusian mulled wine — a hot wine with spices, without which it is nearly impossible to offer any Christmas market in Europe. The word ‘sbiten’, by the way, comes from a Russian verb meaning to ‘beat up’. Tradition-

Unfortunately, even today there exists a stereotype of Belarusians drinking only vodka. However this ‘demon drink’ only appeared in the territory of Belarus during the 17th century. While the most ancient alcohol drinks were beer and mead, and people did not get drunk with them. Belarusians made drinks from honey for a long time. The simplest of them was medovukha: honey was boiled with water and then yeast was added. After that, this mixture was poured out into tuns and fermented for several weeks. Sbiten was also prepared with honey, with the addition of spices and herbs — cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, gin-

Vitaliy Gil

Honey aroma

2014 беларусь.belarus

FOLLOWING ANCIENT RECIPES ally, the components for this drink were prepared separately (honey — in one pot, spices — in another), and they were mixed up just before use.

Set fire and drink People also prepared krupnik with honey, spices and herbs (with vodka as the base). It was recommended to collect the herbs by oneself, as it was believed that if done, krupnik had a totally different smell and effect: you do not get drunk, but received special internal feeling. Traditionally krupnik was served when it was hot and in tureens, but in peasant houses people drank it directly from cups or big wooden spoons. There was one interesting ritual of ‘firing’ the krupnik, when all the components were put into a big clay bowl and then set on fire. A hostess gave a sign to all her guests and they all started to blow simultaneously on the flame in order to blow it out. It would seem that several centuries ago Belarusians had already developed the skills of the barmen. Special honey based, ceremonial drinks were also prepared. For example, syta, a drink that was required at the funeral table. Traditional syta was prepared very easily — honey was simply diluted in boiled water. There were also other ceremonial drinks. On Christmas Eve, people cooked oat kissel. While on Kupalle — kulaga: berries were washed and then cooked in a special pot. When berries began to soften, people added flour, some water, honey or sugar, then they mixed it up and boiled on low heat until it became like kissel. Kulaga was served with pancakes or bread and milk.

Kvass from beet One of very popular drinks of our ancestors was kvass. This drink was first mentioned in Chronicles of Nestor. It was so popular that the trade of ‘kvasnik’ (maker of kvass) arose — a skilled artisan, who knew how to cook various kinds of kvass. Traditionally kvass was prepared from rye bread, rye (sometimes wheat, oat, barley) flour, rye or barley malt. But there was also kvass with honбеларусь.belarus 2014

ey, horseradish, blackcurrant leaves and even from beets! People valued maple and birch juice based kvass too. And in order to make kvass tastier, the tuns, containing the juice were buried in sand for 6 days. Kvass was prepared not only for drinking, but also as a basis for many dishes. On rich merchant weddings there were traditionally ‘nine kvasses’, meaning nine dishes based on kvass.

Coffee made in Belarusian way Our ancestors also drank birch and maple juices, compotes from berries and, curiously enough, coffee! It seems that coffee was brought to the country by participants of the Battle of Vienna, which took place in September, 1683. The armies of the German princes and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, under command of the Polish King and the Grand Duke of Lithuania, John III Sobieski, destroyed the army of the Ottoman Empire, which besieged Vienna and thus put an end to the aggressive wars of the Ottoman in Europe. Apart from a victory for the side on which our ancestors fought, they also received all the riches of the Turkish armies. Among them was a wagon with eight tonnes of coffee and various tools for its preparation. Thus, coffee appeared in Belarus. Olga Kopachenya assures that people drank it in almost every home. However, for a long time the Belarusians did not know how to make coffee correctly: people poured it into cups in large quantities, and the drink was very dense and strong. Therefore, people often washed down their coffee with cold water. Coffee was also served with a glass of water in coffeehouses. We often look to foreign shores and dream of tasting Spanish sangria or Italian grappa, but those from a distant land have much to learn from us, while we have much to be proud of.

Kvass based on beer

(Recipe from Pavel Klyuchnikov) In a two-litre pot pour 250g of beer, add birch juice, stop up and put in a basement. After two months, you will have a light kvass with the aroma of beer and considerable quantity of gas.

Sbiten (Anna Shiryaeva’s family recipe, which is more than one century old) 1 litre of water 3 tbs. honey 1 tbs. dry mint 2 buds of cloves Add some anise, melissa and juniper. You can also add coriander or thyme. Boil water, add honey, reduce heat and boil for another ten minutes. Add mint, spices, and herbs and boil another five to seven minutes, slowly stirring. Drink sbiten when it is warm, otherwise you will not get warmed, and you will not taste the spices.

Berry syta (Recipe from Alexander Soroka) Take 50g of honey, half a litre of juice (currant, raspberry or other) and 2 glasses of water. Dilute honey in the boiled water, then cool and add the juice.

By Lyudmila Minakova

VERNISSAGE

Ability to see the unusual in the habitual From the beginning of the 20th century, many Belarus cities, especially Vitebsk and Minsk, served as an original testing ground for art, avant-garde art schools remained here for a long time. And, like one century ago, today’s domestic art is notable for its variety of experimental forms, absence of similarity, unilaterality and simplicity.

owadays, one cannot surprise anybody with avant-garde in fine art. Moreover, many young artists even abuse their not very distinct adherence to this style. Another matter is when you view avant-garde experiments in painting or in graphics of almost half a century ago. However, somewhere during the 1980s-1990s, Belarusian avant-garde becomes an open alternative to official art, when it ceased to be an underground movement. Basically, artists of informal direction aspired to re-establish the discontinued connection with classical avant-garde of the early 20th century. In the environment of informal art there arose original forms of artistic activity: action art, performance, video-art, declaration, manifestos, installations and many others. In the 1980s, informal exhibitions were already held in the many different places: in cinema foyers, libraries or assembly halls of various public institutions. Such exhibitions as Art Studio, Fragment-Event ’87, On Collector’s, Prospect and Panorama in the 80s were a real manifesto of free art. Inside the artistic process of informal art there were notable groups of creatively close artists united by a uniform vision. At this time, there was an organised association of creative intel-

ligentsia, such associations as Form, Galsha, Plyuraliz, BLO, Vitebsk Square, 4-63 from Polotsk and many others. Each group of artists offered their own manifesto as an alternative to generally acknowledged professional art. Here is the example of the text prepared to the exhibition of the Form association. ‘What undoubtedly unites all artists is the conviction that the development of art is largely a development of form, hence the name of the association, which also was a reaction to that longterm struggle of dogmatic art with the so-called ‘formalism’’. And here is the extract from the booklet of 1989 of the Panorama exhibition, where artists of 9 informal associations were exhibited. ‘...Belarusian fund of culture was guided by the purpose to show the cut of modern Belarusian art of nonconventional directions: expressionism, surrealism, conceptualism, pop art, installations, etc. Modern art came to modernism in search of new figurative means... There are no bad or good directions in art, there are only bad or good artists. Avant-garde is needed as well as any other direction in art, to any society which considers itself to be developed culturally and economically’. The creative association ‘Square’ was organised in 1987 in Vitebsk. Its task included the establishment of aesthetic principles of classical avant-garde and postmodernism in the artistic 2014 беларусь.belarus

VERNISSAGE

life of the Republic. The association became the environment for individual creative processes focused on certain aesthetic values. The work of the association was organised in the form of actions and exhibitions. The first such action was the exhibition Experiment in 1988, devoted to Kazimir Malevich’s 110th anniversary, where, apart from the work of artists, information about Malevich was also shown and introduced. Soon after, in the structure of the Belarusian Union of Artists, there started to appear sections based, not on forms of art (painting, graphics, sculpture), as earlier, but on interests or ideological principles. Nemiga-17, an association of adherents of pictorial and formal beginning in art appeared. From the catalogue of 1988 of exhibition Nemiga-17 — ‘Artists deny the understanding of art as illustrations of political slogans. Art cannot and should not fall to the role of commentator of the already ideologically comprehended. It should take a person to the comprehension of new public needs, to form a new tomorrow’s style of life’. At last, participants of the Nemiga-17 group understood individuality in art not as selfish, free self-expression. According to them, individuality, as well as in all spheres of life, is a way of definition, a way of creation and development of public need. Seeing the works of artists of Nemiga, you come to the understanding that they are true masters. Strong and mature. беларусь.belarus 2014

They are individuals — everyone in their own world of creative aspirations. And with all that, there is a certain community of spirit between them. Today, they are already about sixty years old, and some are even older. In general, I think, they are happy people. They are free to work in art as they like. There is no administration over them, no ‘social order’, no fashion thought up by someone else. However, having met them much earlier, you note that their way to this freedom was long and difficult. Nemiga is from the generation which is known as ‘the Seventiers’ (cultural figures of the 70s). The psychological dissimilarity between them and leaders of art of the 1960s is natural. Circumstances deepened this difference and led to mutual rejection. Younger workers were not attracted by the social and political character of creativity of ‘the Sixtiers’, mainly due to the literary character of their figurativeness, and absence of original interest in updating of the language fraught with the loss of quality of flexible statements. Avoiding creative dialogue, the senior preferred long-term tactics, and the consecutive ousting of the young from the public life of art. The young, certainly, did not want to accept the position of marginal people. A chance to protect their status in culture was given to them by the idea which generated the Nemiga association. The idea

VERNISSAGE

was national-romantic by nature. It contained stimulus and a pictures-songs, pictures-parables. These were pictures without basis for original picturesque searches, being fully armed with narrative about touching rural lovers, without jokes with which a professional fine arts school, to address anew, the poetics of the quarrelsome Moscow primitives amused the public. As a Belarusian folklore, national creativity and peasant crafts. rule, the plot was delicately visible through paint. After all, the Such a movement preserved all completeness of topicality purpose of the authors was also comprehension of themselves, for Belarus. The rise of the national school in the 60s had its own self-determination in colour, rhythm, movement of space and features. Unlike, say, Ukraine and Moldova, new trends in art of the breath of picturesque mass. In Minsk, there might appear the Republic were basically nourished, not by centuries-old folk- the style of picturesque poetics painted, certainly, in colours of lore heritage, but by the tragic memory that place and time. of a war-time past. Therefore, music of However that was, probably a possithe white colour, peasant weaving, ornable but too idyllic option. Reality resolved ments and other plastic motives, characeverything differently. It happened that teristic for embroidery, traditional items during the decline of Belarusian artisfrom clay and wood, the blinking gold tic life of the Soviet time-period, the of Belarusian straw were so attractive for movement of Zoya Litvinova, Galina fine art of the 80s. These were the expresGorovaya and Tamara Sokolova, Nikolay sive symbols of folklore thinking in all Bushchik and Anatoly Kuzne-tsov with their riches. Moscow ‘Seventiers’ at that Sergey Kiryushchenko were not undertime spoke about the development of a stood; neither in their environment, ‘world museum’, about the ‘carnival’ tonor among their cultural chiefs. On the nality of the perception of life. However, contrary, that field, where they hoped their associates in Minsk were more liketo grow shoots, started to sprout weeds. ly interested in other things. It is possible Souvenir mass-produced items in paintto call it an attempt of national identifiing, gorgeous life of fashionable salons, Author – Anatoly Kuznetsov rushed to exhibitions, with their imporcation. It is necessary to remember that the developing group included not only Belarusians; there were tunate diversity, defining the style of appearing independence. also newcomers from different corners of the former USSR, up Idealists of Nemiga could do only one thing — to move in to Siberia and the Far East. Nemiga, taking its name from the any other direction. Their new choice should become and aptimes of the Tale of Igor's Campaign, is a small river under one pear critically difficult, all the more so that behind their shoulof the central quarters of modern Minsk, where the house with der was more than a decade of devout professional works. The workshops of artists appeared not so long ago, was perceived as choice was difficult for any gifted artist in the Post-Soviet reala historical, geographical and cultural symbol, and the partici- ity both in Moscow, in Minsk, in neighbouring Vilnius and in pants of the exhibitions with the same name, connected their St. Petersburg. Everything that to the middle of life appeared creative thoughts with this symbol. better or worse constructed, everything that gave at least relaAs if listening to the stream of time, they dreamt of pictur- tive creative stability, fell apart at the seams. The collapse of esque visions of rural childhood, folklore legends depicted in the Soviet system left to the Seventiers almost no choice, pro-

2014 беларусь.belarus

VERNISSAGE

Vitaliy Gil

ceeding from the priorities which existed within the limits of the masters of Nemiga. They had to live during the time of the foreign and domestic conjuncture or, easier, solvent demand next collapse of the country, fortunately, not such a catastrofor their creative efforts. phe as in the former days of revolution and two world wars. Oh, it does not mean at all that they kept away from the And that reliance which they found for themselves, hoping for human, lost responsiveness to the life of people or ability to the future, was a reliance on the creative elements of nature, hear and excite many of us, to find support healthy bases of the eternal way of human life — everyone after their own fashion. and to cause response in an organism of They do not tell naive fables, they charge living culture. However they approached the process of creativity as artists-openand inspire their spectators with terresers. They tried to introduce something trial first-born force. And in this work, I think, is the highest power and wisdom of essential, something that they predicted, something that was for us still meaningZoya Litvinova’s creativity, the most mature master of Nemiga association. less, unexpected and not seen. The artist of rare temperament, initialNikolay Bushchik, perhaps, did not leave the world of his early landscapes, symly inclined to plans of big scope, Litvinova completely passed the way of spontaneous bolical sacraments of nature and appearing ardour for the pagan force of life. Her canin planetary harmony. However, his pure, vases, which often glorified scenes of nashining colour accords gave an imprestional festivities, gained wide popularity sion as if terrestrial elements merged with blazing spiritual space. Galina Gorovaya is even in the Soviet years. She also worked as a monumentalist, most likely gobelins a true sculptor, capable of finding out the Author – Zoya Litvinova with peasant motives of the 80s-90s belatent soul of wood, stone or metal. The came, for her, access to a new understandlove feeling of intimate contact of two human beings in her creativity can be close to penetration into ing of the human being of the earth. Gradually, however, in a the dumb world of animals or birds, with a unique sensation game of vital forces of nature Zoya Litvinova started to see the of the character of the strangest characters of life surrounding higher religious sense. She started thinking about the infinite us. With pride, delight and tenderness, she is able to admire complexity, the contradictory variety of the world order, and the beauty of the phenomena of life, intensifying this beauty in also about the sincere-moral being of the human being. Even plastic compositions using colour accents of remarkable bright- today, Zoya Litvinova does not change her favourite motives of ness coming from a national perception and freshness unusual ritual dance which came to European art at the new time from for tired eyes. Thus here appeared a special mythology of a mas- Matisse, Picasso, Goncharova. ter, which united the small and the great into a single circle, an animal and a human in their unique originality. Another two participants of the group — Anatoly Kuznetsov and Leonid Khobotov — chose abstract methods. But, again, in their searches, they are quite original. In general, the meaning of abstract-symbolical images can be felt in some extent, but it is almost hopeless to try to describe it because everything is based here on very unsteady and subjective associations which run and vibrate depending on our mood. It seems that Kuznetsov is attracted by big spaces, with various forces of nature in which a human tries to distinguish the music of their own heart, their own lyrical conditions, the blinking of a morning landscape and the exciting influx of form-creative will. And all these can be found in a wind gust, the blazing of colour in lightning, splashes, sunbeams, and at times, in the methodical and laborious work of control over these elements using the picturesque surface of canvas. The abstractions of Kuznetsov seem like a metaphor for the life of the artist, his imagination in a duel of a brush with inconstancy of infinity behind the walls of his workshop. Leonid Khobotov is like an architect of natural essence. Mentally pulling together similar observations, one wants to speak about the certain philosophy of the world outlook of Nikolay Bushchik and his work беларусь.belarus 2014

VERNISSAGE In these, her reflexions, the artist at last reached the mysticism of Christianity. She reached the secret of belief, love and sacrificial death, symbolics of all that’s real on the earth. Here again, we approach one of the intimate details of the artistic language of Zoya Litvinova. In scenes of not only holidays, but also passions, often telling about the most difficult moral and philosophical collisions of the history of mankind, she sheds soft golden light on depicted figures. Perhaps, it is the light of belief and her love of people, it is that high, clear lyricism with which symbolical Nemiga warms her and her associates. The history of generations of ancestors took place on Nemiga’s banks. In general, the creativity of these artists exists in the space of modernist traditions in art. Horizons of their way can be defined by following words: form, expression and spirituality. Unlike Litvinova, almost all other participants of association work today in the space of abstract art, thus preserving strong ties with reality — the main source of impressions and creative impulses. Abandonment of figuration was in many respects natural, caused by the logic of the evolution of

their thinking, a desire to escape from literariness which was alien to the nature of fine art. They aspire to embody their idea concerning the world picture, using, first of all, internal figurative-flexible resources of painting and sculpture. Certainly, each artist had their own stimulating motives and their own way to the given decision. Nikolay Bushchik, in early figurative works, unlike his other colleagues, focused more on the problem of nationalcultural identity of own creativity, on visual concreteness of this or that everyday plot or landscape motive. In the artist’s pictures of

the last years it is possible to note an aspiration to the expansion of horizons of vision and themes of supranational character, which today are of vital importance for him, to the comprehension of oneself and one’s own creativity in the context of universal values, and, hence, to the search of other figurativeness and other languages. According to Bushchik, the abstract form helped him to get free, gave him not only freedom of expression, but also took him to a new level of solidity of artistic expression. However, the painting of Anatoly Kuznesov is more impulsive and improvisational. He was one of the first in Nemiga who came to abstraction and decided on own his working methods with sensual-malleable material. However, Kuznetsov prefers to call his painting, not abstract, but non-figurative, noting its sensual basis (in his opinion, abstract art assumes the presence of certain intentionally verified concepts, while this is absolutely alien to his creative nature). Certainly, with its impulsive spontaneity, the painting of Kuznetsov also contains certain organising moments, uniting key-notes. However both the forming of the correlation of colour spots and the search of the rhythmics of movement of ‘easy’ and ‘difficult’ surfaces, spatial moves, and surface game are carried out exclusively at a meditative level. The artist intuitively shows such a quality of his creative consciousness, as the creation of beauty to which, in general, he never aspired purposefully, but which he values as the equivalent of the highest harmony which has not lost a deep sense and urgency for him today. Strange things happen today in the world of art. Political technologies more actively penetrate into its territory, watering down the borders of art and transforming it into a documentation of those or other phenomena and events of life, while an artist turns into a publicist, politician, sociologist who is less interested in questions of aesthetics. Problems of form and beauty are moved to the background, giving way to pseudo-social pathos of reasoning about the processes of the present moment. As we see, artists of Nemiga are again not in the movement with their search for the eternal or momentary values and truths, both in art and in life. But they are not worried about all that any more. And not because of powerlessness, after all, to 2014 беларусь.belarus

VERNISSAGE “Certainly, I can describe myself, although art critics will go against the stream, keeping a balance of sincere and physical strengths is much more difficult and more dangerous, than give a more capacious description or perhaps, an art fan. In my simply to yield to this stream. Before us, are very strong people work I aspire to that, which, as a result, creates a sensation of with their own positions, who understand the aсt of art as an pleasure and harmonised rest, the mood bringing a person into individual activity in the world order as an individual respon- good, vital harmony.” sibility. This tendency is already more distinctly seen in the Nikolay Bushchik has not changed in creativity over the course of time. Here is how he formumodern world artistic process and, probably, lates his modern creative credo. “It seems from these positions, to me, that artists have now divided into there will app ear two directions in creativity. Some of them new directions and work for black, and others, for light. I new main ideas. The work for light. I am interested what my motherland is, in its fine Divine creation. further ways of the artists of Nemiga are All the bad, bad moods, bad actions we outlined in the light make ourselves. All our displeasure results only from the discrepancy of our desires of this tendency. to what happens, and that’s all. What for? Here is how the already known BelaWho needs this? Everyone should manage rusian artist, Nikolay themselves, and the blackness inside. In Bushchik, explains his creativity, I would like to confirm beauty, Author – Georgy Skripnichenko harmony, the cleanliness of morning and participation in the Nemiga-17 association today, with of his early works is repre- evening, the creation of a summer downpour or a fine winter sented at the exhibition in the Museum of Modern Fine Art. “At snowfall. When I manage to achieve this, it grasps me more.” They are different, these elders of Belarusian avant-garde. those times, in the 80s, art passed towards excitement. It started to offer themes of worries, themes of the emotional perception They express thoughts and sensations differently in their works. of objects. In that way, as you feel them or want to turn them into They are individuals, and this creates an interest in them. any feeling. To make something dark blue into red, and to select Such a phenomenon as ‘artistic community’, rich on formal other unusual colours nearby. And together it will create either a and figurative searches and experiments, is felt strongly in Beladramatic situation, or a situation of lyricism, or a sitrusian art. Artistic avantgarde revealed itself in uation of enthusiastic feeling. This lead to a change painting, architecture, of tasks and approach in art from the 10s–20s of design, music, theatre the 20th century. Let’s take the creativity of PetrovVodkin, suprematists with Malevich, artists of the and cinema. It influenced the whole style of life of 30s, Konchalovsky. I take close art, without menthe 20th century. The tioning Europe. And there were Matisse and van comprehension of art and Gogh who worked adequately with their impresculture of Belarus in its sions and images. Certainly, art became more flexavant-garde displays reible, artists began to search for styles which would mains topical even today, create a mood. And now, an artist searches by using in the 21st century, as an rhythm, light-stress for such conditions on canvas understanding of sources which force to worry. Certainly, much happens at of modern culture. the level of the sub consciousness, associativity, as Author – Anatoly Kuznetsov The Minsk Museum from the most visible an artist chooses the most active and characteristic, that expresses feeling or emotion. And of Modern Fine Art recently held an exhibition which visuspectators understand and reach for such fine art. They say ‘This ally illustrated sources of Belarusian avant-garde. The uniqueis really similar’. Together with the artists’, their creative imagina- ness of this project was that, for the first time, the works were tion also starts to play. It gives them more pleasure, than simply sequentially and fully gathered in a uniform exposition ‘One to look at any concrete accurate object or real landscape. Hence Hundred Years of Belarusian Avant-garde’. Based on various it is absolutely another direction in fine art, where art starts to collections, both private and State, the project fixed the variety get style. Each artist develops his or her own style which helps of art. It was an original attempt to build a chronology, to into create space in the way he or she sees and understands it. This troduce avant-garde associations and to interpret concepts of avant-garde as integral part of Belarusian art. is the difference between artists.” By Viktor Mikhailov How would you describe your style? беларусь.belarus 2014

MOSAIC

 Silent movies to live music There is a revival of interest in both silent movies and in vinyl records and you can judge about them both with confidence at the Kinemo Festival, held by Minsk’s Cinemascope project for the second year

 Pan Tadeusz was a sell-out The show of premier performance of the National Yanka Kupala Academic Theatre, directed by Nikolay Pinigin, was held in Paris. The show was organised during the Days of Belarusian Culture in France.

t is the first in history for the staging of a Belarusian director on the Parisian scene. The activity was timed to coincide with the 180th anniversary of the writing in Paris of the poem of the same name by Adam Mickiewicz, who was born on Novogrudok land in Belarus. It is sym-

bolic that the opening of the Kupala Theatre in 1890 was marked by the show ‘Sphinx’ by the French author, Feuillet. The performance of the Belarusian cast was very warmly received by the French spectators. Applause that lasted for 10 minutes welcomed the performance of the Belarusian theatre in Paris. The premiere was organised by the Embassy of Belarus in France and was held under the honourable patronage of UNESCO. Staging was in the Belarusian language with French subtitles. For a scenic embodiment of the performance a translation of Yazep Semezhon was used, for transliteration to the French language, a translation by Robert Bourgeois.

 Fashion affordable In the final of the 22nd Republican festival-competition — Melnitsa Mody — Belarusian designers introduced more than 70 new collections

nternational experts from Azerbaijan, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine and Finland came to Minsk to define the best trendsetters of Belarusian fashion. As well as the competition show, master classes were held at the final stage of Melnitsa Mody. Experts in the field of fashion and the design of clothes held a

pen air supposes a night viewing of retro-films in the open air and to live music. Cinema lovers could get acquainted with silent pictures — from melodrama to fiction — in the museum-atelier of Zair Azgur. This place was chosen on purpose, according to the organisers of the festival, as the wall in the court ideally serves as a screen, and the pianists could be placed on a little load platform. The project was realised with the support of the Association of Young Composers. This year, the viewing was accompanied by musical compositions which they had written specially for each film, compared to the widely promoted classical music that had been played last year. The aim of the project was to present a broad palette of genres and countries at the silent movie festival. This year, there were pictures from the USSR, in France, USA and Japan. number of educational seminars and lectures. The presentation of the charitable project ‘Stylish Beginning’, with participation of pupils of Minsk Children’s Home #5, became the highlight of the festival. A collection of clothes was made especially for children, which they received as a gift upon termination of the project. Organisers of festival-competition Melnitsa Mody not only dressed pupils of the children’s homes, but also brought them onto the podium and taught them a fashion parade in order to give them the confidence to believe that they can achieve anything that they want in life.

2014 беларусь.belarus