Belarus (magazine #6 2019) by BELARUS Magazine

Magazine for you

No. 06 (1029), 2019 Беларусь. Belarus

belarus Politics. Economy. Culture

ISSN 2415-394X

New features of longtime friendship The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia will be held in July in St. Petersburg

Newspaper from Belarus

Голас Радзімы edition of the “Голас Радзімы” is available at www.zviazda.by

The newspaper for fellow countrymen: well-known and well-read 1

Газета з БелаРусі

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Зладжана працава в Што спявала яна ў Белару Кацярына Міка рырод С н прыазнаец дарла “ ў сна у, насц заў ў цаг і мааці. т еў ло ай зе на аві ка ан ол рэ да тыў ару ваць д”зе п ктлраадк яжкы Аулсе і ёсц вед ызва раі о з п юп ічн ы зя ыі. ад ьбел асл я м вета ю ши закуме Ра сама , у Й Фрны д н анааві я н ц ш с я а с ы д М а ё в : ь е д а с у у якім што год пры ма юць удзел бе: яна ж і ў да ро гу нас збі ра ла! свід ра вая бры га да, вы тры ма сі? “Мы вы бра лі два эма цый ды пад трым лі вае ле тую я го а н п б ў у л зе м с с р ю Л д — г мк т цы ць я Іва У гэ ы... ру ск сун пр м чпароаены ды На мям т аф зен ірс і с анц , тра ла п ыла іса Ве нтал ан бы а з го ,якн ая еўве энтп Пер і,уя жыв ігер аг од на на ка кл тво тгэ ыю пі ра -ю кашэ еты ы2 кім шлё га сіетда на та рэк ў са ры: песню “Снег” (сло тыленты у ам п ныя ай ака юныя злсабліз курс ных ну мачроў, па былі неабходныя рэжымы с— дачку, і ў далёкіх па езд ках з зідВычыбар акон па вец рде ьну Яро ць. алта М— б т го е р а і 4 г г ы а х м “ к ы м р д л а ы з а а ц д в М в 9 я іл Я р ч с д а м 7 д , у . у т а ” — Ла .н ль зенк .ўПд к лЧ аж у аэт ер 1м н ў рэ ош іст аг ты аг а аю о а , кр ір” ар ачыс ” зыка Алены Ваенгі) ды п ьжа. р кі, фестываль умУ га замеж й дазволіла выйсці на рэкорд., удзе лейт здзей на п катав поль Вось ом” ю ап хін вы й му ёй. Так было і ў маі 2016га, о Фоурутме ” гэташга го П л дача в ныкл ўнё л заяў шт ядн окаілі ая ую р Л армы п осыт х чнваа га кыелрвоернал ака ш н а збе з амз інул дказ ўда ер аг П — о э парруос “к9ап Ш р ек эсліў Аля Зам тай ал а П сак, па КМіж а тоўка прэзента ур к у,пад б на шчым іс б цый т віль на сні ац анн чы бы д ка тоо да свае с 5 чыя ы дамсягнен рых 72я Семірэнкаўскаялію свідра дзяўчына спявала на XІX л а твор п м а ніФпа гов анд н й А та лівую песню “Помнят м алер доўм н?А энка якз і.Ш ь Вя Бе ларўура однгадўскгаізе ада ст.стакмыыя”. нцы на т апы : зн ксан кавага цы сіл — о на ніцай нтам ла з ы на і ў цай зня ра д іі ўзжды ртыных р ж а оадо , кі, м сцэ ш о цей р э дзя чар лякс э М лілюди” я ная вбе ц воелі ш лібезвыш мара скай (словы Яўгенія Далма на — чацвёртая, прой народным фестывалі “Сомюз р ду ,са зя сім ал заЗ к фа у он та С Ф ся ля эст га жы нуў акавы др падзе на д700 шн ў гоЛра Брп івяд абдыжлі неосж к ым ч ар ыаяго н ыя ыхг амад Лука ато юдзь атур ера ь ык едае ы ў ч упр ран броў амен шыс Мін ь ста Б“Бе ар эБе аф ц ся ог чы га цалаару іха скага, музыка Аскара Фель ала т А р рыі, ўа за а я скнтоў утня Аін пр Там між к Ло ом он з 8 кра сі, алБал ларусамі ва Украіне. ла лантов России” ў Сочы: гза В— н ды мы,р сувеніры іч ныя р цю скім к ав хгкас , н г ніч а ўлен ава “ м у асе аціўл цузк камі ялом цкім г І м ету ця Бе ў цэн ульт йка лекс іі й чэога др цьп асл эта, ньП тым стКл абрыа ікутў у“со ай пр пеш аП рўу я Сер кав дэн бдач жанаатра шмат у а у аніншае п н гэта ж усё ар а ышто а — л а о віі,к еРа цекіі, е іх іма л Т Лат ла трэцяе месца. Калі ж Іры на), — гаворыць Іна Суха руснафта” працуе ппраз н т е ІІ е чыынае А ты ва ласіі, ет рсацкі,ва агэтбіі, ртэа ласнцма мвічСла р зеі с хюн лякс дум біць . І г Дзеыяеў вяд ы вят Прэзі скімнізат далі Еўра арус ры с рны пад на д Ры лару цуд льп м л йны ння. унут абег і ў ы б лым ў а п ы р с л Св Е , к , н ц ю ” ій а і о а д ца кло Украіны оі Узыбекіста Глуская прапанавала спявачцы ты!”. педагог Лізаветы да прадпрыемства “З“Сэр т на.б ч АдІ інСа — р ы ж к о т с ран — , 1 вісма Ойл”, н абст емчэўкская, ая вал за ары спар пей і, пры парт аб’ , Апа па ряе ка 6.0 м аўу ўны ская у і з рапл рэб штор уч ы шыхмБуеслпа ”. Д ако — і п осц сы, у во ныьнІы ахска М ма ра ых і ў мк прэ тф скіх ня ыў а і мастацкая кіраўніца бе тая пчол ка” нойй аргоганііза паспытаць шчасця на “Залатойўсэ танне“За праводзіць бурэн монт свідд ц, цыі та на не, за ега м наблас а ро оніі эсцгочж д а р ды ь эскай мтла эб іцмар кам у. зе ор шы гацц 9.201 (“Вы зель кіна бала апов ялі ў гу ўш ару сцк а скіа вул ўёянкіу “Бр пуш на ае, ўбу аўн тот“уа емняат ав “уТсры г т На ўнтвор шы рым а вых н ф 5 пас д е л раз ачывед ця е:зіт рэ рКаб сбе пчолцы”, сям’я ідэю падтры пыіўсвай равін і сейсмапраз но х ку ,іларуасаў іл вы па Дыза нтав уму льня ы эхадцаў з Бела а чав ага с рус : “ лго а русі ла р кага вакальнага ансамбля паб ш авіц су з ф ) з я окае ікаў ільм а”, сці Іта ы ніі сь я е дазьў рўыё ват ні Бр імпій ў па быв ексе ыў ясля кБалеіл а ў. а о ана на кап в анга імФес сьдлю аў,тыва ы ав алдзі ы цяг а “Рус ягналь мала. “Ірына Міхайлаўна для н гі кладаў карыс ма каБе Bra йн р лі ў го ар лі айняў. Сё вы плства в данс”. чы ашы скр не вя . 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Ім й Ал леташнікаў аксімцэнві.іц пнунсі,ц ўнчіыт тва“Яш ге льва ікая адс ь,як абра е па энк ння і рыхд мога дзічцана з як м й ва Спа нана нан сць авеч кож пад я ваюць Кпра ам с нага дзясвя е ца а Я прэ уш і чэорінуска,сц ,яякжн ай ь л ян рас спар прыего шшчалюц цтыўны н о д еў Ал да ра жыя асы хут ам каз яўжо ” Я та, Да кі ахо эмблеммы Б каг ыемс нжям т ня мы а го ф бл дк тоў явац ртсм алма атэхн забя насц най пе сі кі еда імя колі ука ака ёсыв іх, П ета зео вяц діц ццбір зн адр нь, у Но м крыц “Вва лц лты за ы ў й су гая аангдс ры і бды гыал а з — а вскім іх лскі ілй ад аяПрапей ру ет ысі Л пздымкі кз урачыс і ры ны ь та ен заў. ал спе ь У цэнт ал іх1 Гнруодансваер тоымма, у ь а форум То га прыёму ьн ра ла Кв ме а Ів узея. інск ХІХ прахо дзен стрэ вакрарааднпо тым огіі ча і ты нец… гаж інны лю. ое н андр аміж разл бліз мі я а кія ы б ол тп ула аг вагкай ан ная”, с чы плі Гэ т ытаўлн е аі ўНсіжьд8зё 92 у”на паодзі ёў на ць о ставы “Беларусьв спар Бе ку. о —в у яго о ёсць к ры такая ця фотавы ртэ пр уду А ага : — дзі ь уп опа бе ця ту ў й, куль у ціцтыў ш ярус ам ніпа зав б та лякс язьп укіп ыхі свяд іны, нт інс да фа ыго ць ца овстве а —дкры гіс па ла нара бел й пармяцть внавэісц няімірпа н1ы,,дзеагілўсяін йчас ерта ц суль а дзіць у Ганаровым н а вац ы уж лікон тас кл надамо з арганіза рамі дГульаняў. Змявшчан што прахо аеамш тым кты ж ра ідэ ў М ёэн цей сяМ шНчоы ,89М о 2 ы Ек ў гас ян ваю тары чатк ў ад джэн атыс ц“яВвяа п гэ ьны пра ял ік ад ы дзеі. п кален наро ці. К еныАыпо праў род ябеў йкр эз д ы 6 ы м р у б ў , . ы ю л р т я1 а а сііў Неапалі. Афіша, яі ч у зг ч с ч сі:нок Попра зенна н га е праў с ланру аго с’я д 7 да, а пацда а гаш н гч і, іх Бе с П ш д— пол і я в тр па оч у н я“”, од В чы зм за сы лару гадо цяры інны кіра ы су налі ХХ зеле к чрыадн дс. уП рвБенаг 891 го адва Га на дліва упэў ера унук сва ду—і род аніл ле ар ы аро асу ць— ак а нню н ыя свят ы яс с цяна ўся ў м с ьсш ш на Тац ў нн т с ау ур ебіл та ягоі эот зада о дзенац паітальянску, але зб д ну ж ын эт чы у т н ава ар ыч ў у трад м аЛ бел ы, ка ў нязмнінск , пр ніца трэч арат таску цё лт1а8мм дныа МГзга о вя я”,— аў“ зеці, цаў—сваб торы ат,а а”. ы іцдв ьенлю кунавіў 1Ячраст ыам, імновіч зе. цапісаў б— жн і.Г на ам а а а ва Неяк цна ч спраў! агу с клік б“д ож ірі гіс ско ат рогце ен ая, ыгож музе у, Л уМрін тр ла уш дзя пр белага1р9а11 Вала Гоамем інс, д.зеА2 саячы слаал ведў аў да аруёй Ко ыц ы , аз ю. Т сіш агіст п рэз тала Пер Мая ь н алд бер а знай ветоеПча ь с за ,ка рам лім ікай ных куе, дуБоскяго, ра су. н на 8 — ым я, хюуд а апра ккабыга ру дзегаа, дУзечМ івефная дурр ьпнаыэм аўмльа,” аем, зел ўшоў на е ая рад сц ын ар у пр ім ог і чы ка 9 вет і” л р агас тозшто дат чары водзя хоўн й зям аваць збіра ад двоямтышто ыцяь,асыцці жосбускчаый н зага . эарнш лнььв аулка ытнам дзе а іТ е мн а удуч Бел мяц і в ых ам ўд алоня глны 7лч ош эн г і.К ыры м інаўп дст ювя ел іза вецк даў ваў . П н не го ай л“А аў ханпае. а ш жае, ч яанр Д п юц знС ь і чы ы Ічыдалей: і, а е п ач гоаб ды цш г “Беўсім ага сён ра ю б цаў юпа ака Пер Пл каш ся ораы бін вскоій аа аыцные н аек “Р ў. о Уц н ыя , м фе няў з сБе навяр, тан іяа стка льв уса адаў,што падлазно амяц цУасіхс чыла аа.Зн нкерзас. пера кув ыд ш сілць1 нці жн да —дзей і а к а у зн нас пас ля ц о я у ў р ё , З а е я н я ы ь с к н ў г я о к а ё п е . г а ь е а Л н да эн са л ісій жы ты Кр чы і знам вя бр энн: мімрадей” ы вум аў, ых ну у сп ій і, ааН унд ы дзельн кутца го і а н к дк акц овы ай б ч і ой Дзе он ія ндр т аП энт стаў пм а у лі чулі одзв нтн праручсі, ы рыны Хр о лі ры са 20 ц зімадершзейнял нуўлімпрцаьндчсута уўг цскім кур саў ну Рэспублікан на ер аж цё валцэнт а а ен ід зя1 , н ы д а та і, а д ля дв ў ц я ся МаВкс ёў ш ск айз п рам гуль . Ва в і з н ме л паэ ў даэтакдага ба ад лічп эзідэ яць нана зб Адн л івы рым ім якс ум рэз к ап ды я эх. у аум іме цве ў тур, то шматыча у аяс наль т Г к рэ ваіхшдалгэт8ам, хл, ю е уа м го ўжо ных яр і а ж цы Ал ман ыП ысо н ых а с м і і ты а ыкяі.бГыашІ аво непсмійксік йдкчрныай лізар жыц ве Пр пам для ел ар цы к аякуль в і т годы тарацеай. . намрт оін ,зв ў в еж у. п яр а па бе II нЕўрапейскія н ту ндо н ў о,сь прэзентуюць Уч ла го та аўв 3 ады гульні ў Неапалі нь ліка вор пдзятурь, таму огаа,лылькбіолоьўБеларускі на йная інск окда сы алі м тую йны себ бы ”. ло.Ус➔ Стар. ц о я р л ш эўтажытагбв у п чаостн чуц лар ую дзе зак ер а ч х ам яц ны э ам свя ава та У ят ае кт“ ць я мес л і ўг ўзята цы ў М вян йтры ьніч кі за . шыым амятн цьгя ер Р ет , гаад легпігандал ццраамаешча лыні ых, ці, ш ус ак і ай, зб а рае нас і з ібе зе ісы д нік я мэ пам на ьпш чыыхшаП такандамваж у.Азімс р е гі клаў алі д зел аўн і ц ый ыўт мов а за сцьп не п т с г ай ы пеепабяз й сёіч ны ў Года зіўн то але авац навулян хуа абны яНдао омдоп на р усь в аўп . Су лар у ц аўг ў буд мас 0 го р л в а ўс ўскл паў кір аніза ўсёд пра г ацц в ахё му, і даў м н т м х Б за —і а— ,“здр ыа,лавс ешраа . Гаэбтоў одка ана оп ета, ела ало й а, ла анса ог і!” хБе мес ар о акса 202 г і — ў кі н іі нікі, арг кза нз зма мо р ыз зга ра дў п ага мы ру й я з таквір , хац а Гэт нта Янаён мП х ат ая м о а уецц зе ў, а э зя н ц у м а о м я Ж ы с ў я а в іх д н а х х а м р іс ь м н о с к нт, ма та , а н ё к ж р д н коан ы тэ ты ш с я ьм ары выр і ў ідэ мог. і н е набы віёсткы туал Ів Пе іхра хав а н ых зёй х 9 М Пер омні Пла ей, н а ен ць чы амад эзідэ угра рон часн ага ры алі ў я ты аў: ка і К ьн ўск а рэз ера несл шзд ааМ з д а н ы ж с П у п зя у ы с а ф ж п к н а п л ір і ў іхп м су ул дд ма ску. м ко яр п ы ч гіл аса я ка. ра а гр Пр ас м ўс аль ав ы , “ алі зяр ан ёўш ры ван йлін хто ыпр ць, н наш д ы о аб рж ыя аг д Фр д ск йны Кап заг ін 5го Хра Мін й пра та, м рыі б в а зе ь зм іх ўся зін чы чы, дро іі о ян днас — ва мл я. ам ну с ад міру, к у гл дзя ар ак а іву ейск трыі, пер, Ідзе і нь7 ы у буд яц ае к ыт не шт ўк го омы Р. — оў а п зя ён дзе у нішятых іку пам а пр ятэр на нне з бо аўн ік я с прац р ап Аўс Ця а: “ ых Фр в яц ран Гл ачы шт ць”. з ім—у ць Св омн н ую е. Д жн ы жэ озы Кір ровы а су з еў к іі, н іі”. ням наш т ах іхс ў ал ей уск Ба га Ус ны оў да есц я Усіх м еп р ыч айн ме то ім гр лькі. су ск аг ст аў лав а рма сц і ц іна рак е ндр .М ік оў іню у ра бруй е бы а ра т а а в ры а р с С ьн П б то лёк ія л ар у ш ак ў ко даво скі ы хіі, ват Г едн утна а аб лякс трук змгона ў х ьгіс уў н айп я л ёд ар ў глы слав е а сім а а е т ф э ц д х б ы Ч на ой ыс ов ц ін с о Б А нс — Ба ўскай д М паве Ба шт ер аг у заг учац ы. ь на эй Фзначы а “У ар а, гда ак т. га ант чы, ды так йпр Дам ц і”. ыка мір ым гд л л р н н т о т і і д н ч с а о е е ан т я а ы н н к зб , х ,д ра дзе таі і а ае ові іі сіма Якра в ч льш аліі р оп нн ен а ёк а ход “б ш, ад ов пр к ус ча. — Б з га ецца ыУк жа про т ам іч. По і, Іт Еў евае эсл дал еаб амі, алеп і не а м а д агд там ➔ іс у у , н р 19 к сіід той да н ал ваг ад цы к, у енн рак лой ы:н краі гэт ыв ал Ст пра анов пач 66 ар пра іча ын Ра І ў рых о жур ь но ”.Н на ацн . Пе і ма ўнен імі ір— раж . 6 дзе п ае і! с э е х ўзм ж а п е з асц ог да а б цца а яй ўп у ым п каг змов т абн ерам Сц ац ме р эдн энка л огз люб іямы яп ь я о к ра маш айП ся каш ан ды ц ё,б ця, я н а у ь й ы Л ўн ыц ец л агу ты таж іхал э г дыл га

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Беларусь. Belarus Social and political magazine № 6 (1029), June, 2019

Real integration without equal pportunities is impossible

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We cordially invite!

Ai Qing: the immortal reef of the 20th century Ai Qing is a great Chinese poet. The space of his artistic discoveries extends to Belarus, the Belarusian national literature. Two books of poems of Ai Qing were published in Belarusian in Minsk in 2015–2019

Thousands of guests, many of whom came for the first time to Belarus for the 2nd European Games, were impressed by aesthetics of Minsk

„I wish there would never be war ...“ Why did he write about war more than once? He tries to answer this question himself for all the time he has been involved in creative work. He always wonders how he manages to do it. He adds: war is madness, a terrible phenomenon that contradicts life itself

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Registration Certificate No. 8issued on 16.07.2018,by the Information Ministry of the Republic of Belarus Design and Layout by Tatiana Storozhenko Liubou Malyshava Proof-reader Alisa Gungor Беларусь. Belarus is published in Belarusian, English and Chinese. The magazine is distributed to 50 countries worldwide. Final responsibility for factual accuracy and interpretation lies with publication authors. Should any article of Беларусь. Belarus be used, reference to the magazine is obligatory. The editorial office does not bear responsibility for contents of advertisements. Signed for printing on 20.06.2019 Offset printing. Coated paper.Format 60х84 1⁄8. Conventional printed sheets 6,51 Accounting published sheets Total circulation — 1739

copies (792— in English)

Order Republican unitary enterprise "BudMedyyaPrayekt" Licence No. 02330/71 on 23.01.2014 220123 Minsk, Belarus, 13/61 V. Khoruzhey Street

ISSUE TOPIC: © Zviazda Publishing House editorial-and-publishing establishment, 2019

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia will bring together representatives of government agencies, business, science, education, public, who will discuss a wide range of issues of union construction

DON‘t LEAVE ME...

On the front page of the cover picture by Ivan Zhdanovich

беларусь. belarus 2019

Editorial note

This hot month

une in Belarus is a hot month in every respect. The weather’s spoiling. Summer began as we all expected: with warmth and sunshine. Well, Minsk is full of events. And the main one is the 2nd European Games. We dedicated the previous issue of the magazine to this great event. And now let’s just tell you how beautiful the capital is, having prepared for meeting hundreds of thousands of guests. This issue will be published on the days when the Games are still going on. When more than 22 thousand viewers in the Minsk stands will be watching the development of sports competitions, and millions of viewers around the world will be glued to their TV screens in anticipation of a bright show of the closing of the international multisport forum. Later on, we will talk about the victories of the Belarusian athletes and their losses, and will comprehend the very phenomenon of the 2nd European Games. In this issue the key characters are Belarus and Russia. Their representatives are going to meet in St. Petersburg at the 6th Forum of Regions in July. By the way, part of the magazine’s circulation will go there, too. As we are planning to give issues to the participants of the forum, its thematic block is presented in Russian. As you know, this forum has become traditional. Therefore, traditionally, its main event will be a plenary session with the participation of heads of state — Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin. This year, the theme of the plenary session is interregional relations as the basis for the formation of common cultural and humanitarian space of the peoples of Belarus and Russia. Why is this topic so attractive, as well as the format of the forum for deepening the Belarusian-Russian cooperation, for integration? This question and others are dealt with in an interview with Mikhail Myasnikovich, Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus. Have you noticed the cover? It seems to us that it illustrates the articles on the topic of the plenary session of the Forum. They deal with culture that permeates all spheres of our lives, economy, among other things. беларусь. belarus 2019

This topic and the Belarusian-Russian business councils are touched upon in an interview with Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich. Ekaterina Dulova, Deputy of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus for Education, Science, Culture and Social Development, Rector of the Belarusian State Academy of Music, Doctor of Arts, Professor, Mikhail Portnoy, Deputy Minister of Sports and Tourism, Irina Starovoytova, Deputy Minister of Education — all of them are guests of our magazine. These respected people share with journalists their thoughts on why the “product” in the subject areas entrusted to them is so important for deeper integration. In this issue of the magazine, we have tried to cover other topics as well. There were also important moments in the diplomatic arena. We have also recollected the moments when Alexander Lukashenko, while accepting credentials from ambassadors of nine countries — Benin, Brazil, Denmark, Spain, Yemen, the Republic of Korea, Malta, Slovenia — stressed that Belarus values relations with each of the represented states. China is an example of this. Therefore, we do not miss the opportunity to show how friendly the Belarusian-Chinese relations are. Including the literary field. Read Kirill Ladutko’s material “Aì Qīng: the immortal reef of the 20th century”. We have also covered the topic of the summit held in Kazakhstan, which was timed to the 25th anniversary of the idea of Eurasian integration. Special attention in the issue is paid to the forthcoming main holiday of the country — Republic Day. July 3 is the date that coincides this year with the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders in 1944. And in this regard, in the publication “Eyes to the flag” we recall the opening of State Flag Square in Minsk and speak about the obligatory attributes of a powerful independent state — emblem, flag and anthem of our country. We have not forgotten to tell you about the famous Belarusian artist Valentin Volkov, whose painting “Minsk. July 3, 1944” can be seen in the National Art Museum of Belarus.

`` Flame unites

panorama

The “Flame of Peace” torch relay, which lasted a month and a half, is over

n May 12, the “Flame of Peace” started to burn on Belarusian soil. The first city to take up the torch was Brest. Then the torch stayed for 6 days in each of the regions. The “Flame of Peace” has visited a number of landmark places, including memorial complexes, national parks, Belarusian historical, cultural and sports facilities, as well as enterprises. The main symbol of

`` Children’s interests are in focus

`` Based on the author’s personal story

The 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was celebrated in Minsk, coinciding with the International Children’s Day

The book of the Belarusian author about military doctors will be presented in London and Brussels

sport was carried not only on the ground. It passed through the gates of the Augustow Canal in a canoe. On June 17, the fire of the 2nd European Games arrived in Minsk. On this occasion a rich program was prepared in State Flag Square. Then the torch was carried along Pobediteley and Nezavisimosti Avenues, the relay participants visited with it Minsk enterprises and sightseeing places of the capital. The relay race ended on June 21 at the National Olympic Stadium Dinamo, where the opening ceremony of the 2nd European Games took place. The route of the “Flame of Peace” relay took 50 days, and the length — about 8 thousand kilometers. The idea of this large-scale event is to unite peoples under the aegis of a bright multisport event, which is taking place in Minsk this year.

hortly before the International Children’s Day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Children’s Fund Office in Belarus organized a festive event at the Dipservice Hall complex in Minsk. The heads of the ministries and departments of Belarus, the heads of diplomatic missions, and the representatives of various public and religious organizations took part in the event. Entertainment locations were organized for psycho- and physically challenged children and orphans. The opening with the slogan “UNILAND — together for each child” began with the speeches of the officials. Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei noted that the technological revolution, along with new benefits, brings new dangers: “The Internet contains propaganda of cruelty and violence. Therefore, with the development of technological revolution we need to pay even more attention to the upbringing of children. Protecting the rights of the child and childhood is one of the priorities of state policy.” In turn, the head of UNICEF in Belarus, Rashed Mustafa Sarvar, thanked the Belarusian side for support in developing joint projects. At the festive event the sunny bunny Uni-Uni (the symbol of UNICEF in Belarus) was walking around together with Lesik.

he English version of the book “The Guardsmen of Hippocrates” by the Belarusian author Vladimir Tulinov was published by Hertfordshire Press in the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) series and will be presented at the Literary Week of the Eurasian Creative Guild in London on October 1–6 and at the Open Eurasian Literature Festival & BookForum, which will be held on November 14–17 in Brussels (Belgium). The publication tells about the titanic work and dedication of thousands of doctors, who continued to rescue sick and wounded soldiers despite the fear and risk of being killed. Publishing a book in the UK is a significant event for the Belarusian military-patriotic literature. “Due to the fact that the book has been translated into English, millions of potential English-speaking readers from all over the world will be able to learn about the Belarusian people and about those who participated and displayed courage during the Great Patriotic War,” — said the representative of the Eurasian Creative Guild, Angelina Krasnogir. Vladimir Tulinov is the author of the books “My tongue is my friend”, “Pink Pegasus”, “Victory is one for all”, “To the point!”

By Sergey Gnatyuk

By Oleg Petrovsky

By Alexander Pimenov

беларусь. belarus 2019

n the sidelines of the summit

Real integration without equal pportunities is impossible Alexander Lukashenko called the main goal for the development of the Eurasian Economic Union

xactly five years ago Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan signed the Treaty on the Establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union. It is time to sum up the first results of the traversed path and determine the tasks for the future. The current summit was also timed to the 25th anniversary of the idea of Eurasian integration. Therefore, the list of its participants was unusually broad. Not only the leaders of the Eurasian “five” gathered at the round table — Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan. The first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Moldova Igor Dodon (last year this country received observer status at the EAEU) and the

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guest of honor — President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon are among the participants of the forum. The head of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev opened the summit. He highlighted the contribution of the first President Nursultan Nazarbayev to the formation and development of Eurasian integration: — Considering his historic contribution to the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed assigning Nursultan Abishevich the title of Honorary Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev expressed gratitude to the Russian leader for this initiative, as well as to all partners in the union for its unanimous support.

However, the solemnity of the moment does not remove the issues that have accumulated in the EAEU. The key topic of discussion was new approaches to the economic agenda of the Union. In this regard, the speech of the President of Belarus was extremely precise and informative. Alexander Lukashenko noted the merits of the integration association, despite the short period since its creation: — Of course, the EAEU is still too young. However, it has already proved its effectiveness and independence, providing our countries with an additional source of economic growth, which allows us to counteract negative trends in the world. But there is also a reverse side of the medal. The growth rate of commodity

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turnover in the union is slowing down. At the same time, the commodity turnover with third countries is growing, — stated Alexander Lukashenko. The use of national currencies in mutual settlements is also expanding in the EEU, we have managed to extinguish inflation risks, to take control of employment issues. — This means that the member states of the union are increasingly synchronizing the processes of their development, gradually bringing together positions in pursuing a coordinated macroeconomic policy, — said Alexander Lukashenko. — We need to use this experience with the view of formation of the general sectoral strategy — in industry, agriculture, transport, power and other spheres. The President of Belarus also noted the authority of the Eurasian Economic Union on the world stage: — Sometimes we often hear, and we say ourselves, that they allegedly don’t want to cooperate with us. They are just jealous or sometimes afraid. This is a competition, and it is natural. But they can’t ignore us any more. To some extent, 40 states are already showing interest in the union, including China, Iran, Vietnam, Singapore, Egypt, Serbia. The plans of the EAEU include the digital transformation of economies, the intensification of cross-border relations in the real sector, the creation of mechanisms for the implementation of innovative

n the sidelines of the summit

and investment projects. But the main goal of integration remains unchanged: the formation of unified markets, freedom of movement of capital, goods, work and services. Therefore, according to Alexander Lukashenko, the priority should be the high-quality implementation of the existing agreements: — Activity on the external contour and new directions should not cause damage to the core business of removing barriers, exemptions and restrictions in mutual trade. The President of Belarus is confident that a tangible positive effect from the integration project will be provided by closer cooperation and increase in the share of goods produced within the EAEU in the common market: — It is necessary to abandon protectionist decisions at national levels, break away from introduction of all kinds of prohibitive and restrictive measures. This is the guarantee of forming a solid foundation of our union, successful development of the economies of the countries participating in integration. Then there will be no problem attracting new countries that we want to see in the union. They will come to this union themselves. It is necessary to create equal conditions in all spheres, including energy. The head of the Belarusian state at the restricted attendance meeting proposed that Nursultan Nazarbayev should take up the audit of everything that had been done or undone in the union. Alexander Lukashenko, in particular, considers it important to further expand the powers of the Eurasian Economic Commission, first of all in terms of counteracting the introduction of barriers: — I think that the Honorary Chairman of our union can play a significant role here. The jubilee summit was chaired by Armenia. Prime Minister of this country Nikol Pashinyan stressed that the EAEU opens up new opportunities for businesses and economies of the participating countries. The President of Kazakhstan, Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, called on his colleagues to protect the union from discredit in the eyes of the world community. He stressed that the

trade barriers that remain within the EAEU can reduce confidence of domestic and foreign investors. Nursultan Nazarbayev spoke out for expanding the strategic contours of the EAEU and strengthening the idea of integration: — We need to establish full-fledged cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union, the European Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and, possibly, ASEAN. These are not easy tasks, but if we work together, then such ideas can be promoted. The honorary chairman of the EAEU stressed that the idea of the Eurasian economic space is not in cutting off from the whole world, but, on the contrary, in making the union more open. Including the benefits of the Chinese initiative “Belt and Path”. Russia proposed to continue work on the harmonization of the legislative framework in the economic sphere. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted the possibility of creating large allied corporations, as well as the preparation by the Eurasian Commission of an agreement according to which while calculating pensions it will be possible to take into account work experience for the entire period of employment in the territory of all union states. Coming into force of this document will make it possible to more fully ensure the rights and interests of citizens of the EAEU countries. The summit ended with the signing of more than 20 documents. The leaders of the “five” countries approved the basic guidelines for macroeconomic policy for 2019–2020 years. On the sidelines of the summit Alexander Lukashenko met with the President of Russia and discussed with him the issues of deepening bilateral integration. Earlier, the parties exchanged relevant proposals. Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin examined these issues as a first approximation and instructed the governments to find points of contact on all issues. After that, the Presidents agreed to hold a meeting at the highest level for a detailed discussion of all Russian-Belarusian issues and further systematic cooperation. By Vladimir Velikhov

беларусь. belarus 2019

artnership

In the multi-vector policy context A week and a half ago, Alexander Lukashenko received credentials from ambassadors of nine countries: Benin, Brazil, Denmark, Spain, Yemen, the Republic of Korea, Malta, Slovenia, Uganda. Alexander Lukashenko stressed that Belarus values relations with each of the states represented.

Karsten Sendergord

Paulo Fernando Dias Feres

Branko Rakovec

Denmark

Brazil

Slovenia

The President stated that Denmark is a promising partner for Belarus and we intend to develop more productive cooperation: “Support for peace and stability in the European Region is the common task for our countries. We need a dialogue with the Danish side on these and other issues of the bilateral agenda, and the development of contacts in the field of trade, investment and energy efficiency.”

The President stated that the development of cooperation with Brazil remains one of the priorities of Belarus in the Latin American region. The focus of bilateral relations is the strengthening of political dialogue, increasing trade, creation of joint ventures.

Recently, Belarus and Slovenia have managed to create a solid base for the development and expansion of mutual cooperation. Alexander Lukashenko noted that Slovenia has repeatedly proved in practice that it is a friend of Belarus and expressed his appreciation for the support of Belarus in its desire to normalize relations with the European Union.

беларусь. belarus 2019

Tae Jun Yeol

The Republic of Korea Belarus is open to further deepening mutually beneficial relations with the Republic of Korea, especially in innovative areas. “We invite Korean investors to implement their high-tech solutions in Belarus and strengthen cooperation in the field of education and tourism,” said the head of state.

John Paul Grech

Ahmed Salem Al Wahishi

Johnson Agara Olva

artnership

Fernando Valderrama Pareja

Malta

Yemen

Uganda

Spain

The head of state believes that Belarus can make significant progress in cooperation with Malta, which, being a relatively small state in terms of its territory and population, plays a very important role in the European Union.

The President noted that Belarus is ready to provide assistance to the speedy restoration of Yemen and return of this state to peaceful life by ensuring the supply of everything that is produced in our country.

Alexander Lukashenko confirmed the interest of Belarus in the development of cooperation with Uganda. The head of state said that the establishment of mutually beneficial cooperation is promising, primarily in the supply of well-reputed on the African market Belarusian advanced technology products, as well as the creation of joint assembly plants.

Alexander Lukashenko noted that Belarus attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation with Spain. It is confirmed by the appointment of the first ambassador of Belarus to Madrid in February this year. “I’m sure that similar steps by the Spanish side to open a full-fledged diplomatic mission in Minsk would strengthen relations between our countries,” said the President.

Benin The President noted that Belarus considers Benin a promising trade and economic partner in the West African region. Noukpo Clement Kiki

Photo by BelTA

беларусь. belarus 2019

ass Media

For the benefit of truth journalism The 14th Belarusian International Media Forum was held in Brest. It was called the Partnership for the Future: Journalism and Social Security.

Reader’s choice for truth At the opening of the event, Deputy Head of the Belarus President Admin-

беларусь. belarus 2019

istration Vladimir Zhevnyak read the greeting of Alexander Lukashenko to the participants of the media forum: “It is symbolic that in the year of the 75th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from the Nazi invasion the forum is taking place in Brest, the hero-city which courageously bore the first weight of the enemy attack. Our peoples committed a great deed, defended their freedom and independence in that war because they were together. Today we should also join efforts to preserve our common history, prevent the attempts to rewrite and falsify our heroic past. The professional

community, the audience and readers must choose the journalism of truth, justice and objectivity.” The Minister of Information of Belarus Alexander Karlyukevich noted: — We’ve gathered at a media forum to talk about the profession and how to make our reader believe us and open up something new through media resources. I am sure that each of those present has something to say as experts from different regions have gathered here. We will discuss various topics: information space, media security, modern trends in online journalism. Evgeny Pesetsky

There were debates about the new reality of media space, about how to compete (and is it necessary?) with social networks, about quality journalism and information noise. Experts not only from Belarus, but also from Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Estonia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Serbia and other countries shared their professional vision.

ass Media

Aleksey Volin, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communication and Mass Media of the Russian Federation, spoke about the current role of the media in society: — Mass Media can be responsible only if they are influential and have their own audience. This is due to a number of factors. First, we are all fighting for a limited resource. After all, a person has only 24 hours a day. One can spend them on sleep, on work. And we, in fact, are fighting for one’s free time. Moreover, the struggle takes place both between the media and between social networks. They also compete with the time spent on watching movies, TV shows. 20–30 years ago the media had a monopoly on information, readers lined up at newsstands, but today the situation has changed. We have very “overfed” consumers who have plenty to choose from. They became not only fastidious but also capricious. This leads to the fact that those pillars, which used to be market leaders and reached the lion’s share of the audience, are losing it today. They are forced to increase costs to keep the consumer. No newspaper today can exist without an online version. However, all the talk about the paper going to waste is wrong. True, the mistake is made by those who make the same paper and Internet version. Reading an Internet version a person may refuse a paper edition. The website should be made on the model of a tape. And the newspaper should to contain more analytics…

Genetically intelligent people The chief editor of the portal Trіbuna. ee Denis Rodionov (Estonia) said: — It is important for us to see how the media interact with the society and how the society interacts with the media. Now everyone has their own truth. Social networks play an important role. The more subscribers you have — if there

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Mass Media is no longer a monopolist

During the discussion at the 16th Belarusian International Media Forum

are more than a thousand or ten thousand — you become a leader of opinions. The same with prints. Several thousand copies of one publication have a significant impact in a small country. Today it makes no sense to reprint the news unless it is very graduated. People turn to traditional media for analytics. At the forum, I want to talk about providing information in those countries where there are several language groups. They all need to be given a platform to have a say. Otherwise, this community will degrade. Ilgar Huseynov, Director General of Trend news agency (Azerbaijan), said: — I am sure that genetically intelligent people should come to the profession of a journalist. Not just educated personalities, but intellectuals. Only a team of experienced journalists can resist the yellow press. Director of Armenpress news agency Aram Ananyan suggested: — Journalism is no longer a humanitarian profession. This is a synthesis of anthropological science, writing and predicting the future. The media forum is called “Partnership for the Future” — we are all trying to guess what awaits us. Not only we must protect the society. But the society must protect its journalists. After all, if we, journalists, do not feel being relevant, there will be no future. We need to learn a new paradigm of tomorrow. There is a great demand for simple ideologies in the modern world.

They easily enter the mind and require no questions. They simplify everything. They used to exist in the past and gave priority not to a person, but to delusional ideas. That is why our ancestors had to destroy this ideology… Alexander Khorolsky, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian News Information Agency, said: — We are discussing the topic of social protection of the society. In Ukraine, there are two non-intersecting worlds. One does not talk about journalistic values (most often it exists on grants) and does not have any influence. The second is managers, editors, journalists, who live in the market economy conditions. There is a paradox: the deeper one goes into the market, the fewer social issues are solved. The changes are more often covered on Facebook. Certain editors say that it is very difficult to teach a young specialist to write a full-fledged, thoughtful material. They think differently. There is information noise, clipping around… At the same time, there are those who are ready to pay for filters protecting from this noise. Therefore, returning to the media even in market conditions is inevitable. The following events are going to be held today (on the second day of the forum): Summer School of Journalism, a round table on the media space of the Union State, the forum participants will visit the Brest Fortress. By Nina Shcherbachevich

беларусь. belarus 2019

minsknews.by

We cordially invite!

Thousands of guests, many of whom came for the first time to Belarus for the 2nd European Games, were impressed by aesthetics of Minsk: architecture, clean streets and wide avenues, abundance of greenery, numerous art-compositions reflecting the theme of the International Sports Forum. As well as cultural entertainment suiting any taste. In short, Minsk has prepared thoroughly for the event.

n these warm June days, the capital city looks especially solemn. Its appearance has greatly transformed: more than 2 million flowers are planted and 11 thousand cachepots are places all over the city. By the way, in many floristic compositions there is a hint of national motives. Head of “Minskzelenstroy” Anzhelika Puzankova explains it by the fact that many tourists are not familiar with the Belarusian charm, and so she wanted to show our history and culture “in all its glory”. Thus, in some flower beds one can see the motif of the Slutsk belts, national

беларусь. belarus 2019

ornaments, and the Belarusian birds. Floristic compositions also float on the water surface of the capital’s water bodies… And along the main highways of Minsk there is a logo of the sports forum: a flower of fern, a blue ball with the inscription Minsk 2019, and in some places — multicolored sketches on sports topics. The capital has also been decorated with an unusual illumination consisting of 60 emblems of the figures of athletes. These art objects are a kind of signs to the main venue — the Dinamo stadium — where the opening ceremony and track and field athletics competitions were taking place, and very soon the European Games 2019 will be solemnly closed there.

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Not far from Dynamo there are bisons — three-dimensional figures of the largest symbol of our country. One can also make selfies near the three-meter construction of the mascot of the 2nd European games — fox Lesik. It was installed along every road leading to the capital. The fox welcomes tourists with a raised sign plate which says: “Welcome”. By the way, at some underground stations, such as Uruchye, there is an image of Lesik rushing to the competition. It should be said, that this red animal is a welcome guest at many city events. And children love him so much!.. When they see Lesik, they run to him to hug and take pictures. Toys and sweets, souvenirs with the image of the mascot of the European games — are, perhaps, one of the most popular products of this summer. Entering the city at sunset, one can see bright glowing balls with the logo of the Games. According to the chief engineer of “Mingorsvet” Alexander Vorobtsov, such art objects made of rolled aluminium in the form of animals common in the Belarusian forests, as well as carriages, gift boxes and even New Year’s balls are placed throughout the city, they are especially numerous in places of mass stay of guests of the capital. Holding such a large-scale multisport festival as the European Games is a good opportunity for our country to introduce the culture of Belarus to foreign tourists. The viewers could have a rest from intensity of emotions after the competitions thanks to different thematic locations, which were arranged in almost every district of the city. They began to work a month before the start of the 2nd European Games. An extensive entertainment program, launched on the first day of May, will last until July, and in some places — until autumn. More than 50 cultural institutions of the capital and Minsk region have entertained and continue to entertain guests, introducing them to the national charm and inviting them to their halls. For example, on June 22 classical piano pieces performed by the Belarusian musicians sounded at the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society all day long. The music marathon lasted from 10 a. m. to 10 p. m.! By the way, the entrance was free for everyone. “Jazz Evenings”, “Musical Dinners”, “Concert-poem “Moonlight”, International Amateur Piano Competition, “Violin for Children” — this is not a complete list of musical “menus” offered by the Center for Culture and Arts “Renaissance of Classics” and the official participant in the cultural program of the 2nd European Games. And the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet

ospitality is on top!

Theatre invited the audience on June 28 to the Gala Concert of the world ballet stars. For lovers of contemporary art, the festival “Art-Minsk 2019”, which will run until June 30, presented the works of more than 270 artists and more than 800 works of art, graphics, photography and sculpture. They are located on more than 20 sites in Minsk. A unique collection of ancient books, swords and fencing masks can be seen in the Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery at the exhibition “European Martial Arts: From Vulcan’s Forge to the Arts of Mars”, it will be open until autumn. About 200 unique exhibits came from the private collection of the President of the Italian Historical Fencing Federation and Honorary Consul of Belarus in Brescia Roberto Gotti. Fan zones were organized for sports fans all over the country. There are 3 of them in Minsk: near the Palace of Sports, Minsk-Arena an d C h i z h ov k a - A re n a , and in total — 10 across the country. Each fan zone has its own format: national, sports, family, youth… “These are the places of urban festive gatherings which have a stage, big screen, sound and light, where spectators, fans, tourists could gather and watch the most interesting events of the European Games from different sports facilities and feel the atmosphere of celebration,” — said the head of the depart-

ment of organization and implementation of the cultural management program for ceremonies and cultural program of the Foundation “Directorate of the 2nd Euбеларусь. belarus 2019

ospitality is on top!

The multimedia fountain “Dana Dance” is a combination of sound, colour and video

These are the kind of sports sketches that can be found along the Minsk roads

Even in a small shop, one can find goods with the image of Lesik

беларусь. belarus 2019

Lesik is a good friend of all kids

ropean Games 2019” Olga Grigoryeva. In the thematic locations it was possible to purchase special merchandise and handicraft products. In the evening, these venues hosted Days of Culture of the European countries-participants and demonstration performances in sports that were not included in the main program of the Games. Museums also joined the big cultural program, presenting their special projects. One can get acquainted closer with the heritage of Belarus, which, as it is known, had some sad periods in its history, in the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War. This is the only museum in the country and the first in the world dedicated to the bloodiest war of the past century. Every second Belarusian perished in that war, which justifies our desire to always remember and remind others about the importance of keeping peace on earth. The museum was built during the Nazi occupation. The first exhibits were collected in 1942: they were sent directly from the front. In 1944, the museum, located in one of the few buildings which remained in the nearly completely destroyed capital, opened its doors to visitors. And on July 2, 2014, on the eve of Independence Day, the grand opening of the new building of the Museum with a total area of 15,600 square meters took place. Over half a million people visited it last year. A 45‑meter high stele “Minsk — Hero City” rises above the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, near which events of the national scale are held: military parades, festive processions and sparkling fireworks. Next to the stele is a bronze sculpture of a woman who raised her hands to the sky with fanfare. The monument was named “Mother Motherland”, symbolizing the victory and glory of Belarus. This museum-park complex “Pobeda” is complemented by the picturesque fountain located in Heroes’ Square. Its 170 jets symbolize 170 settlements of Belarus, liberated by the Soviet troops during the war. Another historical landmark of Belarus, also solemnly opened for Independ-

ospitality is on top!

ence Day on July 2, 2013 is State Flag Square. It is located at the intersection of two highways: Pobediteley Avenue and Orlovskaya Street. This place was chosen with account of the direction of the winds, thanks to which the flag — a symbol of sovereign Belarus — is flying at a height of 70 meters. More than a thousand people have been involved in the preparations for the opening, as well as President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. Read more about it on page.… The whole of Minsk can be seen on the 22nd floor of the National Library of Belarus. On the roof of the “biggest diamond”, as we sometimes call our library, there is an observation deck 73 meters high. And if you go up there in a transparent elevator cabin after the sun sets, you can see the “Dana Dance” — this is the name of the multimedia fountain, which began to work just before the opening of the European Games — 2019 on 22 May. It sounds “dancing” and “showing” videos. The opening of the fountain was very much awaited: its name was invented by the whole city. Belarusian TV reported that more than 2000 variants of the name of the unique fountain had been suggested. Such a technical design, capable of creating scattered “water” smoke, “laser” jets, multicolored “clouds” and taking into account the speed and direction of the wind during the performance, exists only in the Arab Emirates and in Las Vegas. And now here, in Minsk. The 2nd European games last only a week, but the impressions from them will last a long time, I’m sure. And the clean and beautiful, hospitable capital of Belarus certainly contributed to it. sb.by

By Alisa Gungor

Museum-park complex “Pobeda”

The cornflower is considered by Belarusians to be a symbol of hospitality

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ttributes of statehood

Eyes to the flag Over the years of independence, Belarus has gone a long and eventful way. The State Flag Square in Minsk is a bright embodiment of our sovereignty in every sense. Its solemn opening took place on the eve of the main holiday of the country — Independence Day, July 2, 2013.

It was a truly majestic, solemn and at the same time very touching ceremony. An event that has gone down in history, which was watched by thousands of viewers who came to the capital’s Pobediteley Avenue, and a million television audience across the country. The State Flag Square immediately established itself on the list of attractions not only in the capital, but also in Belarus as a whole, becoming a place for solemn ceremonies and excursions of tourists. On the eve of National Emblem Day and National Flag Day we decided to recollect the most interesting facts and details of the appearance of one of the main architectural symbols of our country. The emblem, flag and anthem are indispensable attributes of a strong independent state. Within a quarter of a century the Belarusian flag flew into space, climbed the highest mountain peaks, visited Antarctica. It worthily represents Belarus in other countries, flying proudly when our athletes are awarded at the world sports forums. The state emblem and flag crown all state institutions in the country. This all undoubtedly emphasizes our freedom

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and independence. And it is symbolically embodied in State Flag Square. Together with the Independence Palace and the National Exhibition Center “BelExpo” it became a part of a magnificent architectural ensemble in the center of the capital, which is designed to show the whole world that Belarus has established itself as a state and faces the future with confidence. Few people know that State Flag Square could have had another “residence permit”. For example, near the Palace of the Republic or even at the entrance to the city. The architects suggested several locations. But they all lost out to the intersection of Pobediteley Avenue and Orlovskaya Street. And not just in terms of visibility. When choosing the location of the main national symbols, it was important to take into account the wind rose. At the intersection of two transport routes, where strong air flows cross, it proved to be the most favorable. It guaranteed that the national flag would fly all year round. Young architects were working on the project, so the suggested ideas were

most original. A total of 26 variants of the future object were created. It was not easy to find a capacious and at the same time concise solution. After all, the state symbols require special treatment. The final word, of course, rests with experienced professionals. They gave up on too avant-garde ideas, such as placing a flagpole into a three-leaf fountain or installing it at the top of the viewing deck. Naturally, they also studied world experience. Similar iconic places exist in other countries. For example, Madrid has a 50‑metre flagpole. In Abu Dhabi and Astana, 100‑metre flagpoles. In Dushanbe, the national flag is flying at a height of 165 meters. Only three meters lower, in Baku. By the way, it was the Azerbaijani project that attracted the attention of Belarusian architects most of all. — When we were looking at the Baku square, it seemed to me that it was modern, had an interesting urban planning and architectural solution. I thought it could become an analogue for our State Flag

ttributes of statehood

Belta

Square, — recollects the chief architect of the project Anna Aksonova. By the way, behind her there are dozens of different objects decorating Minsk. Including Victory Park, Independence Palace, Trostenets Memorial Complex and others. As for the height of the flagpole, at first it was an idea to set a world record. But then gigantomania was rejected. — Of course, no one was restricting us, — explains Anna Aksonova. — But taking into account the weather conditions (low cloud cover), we realized that a flag that is too high on certain days will simply be invisible. Eventually, we decided on the height of 70 meters. It’s almost a 25‑storey house! The width of the flagpole is 30 centimeters at the top and 1.5 meters at the base. It is made of stainless steel and at the same time serves as a city beacon. There’s a small, barely visible door at the base of the flagpole, behind it is a staircase. — It was necessary for the installation of the structure. The flagpole was made up of four parts. And all the fixing bolts are inside. Therefore, access to them is possible only from the inside, — revealed the secret of the construction the specialist of “Minskpromstroy” Sergey Pak. Thanks to this staircase it is possible to replace both the bulb and the joints. By the way, under the wind pressure the

Alexander Lukashenko:

Understanding the deep historic and political significance of the coat of arms and flag of Belarus, ability to sing our anthem, knowledge of the Constitution — the Basic Law of the country — should become an integral part of the common culture of every Belarusian. It is necessary to form a real cult of state symbols in Belarus. They should be revered in every Belarusian house, being a source of pride and patriotism.

stele can deflect up to a meter. But there’s nothing to worry about. The wind load was calculated by experts oversized. So now Anna Aksonova can proudly say that her team did their best. Along the perimeter of State Flag Square there are granite steles with a map of Belarus, the text of the anthem, the emblems of the regions and the capital. As for the flag itself, it is difficult to imagine the width of the flight and the width of the cloth from below. But its area is about 100 square meters, it weighs 25 kilograms. It’s the biggest flag in the country! It was made by the state enterprise “Publishing House “Belarusian Printing House”. Its director general Roman Oleynik in the interview to “SB. Belarus Segodnya” said: — Of course, it was a very honorable, but also difficult mission. The order was unique and fully exclusive. There are many enterprises engaged in printing images on fabric in Belarus. And yet the choice fell on us, the main manufacturer of state symbols in the country. The width and length of the State Flag are related as one to two, but the size of the cloth is, actually, not limited. Therefore, various options were considered — seven by fourteen meters, six by twelve, and five by ten. It was very difficult to select the fabric. It was supposed to be light, but also durable, air permeable and sun-proof. As a result, a suitable беларусь. belarus 2019

ttributes of statehood Belta

one was found, which allowed making a cloth of the maximum size — seven by fourteen meters. They made it out of five parts. The employees of the Belarusian Printing House for the first time worked with a quarter-hundredweight of fabric. Svetlana Strechen, the seamstress, said: — I had to sew on my knees because there’s no suitable table. For durability, three lines were sewn together. Hundreds of meters of thread have been used up. But now, when I see this flag flying, I am overwhelmed with a sense of pride that there is a part of my soul in it, the work of my colleagues. The opening of State Flag Square was eagerly awaited. This event was preceded by the work of thousands of people. The President also made his contribution to the construction. On April 20,

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2013, Alexander Lukashenko worked on placing concrete under the foundation of the granite paving of the square. …and here comes the memorable and long-awaited day of July 2, 2013. The day of solemn opening of State Flag Square. The opening ceremony was broadcasted live by all state channels of the country. It was a spectacular sight. In a solemn atmosphere, the flag was hoisted on the flagpole installed in the center of the site. Then the anthem was sung, accompanied by salvoes of artillery fireworks. The evening sky over the capital was decorated with fireworks and 10 thousand air balloons having the colors of the national flag. The ceremony also saw the establishment of a new patriotic tradition of swearing allegiance to the State Flag, the symbol and stronghold of independence and state-

hood. This is the first time that such an oath was given by the most worthy representatives of science, culture, industry and sport. Among them are Alexander Fen, a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, Viktor Ageyev, a student of the Minsk Suvorov Military School, Darya Domracheva, a biathlonist, Darya Yakutovich, a gymnast, Pavel Mariyev, Hero of Belarus, Denis Pirshtuk, a laureate of the Special Presidential Fund for Social Support of Gifted Students and Pupils, a winner of international competitions in mathematics, Oksana Volkova, a world opera star, Honoured Artist of Belarus and Aleksandra Nekhay, a laureate of international competitions. — I was happy to participate in this ceremony as a singer and actor. I would like to specify very good director’s work, there was a theatrical intensity. At the moment of raising the flag there was a feeling that I was in the center of the historic event, — Oksana Volkova shared her impressions. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the square, Alexander Lukashenko urged his fellow citizens to respect and honor our state symbols: — Understanding the deep historic and political significance of the coat of arms and flag of Belarus, ability to sing our anthem, knowledge of the Constitution — the Basic Law of the country — should become an integral part of the common culture of every Belarusian. It is necessary to form a real cult of state symbols in Belarus. They should be revered in every Belarusian house, being a source of pride and patriotism. …Now in the square, near the oncefamous for the whole USSR “chamomile” — the building of the Exhibition Center “BelExpo” — festive events are held on National Emblem Day and National Flag Day, work semesters are solemnly opened, young officers take the oath of office, and young citizens of the country receive their first passports. State Flag Square has become a landmark place for Minsk citizens and guests of the capital, for independent Belarus. By Evgeny Kononovich

cientific approach

Experience that deserves attention

Belarusian scientists are preparing publication of the fifth and sixth volumes of the “History of Philosophical and Social-Political Thought in Belarus” have developed as multi-ethnic formations, so they belong not only to the Belarusian people, but also to other ethnic groups. The Kievan Rus, the Polotsk Land and the Principality of Turov, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Ruthenia and Samogitia, The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Russian Empire… Yes, these are the historical forms in which the statehood of the Belarusian people gradually developed. “Later on, it was embodied in such national forms as the Belarusian People’s Republic, the Socialist Soviet Republic of Belarus, the Lithuanian-Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic, the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic, the Republic of Belarus,” said the Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences. At all times, the idea of statehood has been the subject of ideological confrontation. This problem has not lost its relevance now. Various political subjects within the society, as well as external political forces have always tried to put forward and introduce into the public consciousness the ideas that

meet their interests and aspirations. Therefore, the studies of the history of the people and their statehood have an important ideological aspect. “In today’s geopolitical environment, our country needs its own objective understanding of its history, which will allow it to resist the imposition of distorted and alien ideas about our past,” said Vladimir Gusakov. It should also be noted that the country continues to work on the multi-volume book “The Republic of Belarus — 25 Years of Creation and Achievements”. “The first experience in the history of the Belarusian people in building a sovereign, independent social state based on the rule of law deserves to be recorded in a popular science publication, — said the Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences. — It will reflect the real essence of the complex and thorny Belarusian way both in terms of structure and content,” said the Head of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences. By Vladislav Khoroshilov nasb.gov.by

The wealth of ideas and personalities inspired the scientists of the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences to start publishing the “History of Philosophical and Social-Political Thought in Belarus”. Four of the planned six volumes have already been published, covering the development of intellectual culture of Belarus in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation and the Baroque, the Enlightenment. Now the fifth and sixth volumes are being prepared, which will reflect the development of national philosophy in the 19th- early 20th centuries. By the scale and breadth of chronological and personal coverage the project has no analogues in the academic science of neighboring countries. For the first time the Belarusian reader gets a unique (it comprises more than one thousand pages) corpus of philosophical texts published in the Belarusian language — unprecedented in the history of national printing. “And this is not a coincidence, because philosophy is a reflection of the people’s soul. There can be no state without its own philosophy, as well as ideology,” says the Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Vladimir Gusakov. By the way, the first two volumes of the “History of Belarusian Statehood” have been presented recently. Three more volumes are going to be published by the end of the year. The five-volume “History of Belarusian Statehood” presents the process of evolution of Belarusian lands in terms of historical and national forms. It should be born in mind that historical forms of statehood

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The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

Valentina Matvienko:

“Meetings have become a lasting tradition”

Greeting to the participants and guests of the 6th Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus by the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

cordially welcome the participants and guests of the Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus! This is the sixth forum. This fact shows that the meetings of the regions of our countries have become a lasting tradition, they are in demand.

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This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State. The experience we have gained convinces us: the increasingly close ties between the regions of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus are the most important condition for the consolidation and development of the Union,

for progress on the way of integration. And the role of interregional forums is extremely great. They represent an impressive in scale and openness review of the technological, industrial, investment, business and human resources potential of both countries. It is a platform where the issues of establishing business cooperation, efficient use of available resources in the interests of the population of the peoples of Russia and Belarus are being addressed. Moreover, they are being addressed promptly and precisely. As a result, each forum is always a way for the Union State to reach a higher level of mutual understanding and interaction. A distinctive feature of Russian-Belarusian economic cooperation, both at the regional and interstate levels, is that it is free from protectionism, unfair competition and politically motivated restrictions. Emerging problems are solved within the framework of the Union State through an equal dialogue, taking into account the legitimate interests of all participants. It is fundamentally important that interregional cooperation is not limited to economy, but covers education, science, culture, tourism — the areas which the formation of common basic values directly depends on. And consequently, the deepening of trust of the Russian and Belarusian peoples. It is quite natural that this year’s plenary session will focus on interregional relations as the basis for the formation of common cultural and humanitarian space of the peoples of Belarus and Russia. The common history, cultural proximity are our important advantages. We have huge intellectual and educational resources and should use them to the full for the benefit of Belarus and Russia. We have every reason to believe that the Forum of Regions of our countries, which is taking place this year in St. Petersburg, a cultural, innovative, technological center of the world level, will be as fruitful as possible. I wish the forum participants interesting and successful work!

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

In July, the 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia will be held in St. Petersburg. It will bring together representatives of government agencies, business, science, education, public, who will discuss a wide range of issues of union construction. Mikhail Myasnikovich, Chairman of the Council of the Republic of Belarus, spoke about the tasks and agenda of the forthcoming Forum in an interview with the magazine “Belarus”.

Mikhail Myasnikovich:

“The Forum of Regions has become a good platform for promoting joint projects of Belarus and Russia” — The plenary session of the 6th Forum will be devoted to cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Belarus and Russia. How important is this topic for deepening the Belarusian-Russian relations? — Belarus and Russia have long been united by common spiritual values and traditions. Famous Belarusian educators Francysk Skaryna, Eu-

phrosyne of Polotsk, Symeon of Polotsk stood at the origins of the common spiritual space. They made a significant contribution to the strengthening of the Eastern Slavic cultural unity. Today, we are discussing not only how to preserve our common historical and cultural heritage, but also to involve young people in it. This is a very important element of integration.

We are obliged to appreciate the commonality of our cultures, traditions, respectful attitude of the citizens of Belarus and Russia to each other. This is the wealth that cannot be devalued for the sake of something that is not completely understandable, catchy, and invasive in nature. Much has already been done to strengthen intercultural ties and form беларусь. belarus 2019

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia common cultural space within the Union State. Belarusian institutions of higher education in the field of culture have more than 40 contracts and agreements with partner universities of the Russian Federation. For example, Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts cooperates with St. Petersburg, Moscow, Altai and Kazan State Institutes of Culture, Belarusian State Academy of Music with the Moscow, St. Petersburg and Rostov Academies of Music, as well as Gnesins Russian Academy of Music, Belarusian State Academy of Arts — with All-Russian State University of Cinematography named after S. A. Gerasimov, St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after I. E. Repin, Siberian State Institute of Arts named after D. Hvorostovsky. And these are not all the examples. There is an active exchange of creative teams, joint art festivals, art exhibitions and master classes for gifted children. Every year, more than 1,000 cultural events, including the international level are held: these are the well-known art festival “Slavic Bazaar in Vitebsk”,

the festival of songs and music “Dnepr voices in Dubrovno”, the festival of traditional culture “Braslav lightnings”, Chagall days, the musical festival named after I. I. Sollertinsky and others. Common projects are also implemented by theatres, museums and libraries. For example, Belarusian State Academic Musical Theatre cooperates with Smolensk, Tula, Kaluga and Stavropol Drama Theatres. 2019 was declared the Year of Theatre in Russia, and Minsk will host tours of leading Russian regional theatres. Belarusian spectators have already got acquainted with the repertoire of Velikie Luki and Kaliningrad Drama Theaters. The Smolensk State Drama Theatre and Musical Theatre of the Republic of Karelia will tour the capital in November. Belarusian-Russian feature films and documentaries are being shot. A good means to support cultural projects is joint awards in the field of literature and art, science, and the media. — Are the educational institutions of the two countries also working effectively together?

— Speaking of humanitarian cooperation, our countries have indeed taken serious steps towards each other in this area. As a result, common educational space has been formed and is successfully developing, in which young people in Belarus and Russia have equal rights of access to quality education. The relevant legislative and legal framework is in place at both the national and inter-institutional levels. Today Belarusian universities have about 1300 contracts and cooperation agreements with higher education institutions of Russia. The Russians study in Belarusian universities, including at the expense of the national budget and receive diplomas that are recognized in Russia. The Belarusians in Russia have similar opportunities. In addition, there is a joint Belarusian-Russian university in Mogilev, where students can study according to both Belarusian and Russian educational standards. There is an exchange of students, and there are many partner training programs between regions. There is an exchange of teachers: only in 2018, about 800 Belarusian teach-

That is history. At the plenary session of the 5th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, October 12, 2018.

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The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia ers visited universities in Russia, Belarusian universities received about the same number of Russian teachers. The partnership includes Belarusian State University and Moscow State University named after M. V. Lomonosov, Belarusian State Agricultural Academy, Volgograd State Agrarian University, Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics and Moscow Aviation Institute, Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University named after R. E. Alekseyev. Such examples are numerous. — The Youth Forum will become an important part of the upcoming summit. Why is so much attention being paid to youth issues? How important is this for integration? — The Youth Forum is a popular and promising platform. It will bring together the most creative and talented children, schoolchildren and students, who will be able not only to share their opinions, come up with ideas and suggestions, but also visit museums and get acquainted with the sights of St. Petersburg. I’m sure the guys will have a lot of good impressions. Youth contacts are the future of our cooperation. It is necessary to support the best initiatives and proposals of young people everywhere, so that in the future they can develop into promising projects in science, education and business. Youth policy is the most important priority of the Union State. Union relations will be strong if conditions are created for bringing to light and personal fulfillment of young people’s creative potential, their professional and personal growth. Our cultural, educational and scientific projects are aimed at this. At the same time, new forms of interaction are needed. It is important that the youth of our countries know about each other, have information about what events are held, when and how to meet, exchange experience, and most importantly — how to unite within the framework of a project. For this purpose, it is necessary to use social networks, telegram channels more effectively.

Михаил Мясникович Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich and Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia Valentina Matviyenko opened in Moscow the exhibition of achievements in innovation, science and technology, organized as part of the 4th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia on June 29, 2017

It is also important to develop youth tourism, to organize exchange of schoolchildren and students, to hold interesting events for them. In this way young people have an opportunity not only to study the sights of our countries, our common history, but also to get to know each other better and make new friends. So far, our guys lack useful information about such events. I would like to see more information about common projects in the mass media in general, so that people could know what work is being done in the Union State, its results and why it is important for each of us.

— How do you assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the Union Programs? Do we need to reconsider the approaches to their development and agreement, because it is not a secret that this topic is raised by scientists themselves? —You have raised a very important issue. Union programs should correspond to the priorities of the Union State’s domestic and foreign policy, work for the future of our countries, ensure the competitiveness of national economies and their innovative development. Our joint programs are not always adopted in a timely manner. The negotiation process is often delayed, and exбеларусь. belarus 2019

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia cessive bureaucracy makes projects less relevant. There are also questions about the efficiency of expenditures. The Union budget is being implemented with a surplus, there are not enough good projects. The question is, why? Where do we fall short of our target? Scientists have enough ideas. Then why can’t they always be properly presented, so that clear programs could be worked out to attract funding? Or are the requirements too high?

the participation of interested government bodies and agencies. In this regard, the Forum venue is a good opportunity to hear all parties and find the best solutions. We have conditions for successful implementation of joint programs: The Supreme State Council of the Union State has determined the priorities of scientific activities, in close contact with our scientific teams, which have extensive experience and the necessary competence, young people are actively generating new ideas. — Which areas of cooperation

remain. These important issues for our countries will be the subject of discussion of the national councils of Belarus and Russia on business cooperation at the upcoming forum. I believe that our countries should pay more attention to cooperation in the field of digitalization and the introduction of information and communication technologies. Russia has approved a national program until 2025, which provides for the creation of the necessary conditions for the development of the digital economy and its integration with the digital economies of partner countries of the Eurasian Economic Un-

Marianna Shchetkina, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly and Co-Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, at the meeting of the Interparliamentary Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Interregional Cooperation (5th Forum of Regions, 2018)

Mikhail Myasnikovich and Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko met with the governors of the regions of Belarus and Russia during the 5th Forum of Regions in Mogilev, 2018

The share of expenditures on financing joint programs in the Union State budget has been decreasing in recent years. Whereas in 2015 it was 65.4%, in 2016 it was 61.3%, in 2017 it was only 56.6%. In 2018, the situation did not critically change: the share of programs is 56.7%. Whereas in 2016 the volume of unallocated funds of the Union State budget amounted to 244.4 million rubles, in 2017 it was already 749.3 million rubles, or every sixth ruble of the planned expenditures. This is against the background of relatively high interest rates on loans borrowed by the real sector of the economy in the banking system to modernize and address the targeted development objectives. These issues will be discussed in detail during the upcoming Forum with

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do you think our countries should pay more attention to? — This is industrial cooperation, creation of joint companies and production facilities focused on the production of competitive innovative products with high added value, in demand in domestic and foreign markets. We need to move more actively from simple trade to investment cooperation, and to involve third countries as partners when necessary. Joint ventures — these are new technologies, new jobs, all of which ultimately work to improve the quality of life. At the same time, equal conditions should be provided for economic entities, without exceptions and restrictions. So far the barriers to trade

ion. The document is aimed at the creation of high-tech enterprises and industries, the development of “smart cities”, the introduction of information and communication technologies in industry, education, medicine, housing and communal services and other areas. Belarus has adopted Presidential Decree No. 8 and created unprecedented conditions for the growth of ITindustry. We have qualified personnel and the necessary competence. There is something to share with Russian colleagues and something to borrow. It concerns both personnel training and issues of introduction of IT- tech-

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia nologies in various sectors of economy. I think our countries could join forces, perhaps within the framework of a new alliance program on digitalization. The third direction is the interaction between Belarus and Russia within the framework of the global initiative “One Belt, One Road”. Our countries are important links of the Great Silk Road and not only in the East-West direction, but also in the North-South direction. Special attention is paid to the development

On the whole, the number of commercial contracts and agreements signed at the Forum is growing every year: while at the 2nd Forum in Sochi such documents were signed at the amount of 230 million US$, at the 5th Forum in Mogilev — at almost 540 million US$. This indicates the demand for the platform of our summit and the high interest of business representatives in cooperation. Growth — it is good. But we should speak more in terms of quality but not of quantity. I mean mutual trade in high-tech goods and services so that these

— Mikhail Vladimirovich, don’t you think it would be expedient to create a platform for an expert discussion of Belarusian-Russian cooperation issues in the Forum area, which would be attended by respected aksakals from both sides — well-known state and public figures? Moreover, they could engage in a constructive dialogue with young people. What do you think? — Such a platform will be working. The discussions at the Forum will be widely attended by experts. It will be a kind of session of experts-analysts on the development of the Union State, Eurasian integration, cooperation of Belarus and Russia with third countries. Of course, young people will also be involved in the discussion, including

Mikhail Myasnikovich and Valentina Matviyenko opened City of Masters in Mogilev during the 5th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

Сity of Masters included a festive concert, where the songs and dances of Belarusians and Russians were brightly demonstrated

of railway container transportation. In April 2017 the railways of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Germany, Poland and Mongolia signed an agreement to deepen cooperation in the organization of container trains along the China-Europe route. The parties agreed to jointly increase the volume of transportation and create logistics infrastructure facilities. Belarus is interested in cooperation with the Russian party within the framework of this international initiative and is ready to discuss specific projects, including those involving the China-Belarus Industrial Park “Great Stone”. — It is well known that a large set of documents is being prepared for the Forum: contracts, agreements. How much do you estimate their total amount? — It’s too early to talk about specific numbers, the work is going on. But many regions of Belarus are adding to last year’s volumes.

contracts motivate our economies to become more competitive and to expand industrial cooperation. — What agreements are being prepared in the field of regional cooperation? There are more than 50 documents on cooperation underway. Among them there are intergovernmental agreements with Smolensk, Saratov, Novgorod, Lipetsk, Magadan regions, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Ingushetia, Komi Republic, Republic of Adygeya and others. Documents on cooperation between the regions, local authorities, as well as specific organizations and institutions of Belarus and Russia are also being prepared for conclusion.

representatives of the Youth Chamber of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia. With all due respect for the aksakals, their experience and knowledge, we must hear young people. It is for them that legal and regulatory framework of Belarusian- Russian cooperation is being formed, highly intellectual and knowledge-intensive industries and technologies are being created, and modern ones, including IT- communications are being built. We will speak about all this, and not only, make decisions at the 6th Forum of regions of Belarus and Russia. беларусь. belarus 2019

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

Business needs a specific dialogue Representatives of the business circles of the two countries will take part in the work of the 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia in St. Petersburg, as special attention will be paid to their cooperation

reparation of the work of the business cooperation section in which these issues will be discussed is carried out at the level of national chambers of commerce and industry. How does BelCCI participate in St. Petersburg Forum? And what was the Belarusian-Russian Business Council created for? We discussed these issues in our conversation with the chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich. — Vladimir Yevgenyevich, the decision to create a Belarusian-Russian Business Council was made in 2018 at the 5th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia in Mogilev. How did the ides to create the council appear and what is it for? — The development of active cooperation of the regions in various areas: economy, education, culture lies at the heart of the idea of the annual Forum. Every year the scope of work of the Forum expands. And it is constantly evolving. One of the stages that we logically approached last year, is business. The first meeting of the Belarusian and Russian businesses took place in the framework of the Forum in Mogilev (as a prototype of the business council). This platform has proven to be very effective. A number of contracts has been already signed,

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in particular, the enterprises of the Belneftekhim corporate group concluded contracts for the supply of Belarusian products in the amount of $ 95 million. At the same time, the creation of the Belarusian-Russian business council was initiated in Mogilev, which was supported both at the Forum of Regions and at the meeting of the High

The composition of the business councils of Belarus and Russia included 27 Belarusian business professionals and 44 representatives of Russian business circles Level Group of the Council of Ministers of the Union State in November 2018. A similar public institution — the Russian-Belarusian business council — appeared In Russia earlier, and we needed to be pulled up to make this platform more convenient for communication with colleagues. We really lacked a direct involvement of business in resolving issues. After all, companies sometimes face the emerging roughness in

the way of integration. Therefore, it was extremely important to include them in this process, add the voice of the entrepreneurial class — regardless of the form of ownership — to the general context when discussing the interaction between the two countries. We signed the final document with the President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin: an agreement to create business councils at the chambers of commerce and industry of the two countries on December 19, 2018 in Moscow — the updated Russian-Belarusian and the new Belarusian-Russian. The composition of the business councils of the two countries included 27 Belarusian business professionals and 44 representatives of Russian business circles. First of all, business advice is needed to raise and resolve urgent business issues, to invite representatives of government bodies to discuss them. In this work the task of the chambers of commerce is mainly administrative, the main role is played by business. Among the most important topics for discussion with Russian colleagues are lifting restrictions and ensuring equal conditions for doing business, the creation of cooperation and the joint promotion of Belarusian-Russian business projects to the markets of third countries. — Are these councils closed structures, or can anyone join them?

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia — Of course, they are not closed. But if you make them open to everyone, then newcomers-enthusiasts who do not know the realities of business life may come. Therefore, we decided that membership in them would be fixed: after all, the council must be presentable, authoritative and influential. In the Belarusian part of the council, almost the entire business elite of our country is represented. Top leaders of industry, private business, who are experienced export, in particular, with the Russian Federation. The Belarusian part of the business council is headed by the general director of the Belarusian-German joint venture Santa Impex Brest, Alexander Moshensky, and the Russian part is headed by the board of directors of URALCHEM Holding Dmitry Mazepin. By the way, this famous Russian businessman is of Belarusian origin: he was born in 1968 in Minsk. Such people are not inclined to small talk, they need practical discussion, aimed at the effective and prompt solution of existing problems. — What issues were discussed at the meetings? — We held two meetings of the Belarusian part of the council, where we discussed, inter alia, mutual access of goods to the markets, participation of Belarusian companies in electronic trading on commercial Russian electronic platforms, recognition of our electronic signature, issues of government procurement and certificate recognition in the Russian Federation. — Participants in an expanded meeting of national business councils in St. Petersburg will consider the prospects for business cooperation. What can be predicted on this issue? — There is every reason to believe that a constructive, serious and interested conversation will be taking place in St. Petersburg. A number of issues will be discussed. For example, on food products. Today, our companies working with food products in the Russian market have specific problems that we hope to solve.

Vladimir Ulakhovich

— Specify who deals with these problematic issues at the state level? — There is a high-level group of the Union State, the so-called experts who are preparing a meeting of the governments of the two countries. These are ministers, representatives of industry clusters who discuss current issues. There is a problem with roaming: after all, there were instructions from the presidents of the two countries to cancel it. This is being done by sectoral ministries on both sides. Now the voice of business has appeared in the High Level Group. — Do you work in direct contact with the Parliament while preparing for the Forum? Is it possible to announce which contracts will be signed at the Forum?

— Yes, we are working together with the Parliament, with the Economic Policy Commission. But it’s too early to talk about specific contracts. I can only say: a big portfolio is being prepared for signing. Taking into account the fact that the presidents of both states are expected to participate in the plenary meeting in St. Petersburg, many enterprises would like to sign contracts at the highest level. — This year’s forum will be devoted to cultural, humanitarian and educational cooperation. The main idea of the forum is to support the cultural space of Belarus and Russia through the regional aspect. As vice-speaker of the Council of the Russian Federation Yury Vorobyev said in an interview, it is important that the regions propose the formaбеларусь. belarus 2019

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia tion of such cultural space through their activities. At the forum it is planned to adopt a number of proposals on the organization of work — cultural, educational programs, social movements within several years… But, after all, the economy is also included in the agenda of the Forum … — Good economy is also culture! Our whole life is permeated with culture: there is a culture of management, a culture of negotiation, a personal culture, behavioral …It only seems that culture and business go in parallel. Nothing of the kind! They are interdependent. Of course, a purely aesthetic sphere is one thing. But if we take our communica-

are counterfeit, they are not of high quality …These are real fakes. We must fight with such lack of culture. We are for fair competition; it is the basis for the development of our enterprises and the quality of their products. The business that does not follow the rules, works not only against us, but also against Russia, and ultimately against itself. Deceiving customers by promoting their own is unacceptable. It is very important for big business to support this position. — Yes, smart people knew about it and thought about it in antiquity. For example, the Zoroastrians said: let us be one of those whose thoughts, words and deeds are identical. It was believed

ful completion of all administrative procedures is not enough. It is necessary to have a spark, a fire in the hearts of those who undertake such a thing. And such a fire is with Vladimir Korol, the general director of Belkommunmash. (Open Joint-Stock Company “Holding Managing Company “Belkommunmash” — Auth.). One must be a truly high-class professional to risk to take on such a production and reawaken Stadler Minsk, and then return to Belkommunmash! By the way, our “Metelitsa” trams will be delivered to St. Petersburg. There is a test drive of Belarusian electric buses in Belgrade and Vienna. India is interested in our electric buses.

The 4th Forum of Regions of Russia and Belarus. June 29-30, 2017. Moscow.

tion — we are after all the bearers of skills, cultural habits, behavioral standards …And I am sure: it is very difficult to achieve good results even with large capitals without the skills of a culture of communication, people management. In any case, a leader who does not have a decent education, inner culture, is unlikely to succeed in keeping afloat for a long time. Do you agree that fair use of some information is also culture? Anything can happen. For example, they begin to write and speak completely groundlessly that Belarusian products

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that if a person adheres to such a lifestyle in his own affairs, they will be successful. Could you name the business representatives as people of high culture, interested, not indifferent? — The top management in our company is represented by successful people in all respects. What is today Stadler Minsk company? This is an advanced production. These are high class trains that are well known in the world. The company has recently won a tender in Bolivia. But just investment is not enough to raise such production. And even the success-

— We have something to be proud of and what to sell. For example, BelAZ already produces heavy-duty drones … — Yes, BelAZ has both feet on the ground holding the entire heavy truck market by three global companies. But at one time, various experts expressed the opinion that our industrial giants should be split and sold …Fortunately, this did not happen. Today, BelAZ is an important player in the global market. So we can safely say that highly cultured people are at the head of the company.

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia — In your opinion, in business are those who … — Those who, managing the enterprise, do not think only about their personal bank accounts and wallets. Who work not only for profit, but also for pleasure, understanding the inexorable law of life: when you give, then you get it. — Please, let us make a small romantic digression. In one of the articles, we talked about the fact that politicians are people who are reaping the harvest that has already grown. For thousands of years the people have been nourishing and nurturing their culture, attaching annually small, millimeter-thick

Belarus is the outskirts, only thanks to Russia it went up in the world after the war. They built large factories, brought specialists. We answer that they built factories here for a reason! Well, plant something today in the jungle — what will grow there? Belarusians were ready to adopt new technologies, to work at a high level. Yes, experts arrived …And how many talents from here had gone to Russia and all over the world before it! Today our people are working at the factories, not foreign specialists. Most of them are diligent, conscientious. Without them, there would have been no MAZ, neither BelAZ, nor a tractor factory …Our compatriots even work in

cific people. But, developing, assimilating new things, it is important not to lose valuable savings, not to forget past generations. Why sometimes they say that Belarusians are so conservative? And this, apparently, is a result of the archaic, peasant way of our ancestors’ life. Our industrial class is mostly people who come from villages. But the line of villagers’ thinking was simple: to survive! So many wars have passed on earth, even in the last hundred years. And our Belarusian way of life includes simple values: to create a family, to educate children, to work, to save our land. — Well, the Belarusian mentality is a special topic. By the way, it would be

Meeting of the Business Cooperation Council at the 5th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia. October 12, 2018. Mogilev.

layers, like, figuratively speaking, cultural high-yielding black soil. Through wars, through ups and downs, such a cultural matrix is formed, which is embedded in our people. They absorb the culture from their mothers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Thus, a certain level of human potential is created in the society. If a large investor comes and invests in fertile land, he will get a good return. The same with politicians. When they rely on the thousandyear-old potential of the people, they only win. Some colleagues tell us: ah,

space. The world knows about it! — Indeed, the industrial revolution took place after the war. The entire Belarusian industrial potential was built in the 1950–70s. It is important to keep and develop what we have. Was it less invested in Ukraine than in Belarus in Soviet times? But where are many Ukrainian enterprises now? Why do we have almost everything preserved? It is possible that cultural codes and matrices that you are talking about work in different ways. The development of society is always the development of spe-

great to have a separate section on the forum on these issues so that the Russian brothers and I could understand each other better. Sometimes, at Russian schools children know only about Belarusian potatoes, our President, Belarusian partisans, and about Belovezhskaya Pushcha …And that’s all! But, Vladimir Yevgenyevich, we will return to business councils. You have mentioned the experience of creating business councils with other countries. Could you give positive examples of this interaction? беларусь. belarus 2019

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

First of all, business advice is needed to raise and resolve urgent business issues, to invite representatives of government bodies to discuss them. In this work the task of the chambers of commerce is mainly administrative, the main role is played by business. — We have very active Business Council with Austria. It is headed from the Austrian side by the famous businessman Hubert Birch — one of the largest investors. Austria, by the way, has invested about 4 billion euros in Belarus over the past eight years — these are the largest projects, such as Velcom, Kronospan, and toll roads projects. As part of the business council, we discuss with Austrian investors the investment niches we have, how to develop industrial cooperation and strengthen trade and economic ties. A regular meeting will be held in Vienna in 2020, but we are already thinking over the topics that should be discussed. Among them are the issues of strengthening logistics cooperation. In particular, this is the receipt of so-called “permits”

Signing ceremony of the agreement on the creation of the RussianBelarusian and Belarusian-Russian business councils. The agreement was signed by Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich (left) and President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Sergey Katyrin. December 19, 2018. Moscow.

for Belarusian transport companies (a permit is a document authorizing the passage of carriers across the territory of foreign states. — Auth.).Another good example is the Belarusian-Swiss Business Council. It is headed from the Swiss side by Peter Spöpler (Stadler company). A regular meeting will be held in Minsk on September 17. Representatives of the Swiss travel agency usually come with business professionals, who want to show that every business person is a potential tourist. At the end of 2018, two new Business Councils were set up: Belarusian-Kazakh and Belarusian-Italian. A very interesting partner from the Italian side is Banca Intesa. The agreement was signed by the chairperson of the board of this bank, Antonio Fallico, who heads the

Cognize Eurasia Association and is directly interested in developing cooperation with the EAEU countries in general and Belarus in particular. — Do you plan to expand, create new Business Councils in the near future? — Yes, we are planning it. For example, we have a proposal from our Uzbek partners. In the summer, in the framework of the visit of the President of Egypt, Abdul-Fattah Khalil Al-Sisi, to Belarus, an agreement on the establishment of a Business Council will also be signed. He will meet with Belarusian business circles. For business people it’s prestigious to be its members. We also have an interesting proposal from the Japanese Association for Trade with Russia and the Newly Independent States (ROTOBO). We are interesting to them. In addition, Japan highly appreciates the Belarusian contribution to overcoming the consequences of the Fukushima accident. There are other projects. Everything, in my opinion, should work on the basis of mutual interests. When this principle is taken as the basis, everything will go well for both parties. Interviewed by Ivan and Valentina Zhdanovich.

The first meeting of the Belarusian-Russian Business Council. January 18, 2019. Minsk.

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Photos are provided by the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

"Culture inspires" “Our spirituality, art, culture is the circulatory system of society, which gives it vitality…” Alexander Lukashenko

Where there is culture, there is also peace — this famous message of reconciliation, peace and friendship, is, perhaps, even more powerful than the famous slogan of athletes “Oh, sport, you’re peace! Anyway, not competing with it, but, on the contrary, enriching it. Because sport is also culture. That’s what we see in the days of the 2nd European Games, which are held in Minsk when this issue of the magazine is published. And now our thoughts are directed to St. Petersburg, where the 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia will be held, which is focused on culture, carrying out a peacekeeping mission, bringing people closer together.

Ekaterina Dulova

Ivan Zhdanovich

e know that despite political and economic difficulties, it helps value life every day. Spiritualizing us, culture makes us cleaner, better, more beautiful. So, we have met up with exactly this kind of cultural activist. Meet Ekaterina Dulova, Deputy of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus for Education, Science, Culture and Social Development. And the rector of the Belarusian State Academy of Music, Doctor of Arts, Professor. She will also speak at the Forum as the head of the section “Cultural and humanitarian projects as a link in the spiritual life of the peoples of Belarus and Russia” from the Republic of Belarus: Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life — this aphorism of Confucius came to our minds in respect to our interlocutor: so enthusiastically she shared with us her thoughts about the upcoming Forum, about her profession and about many other things. — Ekaterina Nikolayevna, in one of the interviews we read that your parents — Taisiya Alekseyevna and Nikolay Semenovich Shcherbakov — moved to Minsk in 1959 after graduating from the Nizhny Novgorod State Conservatory named after M. I. Glinka. So let’s start our conversation with the “family” topic. What personally беларусь. belarus 2019

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia connects you with Russia, Russian culture, Russian musical tradition? — This connection in my destiny has been evident since a very young age. My parents, being graduates from the Nizhny Novgorod State Conservatory, moved to Minsk as people representing Russian culture. They were always engaged, in the best sense of the word, in the propaganda of such a wonderful phenomenon as culture, in Belarus as well. Moreover, this did not prevent my mother from becoming a member of the Union of Composers of Belarus as a musicologist and doctor of science. And to write wonderful works dedicated to the creative activity of Belarusian composers. And my father became the founder of the string quartet of the Union of Composers, this group existed for almost 25 years. He performed all the chamber music of Belarusian composers having been created by that time. Such people were my parents — propagandists. They wanted to offer the best of both Russian and Belarusian music for perception and performing. It was a selfless activity at the junction of two cultures. However, then, in the USSR, nobody thought about it: it was one state. And in our lives, in our family lives, it was all intertwined. My sister was born in Nizhny Novgorod, and I was born already here.

— And what affected the parents’ move? — The father’s teacher, an outstanding professor of the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music, Alexander Pavlovich Stogorsky, who taught in Nizhny Novgorod, was invited to work in Minsk. Our wonderful composer Anatoly Nikolayevich Bogatyrev, who at that time was the rector of the Minsk Conservatory, offered him to head the cello activity both at our school and at the conservatory. The father came here after his teacher to see how things work here. Then the family joined him. They were incredibly close spiritually. And it is very typical of musicians to follow their teacher and master in life. — Apparently, it’s characteristic of sci— entists, too. At one time, Russian scientists moved to the Academy of Sciences of Belarus (say, the future academician Stepanov — his name is given to the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Also, I remember, our fellow countryman Valentin Koptyug followed his teacher from Moscow to Novosibirsk (where a science campus was just being created). He became academician and headed the Novosibirsk branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. By the way, and now this major scientific center is headed by the Belarusian academician Valentin Parmon.

Ekaterina Dulova at the award ceremony of the winners of “Talent Krainy” project

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— Yes, I remember him: he has recently attended the celebration dedicated to the anniversary of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Such examples can be given endlessly! Let’s remember Vladimir Mulyavin, a Russian from Sverdlovsk, who fulfilled himself as a talented musician in Belarus. And, say, the popular St. Petersburg composer Igor Kornelyuk comes from Brest. And me, a Russian, born here. I know the Belarusian language perfectly. I went to school at the conservatory. My father and mother were teaching there and then became professors of the conservatory, because their level, qualification and educational status were obvious. And the parents devoted the rest of their lives to this institution. Over the years, my mother headed the department of music history, and my father headed the department of chamber ensemble. — And of course, you followed the same way… — Yes-yes-yes. Ever ything in life is interconnected. And I have a strong connection to Russia both in blood and spirit. For me today, let’s say, my work is the most successful way of perceiving everything related to this culture. Its traditions. Great literature. I can judge it as a Russian person who grew up here in Belarus. For me everything incorporated successfully. In addition, I graduated from St. Petersburg Conservatory as a representative of the Belarusian educational school: I had been sent there as a contract student. I graduated from it and wrote my PhD thesis there. And I worked on my doctorate at Moscow Conservatory. Because we didn’t have the Dissertation Defense Board then. — What did you write about? — About the music in the ballet theater. Analyzed this phenomenon for the period of almost 250 years. Right up to Stravinsky and Prokofiev. That is, until the middle of the 20th century. As for Belarusian composers, I knew many of them personally. — Who were your teachers in music? — Naturally, my parents. I heard from childhood my father practicing. I heard

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia and saw my mother preparing for lectures and playing the piano. By the way, she even performed an overture to “Ruslan and Lyudmila” by Mikhail Glinka. And this is one of the most complicated pieces that Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was playing at the opening of Moscow Conservatory. That was the level and class that brought me into this profession. By the way, my husband is my classmate, a pianist. Our children, sons, play the cello and the violin. My sister, PhD, musicologist. Her son is a violinist and her husband is a composer. This is a kind of musical dynasty, and moreover, it is multinational. — As far as we know, earlier friendly and creative gatherings were popular with Belarusian musicians. Say, in the house of composer Aladov… — Nikolay Ilyich? Oh, yes, of course! It was a very interesting house! I visited his daughter Radoslava Nikolayevna — the composer had already died. And she told me a lot about those meetings. Our moms, our fathers knew each other very well. And Nikolay Ilyich’s quartets were recorded as performed by my father’s quartet. They did this work together. So I was in the middle of musical events. I was brought up by my parents’ life. And my mother also hosted chamber music sessions on TV. She was a presenter at concerts and at the Philharmonic. That’s why I’ve seen all the great musicians. My mother was also a member of the artistic council of the Bolshoi Theatre — and I was “on the subject”, when the performances were approved. I absorbed all this, just like my sister. — And how small the world is, Ekaterina Nikolayevna! After all, our granddaughter, a theater artist Ekaterina Shimanovich — is one of direct descendants of the composer Nikolay Churkin. You must have known her other grandmother, Olga Smolich, well — she was a longtime presenter of the popular music show “Vechary na kanape” on Belarusian radio. Besides, Olga and Radoslava Aladova are cousins. — Well, that’s what makes the world of Belarusian music so good: everyone knows everyone (laughing).

— But we have an indirect relation to it: we belong to the category of big opera lovers in the Bolshoi Theatre. And we write, as journalists, about some events in musical life. — And that’s great! In my opinion, you are burdened with a lot of things in culture — I mean, journalists, writing about the theater and music. Because it is sometimes difficult for us, music professionals, to be convincing, to express our thoughts to the general public. When music is a profession, it is difficult for us to emotionally distance ourselves from it, our minds willingly or unwillingly begin to work in the analytical direction. I start thinking about how everything fits together in terms of integrity, form… And you have a happy opportunity to perceive music, operatic action holistically, without analyzing. It’s also so delightful: to immerse yourself in the music stream, to feel the sounds pouring in, touching the strings of your soul… They cause some associations, awaken memories… Or you notice that the soul is silent, does not respond to sounds that may not match your inner melody… — Is it possible to get to know people through music? What kind of music most deeply expresses its mentality, character, specific features of feelings? — To get to know yes, but to understand… A special course of lectures is needed to discourse upon this topic. And in short: the people, of course, can be studied by its music. That’s if we speak about a national, ethnographic tradition. Music can directly and immediately indicate a certain national identity. We can easily recognize, say, Georgian or African music, Chinese music. But if we talk about a European tradition and music of the academic nature, it simply imposes other requirements on itself. It’s just different. Because the subject of sound-producing is academic musical instruments. But no one will ever dare to deny the national properties of the music of, say, Mikhail Glinka or Sergey Rachmaninoff, Edvard Grieg or Antonín Dvořák. Because in the melody, in the make-up of the whole there is always a national component. It

Ekaterina Dulova at the Business Council of Rectors of Educational Institutions of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation (Days of Belarusian Education in Russia)

can be both dancing and songlike. Everything about Austrian academic music, for example, has national character. We know Franz Schubert’s beautiful landlers and Johann Strauss’ wonderful waltzes. But Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is also an Austrian composer, Anton Bruckner and Gustav Mahler… And yet no one will dare to make a sharp national “separation line” here, exploring the work and music of this or that composer. As well as to deny the presence of “some features”, determined by the place of birth, life, social environment in which the talent was formed. In this sense, music, we can say, is free from different prejudices and happy by itself. — What is being done today at the state level, through the Union State, to continue the mutual enrichment of the Russian and Belarusian national cultures? What are the most significant interstate projects that you personally have a relation to? — We should only keep in mind: there is a long-term cooperation in various spheres between Belarus and Russia, our Belarusian-Russian contacts, and there is the activity of the Union State and its Standing Committee. And it has its own program, which can be found on the website of the Postcom. There are a lot of educational projects there. There are wonderful projects dedicated to young cadets from Suvorov and Cadet беларусь. belarus 2019

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia schools. Among the projects in the field of music education, I would like to mention the one I value very much: Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Union State. It is more than 10 years old. It was first formed on the basis of two schools — Central Music School at Moscow Conservatory and our gymnasium-college at the Belarusian State Academy of Music, and in the last two years it became a student orchestra. Children’s repertoire is still limited — students play much more diverse symphonic music. — Who’s the conductor? — The conductors are different. On our side this year this was Vyacheslav Chernukho-Volich, conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus. On the Russian side — Mr. Vasily Valitov. There is always Russian and Belarusian music in the repertoire. For example, I like the youth symphony orchestra of the CIS member states very much. At the concerts the students of the orchestra sit with the flags of their countries on their music stands. And in reality, it is clear that culture can only unite, that it helps people listen, hear and understand each other. And the youth Symphony Orchestra of the Union State is working in this way — to deepen mutual understanding between peoples. Last year the orchestra held several concerts in Belarus. The musicians took part in the events of the “Slavic Bazaar in Vitebsk”, and in the continuation of the 5th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia — in a beautiful renovated concert hall, where the plenary session of the Forum had been held the day before. — As the rector of the Academy of Music, what can you specify from the Belarusian-Russian projects that contribute to the mutual enrichment of our cultures? — Let me start by speaking about traditions. We at the Academy of Music have inherited a magnificent RussianSoviet educational tradition. I have already said many times: this is a unique system that needs to be protected today, it requires a certain protective status. It’s our national treasure, isn’t it? Because the reforms that supposedly promise us

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some priorities, in fact, can be destructive for this system. — Do you propose to add it to the UNESCO World Heritage List? — Well, even so! We protect nature, preserve folk traditions… I think it is also necessary to protect the educational tradition. I have recently returned from the Business Council of Rectors of Russia and Belarus, and I spoke on this topic. It was held in Moscow, in the Business and Cultural Complex at the Embassy of Belarus in Russia, following the results of the meeting of the Presidents in Sochi. And it’s a great joy that my colleagues from Moscow Conservatory, from the Gnessin State Musical College, were there. Just a month ago, this issue was discussed at the joint board of the Ministries of Culture of Russia and Belarus, held in Moscow. What does it deal with? Today, on the wave of the Bologna process, national educational traditions break quite easily, new stereotypes are being established. And they are also imposed on the art education system, which has its own unique path. Our learning process is characterized by continuity, which was built throughout history. No other specialty today has such a long and well-structured system of education! Our kids study from the age of 4–5 to the age of 19. This is the hardest job ever! Music needs to be penetrated, to be understood, it’s important to be able to “speak” its language. After all, it is not only “dexterity of fingers” that is important — thinking is being formed. Thinking in terms of sounds. And this is a special philosophy of inner life. And we are supposed to integrate training into the regulated forms of bachelor’s and master’s studies. I still don’t know, for example, what should be able to sing, for example, a bachelor — and what — a master… — And where is the border that separates the one and the other… — That’s it! Where are the evaluation criteria? How to evaluate: does a student play already as a master — or yet as a bachelor? Is this the purpose of art education? So this topic is common for discussion both in Belarus and Russia today. Both

Moscow Conservatory and St. Petersburg Conservatory are zealous about their educational traditions. But there are other approaches. Thus, some Russian conservatories have followed the path of dual educational programs: bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and the so-called specialization. Today, in the Education Code of Belarus, we are introducing the idea of a continuous educational program in the field of art education, the so-called integrated magistracy. And we have all grounds for it. Why today, as dozens of years ago, do young musicians want to be taught by the professors who belong to RussianSoviet school? Apparently, there is something important and essential in our traditions of education. Our student, say, can discuss the issues with a professor in person, which is very important. Our education is mostly individual. There aren’t any big rooms, small classrooms. I live here all the time in sounds — they surround me. Students gather in large classrooms only for classes in history, humanities. And the rest of the classes are held in the format convenient for the master and student. Yeah, that kind of education is expensive. So it’s expensive all over the world. But we have a well-built system. There are music schools for small children, where general education and music are harmoniously combined. If a person wants to connect his life with music, he goes to college, where he can gain knowledge. Then the university, which I think is necessary. After college, few of the leaders of quality creative teams will employ a musician. They need a specialist with university qualification. That is, our profession has its own peculiarities related to the breadth of education. It’s not an applied process that narrows down the perception of the world. Turns a man into a doer. A rational doer. Here you’ve got your specialty number one. The second step — number two. I’ve had these discussions. — As a result, one’s mind is focused on a specific matter, but not on the world outlook and oneself in this world. — Yes, there is no breadth of mind. There’s a lack of education. How can one study to play the flute for 3 years and

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia 2 years to play the double-bass? As a result, the flute player is bad and the double bass player is no better. Or then all this should be launched in a different way, specialists should be trained on the private basis? So we have very close contacts with Russia on these issues. We’re discussing. We’re looking for common priorities. — Cultural cooperation between Russia and Belarus was hardly ever interrupted. We have heard about the recent meeting of the Collegiums of the Ministry of Culture of Russia and the Ministry of Culture of Belarus, which discussed the implementation of the consolidated plan of cooperation for 2019–2021, preparations for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Victory, education and student exchange in the field of culture and art. It is enough to drive along the streets of Minsk and look at the posters of concert programs, look through theatrical posters. And the famous Belarusian groups always perform in Russia. Can we, in your opinion, talk about systematic cooperation in this area? — It has become clear: we have a lot in common — in education, culture, history. The activities of museums, theatres, their repertoire and priorities are all close and similar. The theme of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus, our common victory has been highlighted. It was said about rejection of the interpretation of this holiday as a victory in the Second World War — it was our common victory in the Great Patriotic War. They also spoke about restoration projects and erection of the monuments. We were presented with a large-scale project of the memorial to the battle “Rzhev” and Brest Fortress. Examples were given of cooperation projects in which Belarusian or Russian specialists participated in joint work. They spoke about the Polotsk Spaso-Euphrosyne Monastery, where complex work on the restoration of ancient frescoes was carried out by both Belarusian and Russian specialists. By the way, this is also our common heritage. It is impossible to break up what’s historically one whole. We know

Novgorod, Polotsk and Kiev to be like three cradles of Slavic peoples. Our roots come from this unity. And this trio is indivisible, it’s like a common blood circulatory system, which feeds our three modern cultures (Belarusian, Russian, Ukrainian). Of course, it is important for each of these peoples to strengthen their statehood. And on the other hand, this breadth of the cultural-historical layer is a huge advantage for everyone. And one should not be frightened of it! Will they take anything away from Russians if they emphasize that this musician or artist comes from Belarus, or vice versa — in

difficult for me. That I had been taught the history of music since 1917. I knew the Belarusian music of the 20th century, Nikolay Ilyich Aladov, and how everything was formed: Grigory Romanovich Shirma, song, professional art, conservatory, Opera theatre, Philharmonic Society. And before 1917, what? There was no information in our textbooks at all. I had the opportunity to come to Minsk then. I came — and there was nothing to read… Yes, it used to be like that. The job the musicologist Olga Dadiomova did later was really huge. And now we know that there was a huge European

Ekaterina Dulova, in her capacity as Chairperson of the Special Fund of the President of Belarus for Support of the Talented Youth, presents the award to Anna Arlukevich, a Master’s student

Belarus they will say that he is Russian? I think that the interpenetration of cultural traditions is mutually beneficial. — Ekaterina Nikolayevna, you know that’s why the Belarusians now have a great interest in their history. While building an independent state, it is important to have a solid historical foundation. Our history began long ago… And the Belarusian music did not start with “Pesnyary”… — Once I had an interesting experience. All the Soviet conservatories had a lecture course entitled “Music of the peoples of the USSR”. It was read for half a semester. I studied in Leningrad, there were 12 of us in the group — Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Moldovans… And only two Leningraders. I was from Belarus. Once the teacher offered us to make a report on the musical culture of our republic. And then I understood that it would be

culture on the territory of Belarus. But — it so happened that one war came after another, and everyone who came to us tried to dissolve the local culture in theirs. And yet, look: today the Belarusian culture lives and lives well, brightly! That makes me happy. As well as the fact that we have two state languages — Belarusian and Russian… Now we have a special format. The signs also appear in English — because a lot of guests from Western Europe come here… — And in Chinese… — Yeah, and Chinese. After all, we are actively developing relations with China. There are countries where there are several official languages (Belgium, Switzerland). You just have to be respectful of languages, knowing that they are part of our common culture. And we know that at the beginning of the last century there were 4 state languagбеларусь. belarus 2019

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The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

Minister of Culture Yury Bondar and Ekaterina Dulova at the celebration of the 85th anniversary of the Belarusian Academy of Music

es in Belarus. I’m not for restriction but for expansion of cultural space. There should be no prohibitive approach. It is human nature to oppose prohibitions — there will be a backlash. — It’s like raising a child: if everybody loves them, they grow up developed and harmonious. And if you start to forbid, punish, there will be complexes… — In my opinion, there are three things in our cultural space that must not be prohibited or changed by force: this is language, religion and nationality. This all is embedded in a person. And the way one places oneself in the national space, in the national culture — that’s the way one feels like. That’s why everything must be reasonable. — To continue the topic of cooperation: what contacts and joint projects does the Belarusian State Academy of Music have with similar educational institutions in Russia? What are the plans? — The consolidated plan of cooperation between the Ministries of Culture of Russia and Belarus has been approved. A protocol has been drawn up on it. And we already know the directions, in particular, in the field of education, student exchanges. We offer a very interesting project from our side. There is an iconic figure that connects our peoples through the tradition of choral singing. This is Viktor Vladimirovich Rovdo, our outstanding choral conductor, professor, People’s Artist of the USSR. The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of his birth. He

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completed his post-graduate studies at Moscow Conservatoire in the class of Alexander Vasilyevich Sveshnikov. In Belarus, Rovdo, in fact, became the founder of choral academic performance and education. We propose to hold the Choral Academy for students and pupils of Russia and Belarus — to hold it in our territory to perform various choral compositions of the two peoples to show this uninterrupted historical binding thread. Among the educational joint projects is the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Union State, which we have mentioned above. You have already seen something: when the choirs sing together in the internet space. Children’s choirs sang on 24 May, on Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (or the Day of the Slavic Writing and Culture) in Town Hall Square. There are also projects in the field of museum business, film-making. Interesting joint prospects open up after the renovation of the film studio “Belarusfilm”. — What foreign contacts does the Academy of Music have? — We have more than 60 cooperation agreements today. The most difficult part is distant countries: the United States, Japan, Korea… We are working very actively with the People’s Republic of China — Chinese students are studying at our Academy at all levels. We also conduct scientific training of Chinese specialists in master’s and post-graduate studies. We have active contacts with the CIS countries, with Latvia. Lithuania. Estonia.

In particular, within the framework of the Erasmus project (a nonprofit program of the European Union for the exchange of students and teachers between universities of the EU member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Turkey — Auth.). Only recently our guys have gone to Latvia. We work with Italian Trieste on the same program: not only do we have internships there, but our professors also teach there. Very successfully, by the way. And students go there regularly for exchange. We have very good areas of activity with Kazakhstan. And of course there are the most active relations with the Russian Federation. We signed a cooperation agreement with Nizhny Novgorod Conservatory in December 2018. And two projects have already been implemented in such a short period of time. The hardest part is the direct communication. But now there is a system called LOLA, it is used, among others, in the Academy of Sciences of Belarus (in the field of online performance). Last year, it was the first time that such a project was implemented. The J. Brahms quintet was performed by Estonian and Belarusian musicians. It was experience of European broadcasting. This system allows connecting the sound at a distance when the musicians are thousands of miles away from each other. And people who are playing music and singing at a distance become one whole. Yes, we have an extensive system of master classes. However, today it can be done online: the professor is playing there, the audience is here. And a student somewhere else… There’s such kind of musical instrument… — What instrument gives such opportunities? — It’s a disklavier Yamaha. Unfortunately, we haven’t bought it yet… However, it does have a wide range of possibilities both for education and for expanding the creative space of musicians — a grand piano can record and play back live performances. Among other things, we can speak about the provision of educational services online. I’m a little skeptical in this point. That’s why I’m not in a hurry with the procurement. I still think that charisma is im-

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia portant for the transfer of knowledge and skills. Have you ever wondered why our musicians find a fairly easy job abroad, for example, in orchestras? In any country in the world. In fact, musicians don’t need a language. Within a couple of weeks they adapt to the conductor. Of course, it’s not about teaching — the language is necessary for it. And orchestras, operas… they have their own language. And such communication between the master and the student cannot be replaced by anything. — We can say that musicians are peacemakers who “speak” the language of music… — Absolutely! And we even have an interesting project with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called “Cultural diplomacy: youth music bridges”. Thus, our guys and girls took part in musical programs offered by our embassies abroad and related to various events and dates of the cultural life of Belarus: the 250th anniversary of M. Oginsky, the 200th anniversary of S. Монюшко, the 500th anniversary of printing, Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus and many others. For example, a collection of Belarusian songs and romances in Chinese was published in Shanghai! And our choir went there to present it. The student symphony orchestra took part in the celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of the accession of Belarus to UNESCO, which took place recently at the National Library of Belarus. — This year, as you know, the topic of the plenary session of the 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia is interregional relations as the basis for the formation of common cultural and humanitarian space of the peoples of Belarus and Russia. The theme of one of the sections of the forum, which you will lead, is cultural and humanitarian projects. What issues will you discuss with your Russian colleagues during the Forum of the Regions? Will cooperation agreements be signed? Tell us about the important ones. — The focus is on positive interaction in a variety of areas. Outask together with politicians is to create harmonious

relations between Belarus and Russia. The forum is dedicated to culture and youth. Therefore, it was not by chance that St. Petersburg was chosen as a kind of cultural capital. The Forum is an opportunity to speak out, to show oneself, including our youth. There are enough projects in the Union State to enable socially active young people from the two countries to meet. It is quite right to present and listen to young people at such a high level. And timely. After all, West- European young people, as we know, speak loudly. And our students promote initiatives, master modern forms of communication, generate new ideas. They have something to say. From what is offered this year and what is important for me personally is the existence of a separate section dedicated to culture under the name: “Cultural and humanitarian projects as a link in the spiritual life of peoples”. It seemed to me that linking culture through spirituality of our Slavic peoples is quite organic, integral and understandable. It is a great honor for me to be the coordinator from the Belarusian side in this section. Of course, in preparing the program we focused on the main vectors of cooperation. — Name them, please. — It’s museum business, theater, cinema, libraries, education. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that it is the regional cooperation that is focused on. That is, theatres, libraries, museums are not so much the capital ones as regional ones. Those who are carrying out a creative, important mission in their field, in their region. By the way, we found out that there are a lot of interesting projects related to border communication. These are restoration, museum and exhibition joint traditions. When the program was taking shape, we realized that cooperation agreements would be signed. When we started working on deepening the program, the number of contracts increased. I mean, there are a lot of contacts. And not only with, say, our National Library, the capital’s museums, but also between small, district level museums of Belarus and Russia. Materials were shared, somebody went somewhere and got acquainted… Any-

way, for me not only the theoretical aspect in the work of our section is important, but also its practical results in the form of expansion of interaction of institutions of culture and art of Belarus and Russia, enrichment of spiritual life of our peoples. — So you have the opportunity to systematize all this work. — Yes-yes-yes, this topic is already filled with serious and important content. And there are some old contacts, from the Soviet times. So no need to invent anything artificially. — All you have to do is add some more wood and the fire’s on… — Yeah, we haven’t forgotten the common past yet. And that’s good news! There are also contacts in the youth environment. The youth section “Youth for the Union State” will be working. It’s also a Union State project. Guys and girls will discuss issues of youth movement, entrepreneurship, social support of young specialists and workers. A separate section will be set up as Section 1 “Implementation of joint youth projects of the Union State of Russia and Belarus”. There are already “responsible adults”, experts will speak about these issues. And the most important thing is the participation of young people in the forum, Belarusian and Russian. Each section involves both the participation of specialists — directors of museums and theatres — and young people. Our young teachers will participate as listeners. This format has been suggested for other universities as well. There are also speakers. Do you remember our young violinist Polina Chernevskaya, now a teacher at the Academy of Music? She demonstrated the violin of Andrea Guarneri to the President of Belarus A. G. Lukashenko at the meeting with creative youth. So, the girl will make a report on the interaction of Belarusian and Russian youth in the field of music education and performance. Though, it’s hard to tell about everything. A lot of interesting things are expected as this is culture. And culture inspires. And that means we’ll show all the best that our fraternal peoples are rich in. Interviewed by Ivan and Valentina Zhdanovich

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The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

On a visit to a neighbor The role of tourism as a driver of economic and cultural development of Belarus and Russia regions will be discussed at the sections of the 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia in St. Petersburg

Sport and Tourism Mikhail Petrovich Portnoy. — Mikhail Petrovich, as we know, the brightest events of June are the 2nd European Games. The whole country was preparing. Were any special programs, tourist routes for the guests and fans developed? — Absolutely, we mapped out new excursions for the tourists who came to us for the 2nd European Games. For example, the National Tourism Agency has developed a special route “Minsk — the capital of the 2nd European Games”, where it was possible to visit the sports facilities involved in the Games. The main tour operator of the

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N esterovich

We are accustomed to think that tourism is associated exclusively with rest, pleasure, with the sea, hotels, excursions and so on. This is true, on the one hand: a person always has a desire to explore new countries, get impressions… However, on the other hand, in the era of globalization, tourism is also one of the largest, fastest growing branches of the world economy. How this industry influences the development of the Union State and how often the residents of both countries visit each other — this all is in the interview with the Deputy Minister of

Mikhail Portnoy

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Games “ T SENTRKURORT ” has formed special service packages for the guests and fans: they included tickets for competitions, accommodation in hotels, hostels and farm stays, an excursion program, souvenirs and gifts, a single travel document for all types of public transport. In general, tourist programs in Belarus are constantly updating, the new ones are being developed. Here I would like to move away from the sports theme and tell about the “Tour Guide Fest”, which turned 10 this year. Its essence is that guides, guideinterpreters, historians, museum staff, art historians, teachers and local historians conduct free excursions in Belarus, making all the interested acquainted with a rich architectural, historical and natural heritage. This time during the anniversary festival, which took place on April 12–15 and was dedicated to the International Day of Monuments and Historic Sites, more than 350 excursions were conducted (more than a hundred about Minsk). So we “run in” new routes: we can see whether they cause interest. And now, we are working on the BelarusianRussian tourist route “Mamayev Kurgan (Volgograd) — Brest Fortress (Brest)” together with the “Bresttourist”, the Brest branch of the “TSENTRKURORT”

and the tourist industry of the Volgograd region. — How many Russians come to Belarus every year and how long do they stay here? — More than 207 thousand people came to us in 2018. For comparison, there were more than 191 thousand people in 2017. In percentage terms, the number of tourists from Russia was 108.3%. If we consider the Russians who transit through our country, then according to averaged estimates, we can talk about more than 5 million people. It is difficult to count the exact number since we do not have passport control on the Belarusian-Russian border. Usually they spend five days in Belarus, and this is one of the highest rates in the CIS. — What do you think is attractive to Russians in our country? — Belarus has long and firmly occupied one of the first places among Russians. Belarus and the capital, in particular, regularly get in the top 5 places where our neighbors prefer to spend weekends, holidays and vacations. Why? Firstly, we have a common history, a similar mentality, no language barrier. Family ties, a special nostalgia also “speak” in favor of rest in Belarus. Secondly, authentic culture, traditions, national cuisine, our hospitality attract the tourists. And, of course, nature… See, how many pros to come to Belarus! Our country is stable and safe. Today these are important criteria when choosing a place to rest. Therefore, we say to the Russians: welcome! — In which regions do Russians go more often and why? — The theme of the Great Patriotic War is no less popular in Russia than in Belarus, and therefore Russians are interested in the military-patriotic direction of tourism. In our country, they revere the memory and carefully preserve objects connected with the feat of the Soviet people during the years of that war. In almost every town or village you will find places, obelisks and monuments reminiscent of the heroic battles of our partisans and underground

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The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

The tourists interest to the memorial complex “Brest Hero-Fortress” does not fade out

fighters, soldiers of the Red Army with fascist invaders. Memorial complexes “Brest Hero-Fortress”, “Khatyn”, “Buinichi Field”, the Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War, and the historical and cultural complex “Line of Stalin” always attract visitors. We also have joint, cross-border routes, such as, for example, the project “Katyusha Roads.” It unites the Belarusian city Orsha in the Vitebsk region with the Russian cities Rudnya in the Smolensk region, Smolensk, Solovyevo village and Vyazma city. This route was launched in 2015. Continuing the topic of war, I will note that unique excursions and museum expositions in Belarus connected with the Patriotic War of 1812 are very popular with Russians. The most attractive places are near Borisov, where Napoleon’s army was finally defeated (when crossing the Berezina River). There is a growing interest in the cities associated with the events of the First World War: these are Smorgon and Naroch, forts in Grodno, Baranovichi and Mogilev. Our Russian friends are also interested in the cultural and historical heritage of their homeland. It’s commonly known that many prominent figures of

Russian culture and art left their mark on the Belarusian land: Alexander Pushkin and Fyodor Dostoevsky, Kazemir Malevich and Nikolai Roerich… There are cross-border routes passing through Smolensk, Talashkino village in Vitebsk and Mogilev regions. Ilya Repin, Nikolai Roerich, Mikhail Vrubel worked there. In Novospasskoye village, Smolensk region, tourists can get acquainted with the Museum-estate of the great Russian composer Mikhail Glinka. Of course, everyone is attracted by the “pearls” of our nature — the famous Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, the lakes of Minsk and Vitebsk regions. The Russians are happy to rejuvenate in our spa resorts located in picturesque places and famous for their affordable prices, high level of medical care, and various services, including the most modern spa treatment. I will give the numbers: 196,871 people came to Belarus from Russia to improve their health in 2018. This is 24 433 people more than in 2017. Also, according to surveys, our ski resorts “Silichi” and “Logoisk” are gaining popularity even in the CIS! Russians (and not only them) like our farm stays very much. Last year they were visited by about 32 thousand беларусь. belarus 2019

Historical and cultural complex "Line of Stalin"

Vladimir Nesterovich

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The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

Mikhail Portnoy is learning to bake homemade bread in the Dudutki museum complex

people. By the way, Belarus took the 1st place in the rating of the Russian-language magazine National Geographic Traveler Awards in the nomination “Agritourism” in 2018. Industrial tourism is also developing here: many large Belarusian enterprises, such as the Minsk Tractor Works, the Kommunarka and Spartak confectioneries, the Alivaria brewery and others, offer interesting excursions. Imagine seeing with your own eyes or even riding on the world’s largest 450‑ton dump truck BelAZ! I think it leaves an unforgettable impression! Our cities are also among the top places most visited by Russian tourists — the capital Minsk, the city of the “Slavonic Bazaar” — Vitebsk, as well as the most European city of Belarus — Grodno. Of course, — UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Mir and Nesvizh

Castles. By the way, there are 4 such objects in Belarus that are included in this list: another two are Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the geodetic arc Struve. — From which regions of Russia do they most often come to us? — From Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad, Pskov, Smolensk regions; they come from Murmansk, Kaliningrad, Kazan, Ulan-Ude, Khabarovsk. As you can see, the geography is very wide. Siberians have become more interested in Belarus. By the way, the joint Belarusian-Russian route is becoming more and more popular. It runs through the places of formation and combat actions during the Great Patriotic War of famous Siberian divisions, regiments and battalions. They also left their heroic mark on the Belarusian land. — When is the peak season?

Rest in the city is a new trend in tourism industry

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— Traditionally, this is New Year, Christmas, May holidays and, of course, the summer period, when holiday campaigns begin. — Tell us which regions of Russia do Belarusians often travel to? — Of course, Russia is one of the most visited countries by Belarusians in the world. Every year about 50 thousand people go to the eastern countryneighbor. This is if we speak of tourist groups. And since the borders between our countries are conditional, the number of “individual” tourists from Belarus is incomparably greater. Still the main centers of attraction are St. Petersburg and Moscow, the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory, Karelia, the Altai Territory, and the border regions. — What is, in your opinion, the influence of tourism on the economic, cultural, development of our countries? Does tourism unite our countries? — Tourism has a huge impact on many areas of our life: transport and communications, trade and construction, agriculture and the production of consumer goods, the development of hotel and restaurant businesses, entertainment and so on. This is a catalyst for the socio-economic development of the state, a powerful tool for strengthening friendship and mutual understanding that unites our peoples and countries. And, perhaps, the easiest way to establish contacts, because tourism is always associated with pleasant impressions and

Russian composer and singer Igor Nikolaev left an autograph

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The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

Medical tourism in Belarus is becoming more popular

in good memory of his rest in the Priozerny sanatorium

presents the best options for rest at the largest tourist exhibitions in Russia: in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities. Of course, representatives of the Russian tourist industry are always welcome guests at international tourism exhibitions held in Minsk. Russians and Belarusians actively travel to each other without experiencing any obstacles and barriers; get acquainted with the history, culture, customs and traditions of the neighboring country. The mutual interest of travel lovers is growing. — I see that we have great prospects for cooperation… — Yes, and they look very optimistic. The Russian vector of tourism services

remains the key and gross formative for Belarus. I am convinced that Russia considers Belarus as a reliable partner, proven by time and circumstances, as a faithful ally. Measures are being taken to support tourism industry and stimulate domestic tourism in both countries, but we are still interesting and attractive to each other. I am confident that tourism will continue to make a positive contribution to the development and strengthening of our friendly, cultural, historical and business relations, to promote social and economic development of the two countries, and to strengthen friendship. Interviewed by Alice Gunger BELAZ.by

new discoveries. It is certainly important as an element of uniting nations. After all, we have a lot in common in the historical past. For example, the events dedicated to Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945 in the Memorial Complex “Brest Hero-Fortress” are visited by more than 70 thousand Russians. Tour agencies of the Brest region receive militarypatriotic “Memory Trains” from Moscow and St. Petersburg. They are ready to receive an unlimited number of tourist groups, including those on the “Memory Trains”. The best traditions of the Soviet travel agencies and excursions on thematic routes have been preserved. The integration of Belarus and Russia in the field of tourism is a very relevant topic. It is regularly discussed by our countries’ leaders, important decisions have been taken. A cooperation program in the field of tourism for 2016– 2019 was signed between the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of Belarus and the Federal Agency for Tourism of Russia. It is being successfully implemented. For example, the development of the project of the Union State “Major repair, restoration and museumification of structures of the Brest Fortress in the memorial complex “Brest Hero-Fortress”. We work closely with tourist organizations. We constantly exchange information, delegations and tourist groups, we have established cooperation in the field of training, as well as standard-setting. The National Stand of Belarus regularly

It is possible to get on the world's largest mining truck during a guided tour of the BELAZ plant

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The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

“We’re moving in the same direction” One of the thematic sections of the 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia is educational space: projects and directions of development. What are the key issues to be discussed at the section session and is there experience of fruitful cooperation between Belarusian and Russian universities? First Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus, member of Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus for Education, Science, Culture and Social Development Irina Starovoytova talks about distance education as a reality of our days and new projects of the Ministry of Education in this segment of educational services, as well as about existing areas of cooperation in the educational sphere of Belarus and Russia and plans for the future.

“It is possible to state that there are certain achievements in building a common educational space.” Bilateral relations in the field of education between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation are positive and dynamic. We are planning to continue to work on providing citizens of Belarus and Russia with equal rights to affordable and quality education, formation of the common educational space of the Union State. The work of the section includes speeches and reports of representatives of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, state authorities and administrative-territorial units of two countries, higher education institutions. The participants will be able to discuss a wide range of issues, including the prospects for the development of higher education in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, social and humanitarian education in

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the Union State in the context of integration processes, cooperation between the regions of Belarus and Russia in the training of skilled workers and specialists for the innovative economy of our countries, the development of youth innovative entrepreneurship. Today we can acknowledge certain achievements in building common educational space. This is manifested in the joint implementation of educational programs and scientific projects, mutual recognition of educational documents, implementation of youth initiatives, etc. The basis of this activity is a list of priority areas and priorities for further development of the Union State for 2018–2022, approved by the resolution of the Supreme State Council of the Union State. There is understanding between our countries and interested departments of the need to solve a number of important tasks, such as the implementation of the Union State’s youth policy and the creation of joint youth exchange programs; increasing the academic mobility of students, scientific and teach-

ing staff; further improvement and convergence of education systems of the Union State member states; creation of a mechanism for joint accreditation of higher education institutions (higher education curricula). For example, the issues of formation of common educational space, as well as the implementation of youth policy within the Union State were discussed at a joint meeting of the Collegiums of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, the State Committee on Science and Technology of the Republic of Belarus, which was held on April 11, 2019 in Moscow. As a result of the discussion of these issues and prospects for the development of integration processes, the minutes of the joint meeting of the Collegiums were signed, as well as the Joint Action Plan of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation in the field of state youth policy for 2019.

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

Undoubtedly, at present in the Republic of Belarus there is an institution of higher education of joint competence of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation — Inter-State Educational Institution of Higher Education “Belarusian-Russian University”, which was established on the basis of Mogilev Machine Building Institute as a result of signing the Agreement in 2001 between the governments of our countries. The activity of the Belarusian-Russian University is a real example of integration of educational spaces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. Its distinctive feature is its training in accordance with the educational standards of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. In 2018, the project of the Union State “Development of educational and scientific activities of the BelarusianRussian University on the basis of innovative technologies” was approved. It envisages implementation of measures aimed at improving the quality of educational and research processes based on the development of the digital environment of the Belarusian-Russian University and its material and technical base. I would like to note that in order to organize joint creative, scientific and entrepreneurial activities of young people from Russia and Belarus, the issue of creation of the Belarusian-Russian Youth Technopark on the basis of this university is currently being considered. The university successfully implements a number of educational projects based on network educational programs for students and postgraduates, for example, “Intellectual control systems”, “Modern transport, construction and road vehicles” and others. On the basis of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University the

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“There are plenty of examples of real integration in the education system of Belarus and Russia.”

Irina Starovoytova

practical training program “Network module of practical training “Extractive, processing and machine-building enterprises of industrial complex” was developed for the students of the Belarusian-Russian University Teachers of the Belarusian-Russian University are trained at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, leading Russian scientists are invited to give lectures at the university. Educational programs for related specialties of professional training in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus are similar in their content and structure, focused on the formation of common competencies. “Modern digital technologies provide new tools for the development of higher education.” Digital transformation today is one of the most important global trends in the development of education. Currently, 11 higher education institutions provide distance training for

specialists at the first level of higher education. Distance education is provided by means of availability of electronic textbooks, manuals and other learning and teaching aids necessary for studying all educational disciplines included into the curriculum of the specialty. Students’ access to all learning and teaching aids, educational process (student — teacher) during the semester is carried out through the global Internet. Modern digital technologies provide new tools for the development of higher education. Today, the education system of Belarus has achieved certain success on the way of digital transformation. According to the results of the research, the sphere of education was referred to the group of “digital leaders” — branches of the Belarusian economy intensively using information technologies. In this regard, the national priorities in the field of digitalization, specified in the draft of the Concept of digital transformation of processes in the беларусь. belarus 2019

The 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

Meeting of Belarus Education Minister Igor Karpenko with the delegation of the Novosibirsk Region

The main areas of cooperation include: establishing direct links between educational institutions, including the exchange of experience in improving management and educational activities; increasing the academic mobility of students, researchers and teachers;

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educational system of the Republic of Belarus for 2019–2025, are the following: training students for life in the digital society; introduction of innovative technologies, changing educational paradigms, flexible formation of requirements and curricula; optimization of processes in the education system; ensuring the quality and mobility of educational services at all levels of education; increasing the awareness of the national educational system; and growth of export of educational services. In order to further promote digital transformation, various educational services used by students, parents and teachers will be actively developed and introduced.

Belarusian-Russian University conducts courses for applicants for a shortened

“Opportunities for deeper integration are far from being exhausted.” Cooperation in the educational sphere is carried out with 73 regions of the Russian Federation, including 39 regions within the framework of regional cooperation programs. The provisions of these documents predetermine a wide range of participants, the diversity of areas and multi-vector nature of interaction.

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study term

carrying out joint research; implementing bilateral and multilateral projects, including those within the framework of international programs; and holding joint events dedicated to memorable dates in the history of the Belarusian and Russian peoples. Interuniversity cooperation between Belarus and Russia is being strengthened. About 1300 direct agreements between

higher education institutions of Belarus and Russia have already been concluded. But opportunities for deeper integration are far from being exhausted. In order to promote the BelarusianRussian interregional cooperation and integration in the field of education, science and youth policy, it is planned to sign a number of agreements (contracts) on cooperation between educational institutions of the Republic of Belarus and educational institutions of the Russian Federation within the framework of the 6th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia. In particular, the possibility of signing agreements (contracts) on cooperation between Belarusian National Technical University and Saint-Petersburg Mining University; Belarusian State Technological University and Russian State Geological Prospecting University named after Sergo Ordzhonikidze, etc. is being considered. I am sure that all the goals and tasks that we and our colleagues from the Russian Federation have set for ourselves will be implemented, and our countries will be able to speak about a new level of integration in such important areas as education, science and youth policy.

ccording to the joint program

Partners expand cooperation Belarus study center opens in Nanjing University of Science and Technology

teams are supposed to take part in contests and festivals held in the two countries, as well as organize Days of Culture and Cinematography and cooperate in the field of museum affairs. It should be noted that creating and opening of the center is a result of many-year cooperation between the Francisk Skorina Gomel State University and the Nanjing University of Science and Technology. Having started with research links, collaboration gradually expanded to include education and culture. Be-

larus-China scientific laboratories have been operating at the universities for more than seven years. Every year hightechnology developments of Gomel scientists are delivered to Nanjing. In 2017 Confucius Institute was opened in the Gomel State University. Joint postgraduate study for specialists in physics and chemistry was launched last year. Apart from that, the opening of the center is a part of the program to develop cooperation in education between Belarus and China for 2016–2020 By Vladimir Mikhaylov

www.reading.ac.uk

he center hosted its first events: a photo exhibition about the resistance to the Nazis in occupied Belarus during the Great Patriotic War, and a photo project “Belarus Through My Eyes” — where Belarusian and Chinese photo journalists showed the country’s beauty, its rich natural and cultural heritage, festival celebrations and emotions of its people. The center will promote cooperation between the Belarusian and Chinese universities in a number of areas. This also includes development of joint international research projects in a wide range of linguistic problems, scientific seminars, conferences, exhibitions, colloquiums, and other events, as well as the exchange of the academic staff, internships for students, graduate students and postgraduates. The parties are planning to publish textbooks and materials on linguistic and literature subjects. Another vector of activity of the new center will include organizing scientific and educational tourism and educational programs in summer and winter holidays for academic teaching staff, students, graduate students, postgraduates from Belarus and China. Creative

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rojects

Vintage Rolls-Royce and Langbard architecture

He invented a new pavilion for the world’s oldest dealer and restorer of vintage cars Rolls-Royce and Bentley. The building of the new head office of the company will be located in Surrey (Great Britain). The building will be erected in an industrial area that emerged in the 1920s. And the way it will look like, was inspired by the architecture of Josef Langbard in the 1920s, which Tszwai So saw (noticed, sketched) in Minsk. — I was impressed in a good way by the constructivist buildings I saw in Belarus, — Tszwai So told our correspondent. — The architecture of this style (inspired by suprematism) has long been attributed to the heritage of the Western modernist school. The constructivist and suprematist movement was considered to be the most intensive and influential in the architecture of the 20th century. Belarus has played an important role in the development of this idea. Vitebsk was the epicenter of avant-gardism at the time, a process strongly associated with such giants as Kazimir Malevich and El Lissitzky. The new building in Surrey is designed in such a way that visitors can see how vintage cars are being restored. The guests of the pavilion will move

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Not so long ago, the media mentioned the British architect Tszwai So, who designed the Belarusian Memorial Chapel in London, and the fact that it was recognized as one of the most beautiful buildings in Europe. And recently it became known that the architect took on a new project, also inspired by our country. from the showroom on the ground floor across a separate bridge on the top floor to the transparent polycarbonate lined car repair shops, where they will be able to see the entire restoration process. The design of the car pavilion with a convex rounded corner was inspired by the old building of the National Library in Minsk, as well as the old communal kitchen in the Belarusian capital — two constructivist buildings. The design of the vintage car pavilion is inspired by the Belarusian architecture of Josef Langbard. And these are not all the projects related to Belarus, which are currently being implemented by the British architect. His personal exhibition is opening in the Wolfson College of the University of Cambridge on July 2 (will be open until September 22). It will show many of the architect’s drawings that he made when he was visiting Belarus, as well as his projects that have already received numerous awards. The original largesize image “Slonim 1941”, inspired by the architect’s visits to Belarus and personal memories of the Kaplinsky family, will be presented to the public for the first time. Materials and topics related to Belarus will form a significant part of

this important exhibition at the prestigious college and the world-famous university. Some works will be donated to the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum after the exhibition. — The exhibition will present selected drawings and pictures made by me from earlier times to the present day, — says the architect. — Through these works one can trace the origins of my ideas from the very first to the latest. I also present my more famous projects, such as the Belarusian Memorial Chapel in London, as well as pan-European memorial for all victims of 20th century totalitarianism in Brussels, a vintage car gallery project and the work for Fank Dale & Stepsons and other projects. About 40 percent of the works at the exhibition are related to Belarus, I will also show my drawings inspired by visits to Slonim and personal memories of the Kaplinsky family for the first time. My friendship with them began when Semyon Kaplinsky (Natasha Kaplinskaya’s uncle) once visited the Belarusian Church in London and liked it very much — this was the beginning of a good friendship. Tszwai So is also working on a project to restore a synagogue in Slonim. He urges Belarusian architects to join the work. By Nina Shcherbachevich

rojects

Sources also feed on Chinese energy Many pages of the book “Sources of Light” by Ales Karlyukevich are devoted to the links between Belarusian literature and beautiful Chinese writing

he chapter “China” tells about the trip of t he B el ar usi an national poet Ryhor Baradulin to the Celestial Empire. There is also an essay about the Belarusian poetess Anel Tulupova as a translator of the immortal poetry of Li Tsinzhao. By the way, the book of this Chinese poetess of the Middle Ages was published in Minsk in the series “Light Symbols: Poets of China”. Ales Karlyukevich also shares

his thoughts about the Chinese poets Wang Guochen, Ai Tin, whose books were translated into Belarusian and came out in Minsk. In the Chinese chapter of the book “Sources of Light” there are also conversations with translators into Belarusian of Chinese poetry and prose Nikolai Metlitsky (by the way, he was awarded a special prize by the President of the Republic of Belarus for his translations of the Chinese poetry) and Darya Nechiporuk, Ukrainian translator Maryana Savchenko who translated the prose of the Nobel laureate Mo Yan. The book also contains an essay”Camille Kamal paints China” on the creativity of the Belarusian artist of Azerbaijan origin. Kamil Kamal designed a series of books of Chinese poetry, which were published in the series “Light Symbols: Poets of China” in Belarusian, as well as an anthology of Chinese poetry of 20th-century “Lotus Petals and Chrysanthemums”. Pictures of the Belarusian artist are deeply philosophical in nature, testifying to the original interpretation by the artist of Chinese poetry. It is worth recalling that many publications have previously appeared on the pages of Belarus magazine, in Golos

Rodiny newspaper. These periodicals insistently and willingly promote the relations of Belarus, Belarusian culture, Belarusian national literature with the whole world. The Chinese version of Belarus magazine has been coming out for years. There is a special Internet page “News from China” on the Internet portal of “Zviazda” publishing house. Obviously, there is a need to expand the media resources that link Belarus and China. This primarily concerns the Chinese side as a consumer of news from Belarus. Undoubtedly, it would be good to single out economic periodicals, both in China and in Belarus, that would exchange information, help develop readers’ perceptions of the real sector of economies in our countries, covered those business forums, programs of economic relations that are already held and exist. Confucius Institutes, which are already working at four universities of Belarus, do not have their own publications either, though this is quite an impressive platform for combining many educational and scientific initiatives. So, the Belarusian-Chinese media integration space should develope. By Sergey Shichko

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Ai Qing: the immortal reef of the 20th centurycentury Ai Qing is a great Chinese poet. The space of his artistic discoveries extends to Belarus, the Belarusian national literature. Two books of poems of Ai Qing were published in Belarusian in Minsk in 2015–2019.

hy is this poet so special? Wha is the scale of his creative personality? We tried to find out the answers to these questions in the conversation with the modern Chinese poet, Jidi Majia. He knew Ai Qing and met him more than once. — Mr. Jidi Majia, two books of Ai Qin were published in the Belarusian language in Belarus in 2015–2019. What practical value, in your opinion, do the works of Ai Qing have today? — I am very pleased that Belarus can translate and publish poems of the great modern Chinese poet Ai Qing. There is no doubt that this is also an important achievement of the poetic exchange between China and Belarus. Here I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the translators and publishers of these two collections of poems. Over the last century of the development of modern Chinese poetry Ai Qing was one of the poets who wrote for a long time, had works that were very important for different periods, and at the same time were closely connected with the era in which he lived. We can say that he is one of the most talented poets in the history of modern Chinese poetry of the 20th century. It can also be said that he was a poet with a very developed

SHORT REFERENCE Poet Jidi Majia was born in June 1961 in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecturet, the largest residence of this nationality in southwest China. Jidi Maggia is one of the most prominent, representative poets of modern China, at the same time he is a very influential poet at the international level. His poetic texts have been translated into almost 30 languages. More than 70 sets of translations have been published in dozens of countries around the world.

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social instinct and all his works are the most vivid symbols of the poetry of that era. In the international poetic field, he is widely known as one of the four great “left” folk poets of the 20th century. Among them are the Russian Vladimir Mayakovsky, the Chilean Pablo Neruda, the Turkish Nazim Hikmet and the Chinese Ai Qing. Ai Qing, with his deep and poetic context and simple and refined poetic language, has a great influence on the work of modern Chinese poets to this day. It can be said that he is a poet who has become a classic. — Please, tell us about your meetings with Ai Qing… — I have been and remain a follower of Ai Qing since childhood. His poetry has deeply influenced my work. I have had many opportunities to meet this great poet and hear his speeches first hand since the 1980s. Especially after the 1990s, when he and I both worked at the Union of Chinese Writers. Of course, then there were more opportunities to meet him. He was the funniest person I’ve ever met. He was also one of the few who I can call a wise man. He experienced a lot of suffering in his life: personal suffering, suffering for the country and the people. Ai Qing was a real soldier who could always closely associate personal sorrows and aspirations with the sorrows and prospects of the country and the nation. I also want to add that he was a humanist and a citizen of the whole world. He sympathized with and gave great support to the weak in the struggle for freedom and liberation. He was on friendly terms with many wellknown poets of the twentieth-century from different countries. Ai Qing died in Beijing on May 5, 1996. On that day I wrote a poem for him called “Reef ”. He also once wrote a poem with the same name. I think that Ai Qing is the immortal reef of our century. — Ai Qing lived an interesting life. Which moral qualities did he value most? — Yes, Ai Qing’s life was extremely interesting, because he lived through an era of radical change in such a large eastern country as China. He witnessed to the fact that the oppressed

L nation gained liberation, freedom for its people and independence for its country. The most important thing is that he, being a poet, was not fenced off to life, but involved in this great social revolution. He came through a lot of suffering and even unfair treatment, but he never abandoned his ideals. His works are deep, simple-minded, serious and open. Especially — his long poems, strict and natural, and their ideological nature is incorporated in creative forms, especially in his works of the 40s of the last century. It can be said that these are the most characteristic works in the history of Chinese poetry. — Ai Qing lived in Europe, in France, visited the Soviet Union and South America. Did it greatly influence his work? — Ai Qing studied in his youth in France, mainly painting. Of course, he also read a lot of works by French-speaking poets, especially Rambo, Apollinaire, and other French Symbolists and Surrealists. He began to translate the works of the Belgian French-speaking poet Verharn, when he returned home. It is noticeable that the early works of Ai Qing fell under the influence of Verharn. In the 1950s, Ai Qing and the poet Xiao San visited Chile, discovered South America for themselves and for Chinese poetry. They went to attend the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Pablo Neruda. An important result of this creative visit was his poem “On the Chilean Cape”. But I think that the most important thing is that Ai Qing was a master who could perfectly combine the influence of Chinese and Western poetry in his work, especially with his simple inner language, which should be studied diligently by contemporary poets. — Which Russian poet did Ai Qing remember the best? Who was the closest to him? — In communication with him, I got the impression that he read the works of many poets: he spoke about Vladimir Mayakovsky, Sergey Yesenin, Boris Pasternak and some other iconic, eminent poets of the former Soviet Union of the 1950s. Of course, he also touched upon many other important Western poets, he was full of respect and affection for them. — What status did Chinese poetry occupy in the world literature in his opinion? — When Ai Qing entered the path of poetry, his poetic forms were undoubtedly largely influenced by foreign poems. He also loved Chinese classical poetry very much, for no eminent Chinese poet could ignore the greatness of Chinese classical poetry. I have not heard of his general assessment of Chinese classical poetry, but I think that Chinese classical poetry, especially the poetry of the Tang dynasty, is not only a golden age in the history of Chinese poetry, but also a golden age in the history of the world poetry. I believe that he had the same views and conclusions on this matter. — What was the attitude of Ai Qing towards classical poetry? Whom did he consider the most representative? — As for his attitude and opinion on poetry, I suggest that you should translate his “Poetics” into Belarusian, so you will directly understand his aesthetic views on poetry

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and a number of his unique wise explanations regarding poetic creativity. — What did Ai Qing think about painting? Did he ever try to paint himself? — I only saw sketches of his several paintings. Later he became famous as a poet, so it’s difficult for me to more accurately evaluate his paintings, but I can tell you that if he had continued to paint, he would have definitely become an outstanding creative artist. In a sense, painting needs to be understood for poetry. — How did Ai Qing perceive literary criticism and did it help him in poetry? — It is necessary to understand that he was a poet with good background. Of course, he was also a poetic critic with deep theoretical knowledge. You need to pay attention to his critical work — the “Poetics”. As soon as you read his “Poetics”, many questions will instantly clear up. As for whether classical poetry influenced him, there is no doubt about that, of course, it did. But I must say that this influence was not necessarily direct. Any Chinese poet who writes in his national language will not be able to break ties with the tradition. Traditional poetry has always been an important aspect that provides nutriment for poets, I think that Ai Qing was not an exception in this regard. — Do modern Chinese readers know about the work of Ai Qing? — Today, Ai Qing is a poet who has become a classic. His collections of poems are reprinted many times a year, many of his works are included in the textbooks of secondary schools and universities. The overflow of his readers is inexhaustible, and the most exciting is that there are many young people born after 2000 who love his poetry. This shows that spiritual poetry has true value. It will live in the future society. I immediately recall the famous utterance of the great Roman poet Horace: “I have created a monument more lasting than bronze.” — Thank you, Mr. Jidi Majia for such a convincing story about the significance of the great Chinese poet who finds his readers all over the Planet! Interviewed by Kirill Ladutko.

Beijing — Minsk Jidi Majia

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Striking symbols of unforgettable time In the modern history of sovereign Belarus July 3 is not only a national holiday — Day of the Republic. It is also the date of the liberation of Minsk in 1944 from the Nazi invaders, which literally and symbolically found a vivid epic reflection in the painting of the famous Belarusian artist Valentin Volkov. The work is called “Minsk. July 3, 1944. It is located on the most prominent, honorable place in the permanent exhibition of the National Art Museum of Belarus.

owever, in different exhibition halls but in the same artistic space, there are works of those Belarusian artists whose life biography directly connected with the years of the Great Patriotic War. It is particularly symbolic in the days when the country is celebrating the liberation of Minsk from the fascist invaders. Domestic fine art managed to preserve the most serious attitude to the events of the past war. None of the major artists whose names are included in the golden fund of national culture (Zair Azgur, Valentin Volkov, Andrei Bembel, Ivan Ahremchik, Evgeny Zaitsev, Mikhail Savitsky, Viktor Gromyko, Gavriil Vaschenko, Vladimir Stelmashonok, Mai Danzig, Leonid Scheme-

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lev, Vasily Sumarev and others) could not keep out of this topic in their work. On June 22, 1941, Belarus was in the very epicenter of the military events of the 2nd World War. At the end of August the entire territory of Belarus was occupied by German invaders. In 1942 the Central and Belarusian headquarters of the partisan movement were set up at the Supreme Command Headquarters It is not surprising that Belarus was called a “partisan republic.” Belarus was liberated from the Nazi invaders in the course of “Rail war” and during the “Bagration” military operation in June-July 1944. The fate of the Belarusian art is closely connected with the course of those military events. Some of the artists were on the front, some were evacuated

or remained in the occupied territory, some joined the partisan movement. There was no chance to evacuate the collection of the pre-war State Picture Gallery (the predecessor of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus): most of the works were stolen or destroyed during bombings and fires. Despite the difficult living conditions, Belarusian artists worked during the war. They found more convenient forms of reflecting reality: small etudes, sketches, drawings from the front-line, posters and cartoons, portraits. After the liberation of Belarus artists visited many places of military events with a creative mission, created images of war heroes Yes, the military era is a whole huge world of feelings and experiences with its social, psychological,

A moral features. Each generation of artists was looking for their own ways to explore this world. The art of the 40s — 50s of the last century (which in its essence is a starting point of the development of the military theme) is usually blamed for the peculiar lacquering and excessive staging of those events. However, considering those works, one should not forget that this, in our present opinion, “lacquering” conveyed sincere feelings. Being at the same time a document of the epoch, and a personal experience of the artist, and part of a general spiritual uplift, they can be adequately understood only in a single context. The artistic method of the “big style” required a kind of pictorial literariness, dramatization of military events. It involved numerous preparatory etudes and sketches as it was inherent in the Belarusian school of socialist realism to depict nature true to life. The art of that time was a direct response to the still very recent, very real events of the war. Thus, we have the acuteness and agitation of the creative expression, the development of the dramatic plot. Leading artists of the first post-war generation in all cases found convincing pictorial solutions in their paintings, which determined the creative longevity of their works. Large-scale multi-figure compositions by Evgeny Zaitsev, Sergey Romanov, Ivan Akhremchik, Valentin Volkov, sculptural portraits of Zair Azgur and Andrey Bembel became classics. In the formation of the military-patriotic subject of fine art an important role was played by front-line drawings and sketches in which the authors recorded everyday moments of war. Plots and motifs that later became typical were developed in those years: the tragedy of the hero’s death, confrontation, bitterness of loss, dramatic collisions of battle, disasters of war and occupation, prototype-portraits. The leading place among them was taken by the partisan epic, which revealed a wide variety of life and moral aspects of the war, largely defining the evolution of the Belarusian visual arts. Over time, attitudes toward the military theme began to change. Other

motives and accents are appearing, the main point is not documentary accuracy, but disclosure of the deep philosophical meaning of events, the connection of times, generalization and publicistic style. The military-patriotic themes were successfully developed by Leonid Schemelev, Georgy Poplavsky, Viktor Gromyko, Nikolai Nazarchuk, Nikolai Nazarenko, Boris Arakcheev. Moral motifs, which never appeared in their works before, become the leading ones. On the canvases one can see the tragedy of human destinies. “Partisan

Portrait of a veteran I. Ya. Khalaev. Victor Varlamov. 1985.

Wedding” by May Danzig, “Birth” by Leonid Shchemelev, works by Mikhail Savitsky (where ordinary events were transformed with the help of metaphors and symbols) — they became innovative in reflecting the topic. Yes, over time, various human emotions that are outside the ideological framework become the main topic in the embodiment of war for many artists, including the participants in hostilities. For example, in the picture “June 22. Brest Fortress “ by Joseph Belanovich the figure of the mother in a mourning dress with a child in her arms is associated with the classic motif of commemoration. This theme is expressed with lyrical gentleness in one of the most famous

paintings of Fyodor Baranovsky “Bath”. A cheerful household story that glorifies female beauty creates a stark contrast with the inhuman tragedy of wartime. Undoubtedly, for older artists, war was part of their biography. Many of their works became just an epic story, often built on the specifics of real stories. But the further the time of military events is passing, the more often artists turn to them with the help of a figurative interpretation: psychological, romantic or lyrical. The war began to acquire a “human” face. New artists not only reflected certain real circumstances and actions of the heroes of their paintings, they searched for associations, conveyed emotions, pined, rejoiced when they expressed all this standing at the easel. For artists, there somehow naturally appeared the opportunity to transmit secret, intimate thoughts and feelings. Yes, we can safely say that the military-patriotic genre was further developed in the 21 century. But the difference is in the fact that if before the war was spoken “from the first person”, the authors were purely focused on their own memories, today the artists “read” the topic associatively, shifting it to historical issues, to the courage of people in the fight against the enemy, to display Joy for Victory. Nikolai Opiok, head of the studio of military artists created by the Ministry of Defense, said: “Our task is not to lose the best that was achieved by the predecessors. In fact, we have no taboo topics. It all depends on the ability and courage of the artist, his civic position. If someone wants to delve into history, let them look for not only the most spectacular moments of it. It is important to show not only victories, but also defeats, joy and pain, strength and courage. You have to be honest before history and modern times.” There has been a peaceful sky over Belarus for seventy-five years. Its blueness is reflected not only in the eyes of children, but also in painting. Peacefulness and benevolence are those national traits of Belarusians, which domestic art does not tire of glorifying by means of efforts of its talented authors. By Veniamin Mikheyev

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reativity without borders

Alexey Dudarev:

„I wish there would never be war...“ Why did he write about war more than once? He tries to answer this question himself for all the time he has been involved in creative work. He always wonders how he manages to do it. He adds: war is madness, a terrible phenomenon that contradicts life itself.

Therefore, his life-affirming plays, such as “The Ordinary” and “Don’t Leave Me” (written in different years) do not become outdated. For those who do not know: our guest is Alexey Dudarev, a famous playwright in Belarus, laureate of the USSR State Prize, as well as the winner of the Union State Award in the field of literature and art. He shares his thoughts on war and peace, as well as on the play “Don’t Leave Me”. We present it in this issue with the consent of the author. People sometimes ask me: am I not afraid that the play “Don’t Leave Me…” will become out-of-date? Firstly, I have nothing to fear. Secondly, there is nothing to become out-of-date. The theme is eternal. In addition, a small cast of actors is a great convenience for any theater. A mobile group of five people is engaged in it. By the way, on June 15, I, together with the Dramatic Theater of the Belarusian Army, visited my small homeland in Dubrovno, played the role of Colonel in the play. As you know, Svetlana Aleksiyevich, a Nobel Prize winner in literature, wrote the book “The War Does Not Have a Female Face”. So, in connection with this, I will say: the war does not have a woman’s or a man’s face, much less a child’s face. But it, sadly, has both male and female, and children… Whoever does not believe, can go to our public garden named after Marat Kazei, not far from the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, look at the monument to this unfortunate boy with a grenade… (Marat Kazei was a child and an active

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participant in the partisan movement during World War II. In 1942, Marat with his mother and sister joined the partisan detachment, became a scout and showed himself to be a fearless warrior who accomplished more than one feat. He was awarded orders and numerous medals for services to the Motherland. In May 1944, Marat was surrounded by fascists, shot back, and when the cartridges ran out, he stepped toward the enemy with a grenade in his hands. He was 14 years old. In 1956, Marat was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously. — Auth.) I feel pain every time I pass by. “I wish there would be no war” is a spell of my mother and dad, sister and grannie… I remember myself sitting on the stove and, with an open mouth, listening to stories about how they survived during the war: someone was under occupation, someone was a partisan… My father Anufriy Dudarev was drafted into the army in the first days of the war. He met a victory in Yugoslavia. He came back in the rank of guard sergeant with the Order of the Red Banner on his shirt. I have always been meticulous about those who were singed by war. To some extent it singed me. I could have been unborn. Together with my mother Anastasia and her sisters, Nadia and Dina, born in 1937 and 1941, could have been burnt in one of our Khatyns, I could have died with my father in Stalingrad. In Bulgaria, in Odessa, in Yugoslavia, where he use to fight… The war targeted me. Is it

just me? Many… God forbid that someone would ever experience what my play “Don’t Leave Me” deals with. I wrote it in 2004.The action of the play takes place in 1944 — this is the beginning of the Belarusian offensive operation. The frontline reconnaissance captain Mikhasyov receives under his command a special reconnaissance group of four fighters to carry out a particularly important task. Having met them, the harsh captain experiences a shock. Before him there are four girls just out of school. They had to cross the front-line and stay in the enemy’s rear. Mikhasyov wants to refuse to carry out the task but how can he refuse? It is war. He trains the girls well understanding that this task is most likely the last one in their lives. And the girls are laughing and crying. And they are living for today. While the sun is shining for them, they live and dream. “I will rip throats of all Germans, all hans and fritz for you all… We will survive, we will surely survive,” says Mikhasyov, heading for the enemy together with the girls. This play is not only about the terrible realities of war, not only about what happened. It also says how it could have been if there had been no horror of war. About a happy, peaceful life, about unfulfilled love, about children who were not destined to be born by wonderful worthy girls, young and beautiful. I have already said not once that the play is about the courage that is so hard to find and cultivate in oneself to be ready to die for the sake of others.

C Human destinies were affected by the war so much that until now the dates June 22 and May 9 are perceived as personal grief and personal joy for me. On the Day of the Liberation of Belarus on July 3 I again remember my father, a war veteran who was wounded and concussed… The female characters of the play are girls, even children who do not know what adult life is. They got into the territory of hostilities, not understanding what war is like. They are still playing everything. And life too! The oldest of them came to the war with her favorite toy, a puppy. By the way, this rubber dog is a toy of my daughter Alesya. Now she is quite a grown up person, raising my grandson with her husband. I took it from her many years ago and the toy is still playing in the performance (in the Drama Theater of the Belarusian Army — Auth.). When the commander Mikhasyov, a mature man saw this toy in her hands and he stood dumbfounded: who had been sent? Children, with whom you have to defeat the insidious enemy! And he will defeat the enemy! But these innocent children will have to die. May be he will have to die together with them. And at home there is his wife, a son…

War is the madness of humanity. And madness must be avoided. My play is already quite old. Almost 15 years have passed, but its script is in demand. I recently visited Kobrin for the first time with the theater and played the Colonel there. As they say, never say never… When I was writing this play, I could not even imagine that it would be put on the stage of such an outstanding theater as the Taganka Theater. Anywhere, but not in this theater… I went to the premiere. I took small souvenirs with me — a knapsack, put there two flasks, a ceramic gun and four chocolates. The gun was presented to the director of the theater, flasks to Colonel and Mikhasyov, and chocolates to the actresses. When I see actresses of any status of any theater who are performing in this play, they immediately become my family. Regardless of the quality of their acting. I love them all. The actresses were incredibly surprised when I was at the premiere at the Taganka Theater. The verses of Gennady Buravkin, in loving memory, were read by them in very good Belarusian. Don’t let the black parting horror touch us with its cold fire, do not leave me, do not leave, do not leave me today or forever… The Russian girls spoke without any accent. These verses of the wonderful Belarusian poet inspired

reativity without borders me to call the play “Don’t Leave Me.” And the impact of its creation was the story “And the Dawns Here are Quiet” by Vasilyev… It struck me at the time. But in the book there are girls, not children… And in the play there are teenage girls, I repeat. Not kissed. When I wrote that Batyan asked, going on a mission: can we die? The answer appeared by itself: That’s a pity, I haven’t kissed anyone yet… And when these lines were born, some tears were shed on the manuscript… I myself did not expect that there would be such a turn in the play. According to the idea, this girl created a myth about herself that she was a girl who had already experienced everything in life, and here it turned out she had never been kissed by anybody… Once during this performance at the Theater of the Army I was sitting next to a general. I remember that he was on my right, so smart and imposing. After the performance, he said to me: yes, I understand, maybe she needs something, maybe the army can help her with something… I asked: whom? And he said: Ladyseva (the character of the play). I answered: she is not alive any more. He said: yes, yes, of course, I understand, age… I answered: so she has never existed… And then he understood. Did you imagine all this? He got indignant, as if I had said something stupid… and a friend who was also at the performance that day said to me: but you say in the play that Ladyseva lives in Minsk… So the general thought that she was alive… I think many favorite characters were identified with real people. The power of art is a priori enormous. One of my favorite films is “The Chronicle of the Diving Bomber”, as well as “Only Old Men Go to Battle”. The topic seems to be one, a military one, but the films are different, the actors are different, the stories are different… And the associations people have different. Everyone will see something of their own. The same is my play. And I am very glad that it is relevant. Recorded by Valentina Zhdanovich. Photo by Ivan Zhdanovich. беларусь. belarus 2019

Alexey Dudarev

DON‘t LEAVE ME...

Dramatic ballad the characters:

MIKHASYOV VERONIKA KREMIS ALYA LADYSEVA ZINA BATYAN YADVIGA GURSKAYA COLONEL FIRST ACT THE COLONEL’S DUGOUT. COLONEL AND MIKHASYOV. COLONEL. Sit down… (Pause.) How are your wounds? MIKHASYOV. Hurt… it hurts before the rain. COLONEL. You were submitted to a hero. So make a hole in your service shirt. MIKHASYOV. A bullet will make… COLONEL. Curse the tongue that says it! How do you feel in general? MIKHASYOV. Sitting pretty. I sleep — eat… Eat — sleep… The hospital chief treats me to alcohol. Great! My belly is growing! Comrade Colonel, I do not understand why the hell they are keeping me here. I feel uncomfortable before the wounded! What a fool does not allow me to leave hospital? COLONEL. This is my order. MIKHASYOV. Excuse me, Comrade Colonel. COLONEL. No problem… You did not call me a goat, so thank you… MIKHASYOV. Send me to the front. COLONEL. You will go to the front… You will go… Today you will be discharged. MIKHASYOV. Thank God! COLONEL. Too early to rejoice. MIKHASYOV. (sadly) So, not to my regiment…

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COLONEL. Guesser. So, so… There s a place called Besed not far from us… MIKHASYOV. I know. I was there. COLONEL. On the bank of the river there is a former manor. MIKHASYOV. I know it. COLONEL. Today a special intelligence group is arriving there. There are four fighters led by Junior Lieutenant Kremis. They come under your command. From today you are a king, God and a military commander for them. MIKHASYOV. And this… Kremis… is a normal guy? COLONEL. Normal. A good guy but young… He attended courses and immediately got into a special intelligence group. You are a front wolf. Hero! You have crossed the front line seventeen times. MIKHASYOV. Nineteen. COLONEL. Five languages… MIKHASYOV. Seven. COLONEL. And was injured only three times. MIKHASYOV. Excuse me, comrade colonel, is something wrong? COLONEL. Wrong. A sniper shot at my son near Gomel. MIKHASYOV. Shot dead? COLONEL. Alive!!! God damn him! The order of the Front Commander for all the officers who come to the front-line is to take

off a forage cap and put on a side cap! Snipers shoot only in caps. But, no! He wants to show off before every woman! Narcissus! He wore only a forage cap. So was shot in the forage cap. MIKHASYOV. In the head? COLONEL. In the head. If he survives, I will unscrew this head off, so there will be nothing to wear either forage caps, or side caps, or the skullcaps on. Dude! Okay, go… Deadline is twenty days. Within this time you have to train them in such a way so that they could pass unnoticed in day and at night, crawl, fly like ghosts, like fog, like the most cunning beast. Then there will be a special mission. Discharged! MIKHASYOV. Yes, sir! Blackout. The manor in Besed. ALYA LADYSEVA, YADYA GURSKAYA, ZINA BATYAN are making themselves comfortable in a new place. LADYSEVA is playing the guitar and singing. ALYA’S SONG I’ll kiss you, whisper, warm you up, From the cold winter will take you away. Above the winds and above the clouds Tipsy with happiness, On the palms of love I will raise you to heaven. I will not let you say a word

I will understand them all I will read your lips Your restless dreams. I only pray for you I dream only about you, The rain whispers about you About you are spring songs… GURSKAYA (singing along). I will read your lips Your restless dreams. Alya you are a genius… BATYAN. It seems to me that lips are meant for something else. GURSKAYA. Materialist! (to Ladysheva). And how do you do it? I cannot make up two words. Write home a letter is a torment. LADYSEVA. This is also torment… until you sing it all… BATYAN. I also wrote a verse in the ninth grade. (Sing.) The heat is not terrible, the thunder is not terrible, Rains are not terrible and blizzards It is so delicious to be with you at the table, But still sweeter in bed. GURSKAYA. Aren’t you ashamed? BATYAN. Dreaming is not shameful and not harmful. MIKHASYOV enters. He is dumbfounded. LADYSEVA. Oh! (Covering up.) BATYAN. You should knock! (Not covering up.) MIKHASYOV. What? BATYAN. You should knock! MIKHASYOV. What… are you… doing here? BATYAN. I am sitting on the nightstand… Why? MIKHASYOV. How dare you talk to a senior like that? Attention! BATYAN. Well at least not “lie down”! GURSKAYA. Zina! MIKHASYOV. Who are you? LADYSEVA. Сomrade guard captain, you should ask who we are not us, but our direct commander. BATYAN. And he is also an officer, nothing to sneeze at. MIKHASYOV. Are you from a medical battalion or communication personnel? Girls are silent. I am asking you!

Silence. Another girl Wrong address, comrade guard captain junior lieutenant KREMIS enters. MIKHASYOV! The tribunal send to the peKREMIS. Stand up! Attention! (She nal battalion, not me. stands at rigid attention in front of MIKHASYMIKHASYOV. Send me to the tribunal. OV.) Comrade Guard Captain! A special reCOLONEL. Why? connaissance group that has arrived under MIKHASYOV. I refuse to obey your order. your command is preparing for a retreat. The COLONEL. Heroes of the Soviet Union group commander junior lieutenant Kremis do not fight in the penal battalions. reports. MIKHASYOV. These are kids! MIKHASYOV. (after a long and stupid COLONEL. They all are of age… pause). One more time. MIKHASYOV. Of age… chickens… A KREMIS. A special reconnaissance woman in the war is a shame for a man. We group is preparing for a retreat. The group will never clean ourselves before them for commander junior lieutenant Kremis. this war… We could not protect our daughMIKHASYOV. (like a somnambulist). At ters, wives, sisters, threw them under hanzes ease… boots. KREMIS. At ease! COLONEL. Shut up! MIKHASYOV. Retreat… MIKHASYOV. Zoya KosmodemyansKREMIS. Retreat! The girls are standing. kaya, whom these bastards hanged, for me as Retreat! a man is no pride, but shame!!! Shame and BATYAN. What, to undress?! shame! MIKHASYOV. Give orders, Lieutenant… COLONEL. I said shut up! (Pause.) SchoGive orders… Tomorrow… Tomorrow… I… penhauer… Turned and left. The girls laughed. MIKHASYOV. All my fault, sir! KREMIS (harshly and even crossly). Stop COLONEL. No shit, its not your fault. I laughing! Retreat! think the same as you do… but… there is no Blackout. other way out. No way… THE COLONEL’S DUGOUT. MIKHASYOV. But this is not 1941, it is In front of colonel mikhasyov. possible to find four intelligence officers. Yes, COLONEL. What, captain? in my company… MIKHASYOV. Comrade Colonel, these COLONEL. Enough! (Yelling.) I said are girls… enough!!! Pause. COLONEL. Lo and behold! You’ve noMIKHASYOV. How is your son? ticed… COLONEL. Volodya has died… died toMIKHASYOV. Is it a joke or what? night. Just do not say anything. COLONEL. I’m not joking, captain. MIKHASYOV. What can I say? MIKHASYOV. Is this the special intelliCOLONEL Dude! Damn… (Pours into gence group? cups.) Come on… I can’t alone. COLONEL. Yes it is. Drank. MIKHASYOV. And I have to train them MIKHASYOV. How old was he? for some mission? COLONEL. Right. MIKHASYOV. Comrade Guard Colonel! Allow me to file a report. COLONEL. I allow. MIKHASYOV pulls out a sheet of paper from his pocket. COLONEL reads. “I ask you to send me to the penal battalion. Guard Scene from the play of the Dramatic Theater of the Belarusian Army captain MIKHASYOV.

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COLONEL. Nineteen. A boy. (Long MIKHASYOV В. Alya… Well, then I am BATYAN. I! Fighter Batyan. MIKHASYOV. The dearline is three days. pause.) Meet the group. The mission is cruPetya… How are you to introduce yourself? Teach her to swim and dive like a duck. cial! Beginning of the Belarusian offensive LADYSEVA. Ladyseva… BATYAN. May be not like a duck, but like operation. Make sure that none of them have MIKHASYOV. Not Ladyseva, but fighter a mallard she will sure to swim. any contacts with anyone! You will be getLadyseva… MIKHASYOV. Who can not sing? ting instructions every day. Personally from LADYSEVA. Fighter Ladyseva. BATYAN. I. GURSKAYA. Fighter Gurskaya. me. You can rely on the junior lieutenant. In BATYAN. Fighter Batyan! Two “B”. MIKHASYOV. Surname? everything. MIKHASYOV. And two duties in the BATYAN. Fighter Batyan. MIKHASYOV. Her eyes are… dull. kitchen! MIKHASYOV. Who sings well? COLONEL. You don’t need to wink at BATYAN. Why? Pause. her! Questions? MIKHASYOV. What kind of mission? MIKHASYOV. For two “B”. You are in KREMIS. Fighter Gurskaya. COLONEL. I do not know. (Raised a finthe army, comrade fighter! And leave the MIKHASYOV. Are you very modest? ger.) It is being developed there. Leave. jokes till you go dancing after the war. I am Batyan must sing like a nightingale in three Blackout. appointed by the command to train you for days. The manor in Besed. On the porch LADYSEVA. I can’t promise that she Mikhasyov opens an envelope and reads. will sing like a nightingale, but she will MIKHASYOV. What nonsense… sing. Complete nonsense… (Reads.) “To destroy GURSKAYA. Like a mallard … after reading …” What is there to destroy? (Laugh.) MIKHASYOV. Stop laughing! (To Pulls out a lighter, sets fire to the sheet Kremis.) Don’t hold drill trainings any and the envelope. longer. The sounds of orders are heard from KREMIS. Yes, sir! the site in front of the manor. BATYAN. (quietly and joyfully). The girls appear. Hooray… KREMIS. Group! One, two! One, two! MIKHASYOV. Every day, two forced Toes, point toes! One, two! One, two! A leg marches of five kilometers. In the twihigher! Batyan! light. In the morning and in the evening. BATYAN. How much higher? If only BATYAN. Be blown away! to the shoulders… MIKHASYOV. In a week, the disKREMIS. Talks! One, two! One, two! Russian actor Alexey Guskov as Mikhasyov in the miniseries tance is to be increased to seven kilomGroup! Stop! One, two! Right flank! eters, in three more days — to ten. Dress! How to dress fighter Gurskaya? an extremely important task. From now on, BATYAN. Twenty?! Everyday?! I’ll die! I GURSKAYA. To see the chest of the secthe discipline in the unit must be cast-iron. have never walked so much. ond person. MIKHASYOV. In the afternoon — sleep Under your responsibility, lieutenant. KREMIS. The fourth. and special training. (To Kremis.) Ensure KREMIS. Yes, sir! GURSKAYA. What can I see behind ZiMIKHASYOV. I do not want to hear you that all the food allowances, including adna’s breasts? ditional, fighters eat personally. Eat every mention the reconnaissance group either BATYAN. What about yours?! last crumb. aloud or in a whisper. There is no reconnaisKREMIS. Talks in the ranks! Dress quisance group. You are the women’s section of GURSKAYA. And if there is no appetite? etly! (She approaches MIKHASYOV.) Comthe communications battalion. Clear? MIKHASYOV. You will have appetite. I rade Guard Captain! Special reconnaissance BATYAN. Clear. WSCB. guarantee it from tomorrow. I understand that group is engaged in drill training. The comMIKHASYOV. What? this is war, there are many hungry children in mander of the group is Junior Lieutenant Besed, you feel sorry for them. I understand. BATYAN. The women’s section of the Kremis. MIKHASYOV. Hello, comrade fighters! However, you are not in the medical battalion, communications battalion is abbreviated as GIRLS. Good morning, comrade guard but in the reconnaissance group. A weakened WSCB, Comrade Captain! captain! fighter in intelligence is a knife in the back of MIKHASYOV. Well, let it be WSCB… MIKHASYOV. At ease. the rest. Any questions? No. This is first. SecWho can not swim? ond. You are in the army, so the requirements KREMIS. At ease! GURSKAYA. I! to you… MIKHASYOV. Let’s get acquainted. I am MIKHASYOV. Surname! BATYAN. Like to men. captain MIKHASYOV. GURSKAYA. Fighter Gurskaya! KREMIS. Batyan! LADYSEVA. Alya… MIKHASYOV. Who swims well?

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BATYAN. Didn’t I tell the truth? MIKHASYOV. The truth. Relax, lieutenant, relax… Let her talk. In a day she will be too tired even to utter her last name. And now, girls, third: without jokes. You are adults and are fully responsible for all your actions. You have a special form of clothing and we are performing a special task of the command. Assignment of special importance. The order for its implementation can come at any time. If someone leaves without permission the place of deployment of the group — the tribunal. I do not scare you… And I’m not joking with you. Do you understand? LADYSEVA. Yes, sir. GURSKAYA. Yes, sir. BATYAN. Yes, sir. KREMIS. Yes, sir. MIKHASYOV. Comrade lieutenant, it did not concern you. Any questions? No! Dress! Attention! Right flank! Along the river bank, ahead of the others! On the double! (The girls run away.) WSCB! Blackout. Night. KREMIS is sitting in front of the manor. She is looking into the dark. MIKHASYOV appears. He is holding a suitcase in one hand and a gramophone in the other hand. MIKHASYOV. It will be a hard day tomorrow. Why don’t you sleep, comrade lieutenant? KREMIS. Unlearned… MIKHASYOV. What do you mean? KREMIS. Insomnia… Asomnia… Dizomnia… MIKHASYOV. Beautiful… KREMIS. Latin… MIKHASYOV. And in our language? KREMIS. Sleeplessness. MIKHASYOV. Too early for you. KREMIS. Yes. MIKHASYOV. Go to sleep, lieutenant… KREMIS. I haven’t been sleeping for the second year. MIKHASYOV (ironically). At all? KREMIS. At all. MIKHASYOV. It can’t happen. KREMIS. I also thought that it can’t happen. MIKHASYOV. Are you… serious? KREMIS. Go to sleep, comrade captain…

MIKHASYOV. Maybe lets drink? KREMIS. It will not help. I have tried it more than once. I still do not sleep. MIKHASYOV. How long have you had it? KREMIS. The second year. MIKHASYOV. You haven’t been sleeping for the second year? KREMIS. That’s right. Not a minute, in daytime or at night. Comrade Guard Captain, calm down. I am an exceptional case, this is not a disease… Insomnia… I do not sleep… And at the same time I feel good. MIKHASYOV. What do doctors say? KREMIS. They do not say anything. It is an exceptional case. MIKHASYOV. How did it start? KREMIS. It started comrade guard captain, when I and my younger sister were caught by them… MIKHASYOV. By whom? KREMIS. By the descendants of Wagner, Goethe and Karl Marx… May I say nothing else? MIKHASYOV. Where is your sister? KREMIS. She died. No, not killed… She died… MIKHASYOV. What is your name? KREMIS. Veronica … MIKHASYOV. I’m sorry, Veronica… KREMIS. It’s ok… (She smiles.) But you do not believe that I haven’t fallen asleep for a second year. MIKHASYOV. It is so strange that it is impossible to believe… KREMIS. At the courses the guys were on duty next to my bed for three nights in a row, replacing each other. On the fourth night they believed, and they got afraid. MIKHASYOV. Afraid of whom? KREMIS. Of me… There is anxiety in your eyes … MIKHASYOV. Well, anxiety or not anxiety, but… Is medication helpless? KREMIS. Yes. There is a splitting headache when I take a sleeping pill. MIKHASYOV. Sooner or later it can be a problem KREMIS. Probably… And what’s this? MIKHASYOV. For special training. I’ll explain what to do with it in the morning… KREMIS. Good night… MIKHASYOV. Good night, Veronica… (Leaves.)

KREMIS is sitting motionless, looking into the darkness. Pause. KREMIS (nervously and drawlingly). Group, wake u‑u‑up!!! Girls stand up from their beds. Blackout. Morning. Exhausted girls in spotted overalls enter the room and fall on their beds. BATYAN. Girls, shoot me. GURSKAYA. Water… LADYSEVA. The heart is jumping out of breasts. MIKHASYOV and KREMIS enter. MIKHASYOV. Stand up! Move… Do not drink water! Move… Bend… Exhale! Relax your arms… Line up! The girls lined up. How do you feel, BATYAN? BATYAN. Like a race horse… LADYSEVA. I am thirsty! MIKHASYOV. One sip. Only one sip… (He hands out some things to each girl.) Comb, mirror, mascara, powder, lipstick, cologne… Make hair and make up… lying down… Lie down! GURSKAYA, where are you going? GURSKAYA. I’ll wash my face. MIKHASYOV. Have you heard the command? GURSKAYA. I’m wet all over! What hairstyle? MIKHASYOV. Get down! BATYAN. Get down, Yadya… We are not in the reconnaissance group, we are in a madhouse… MIKHASYOV. BATYAN! Bite your tongue! BATYAN. Yes, sir. MIKHASYOV. Get down! Five minutes. You hairstyles and faces must look perfect! Like for dancing. Like on a wedding day BATYAN. On our own or someone else’s? MIKHASYOV. As you wish. GURSKAYA. Can I use water from my own flask? MIKHASYOV. Yes, you can. (Looks at his watch.) Start. Girls apply makeup lying. LADYSEVA! I said lying, do everything lying… On your back! LADYSEVA. It is ridiculous! MIKHASYOV. What is ridiculous? BATYAN. A woman can only dishevel her hair lying, but can’t make a hairdo.

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MIKHASYOV. Bite your tongue! BATYAN. I don’t have enough teeth… MIKHASYOV. Who will finish — come to me! GURSKAYA. Fighter GURSKAYA completed the task! BATYAN. Fighter BATYAN completed the task! LADYSEVA. Fighter LADYSEVA completed the task! KREMIS. Junior Lieutenant KREMIS completed the task! Mikhasyov attentively looks at everyone. MIKHASYOV (to Gurskaya). The left eyebrow is badly penciled… (To Ladyseva.) Lips like a vampire’s… LADYSEVA. It’s uncomfortable… MIKHASYOV. Lieutenant KREMIS was also uncomfortable… Look… She is like a picture… Batya-yan… Batya-a‑an… BabaYaga wears such make up if she has a date with Koshchei. BATYAN. I have no experience; my father beat me for painted eyebrows or lips. MIKHASYOV. Your father was right. Painted like a scarecrow. BATYAN. It is offensive, comrade captain. MIKHASYOV. Talks! (To kremis.) Train them! Train until they look like actress Orlova or Ladynina. KREMIS. Yes, sir! MIKHASYOV. So… Now put aside all these things. The next task. In a lying position… BATYAN. Again in a lying position! MIKHASYOV. In a lying positon … take off the belts, shoes, undo the overalls. At the command… Here are in front of each — shoes, stockings, a dress, belts, beads, earrings, rings. On command, I fix the time, as soon as possible… Remove the overalls and put it all on. LADYSEVA. Also lying? MIKHASYOVА. Also lying. Besides, do not spoil your hairdoes. One. Do not stain the dress. Two. Besides, fighter GURSKAYA must sing, the rest sing together or laugh. BATYAN. Can I cough? MIKHASYOV. You can. GURSKAYA. What to sing? MIKHASYOV. In any case, not the Anthem of the Soviet Union. GURSKAYA. Clear.

беларусь. belarus 2019

MIKHASYOV. Start! The girls fall to the floor, start nervously unbuttoning. LADYSEVA. We are probably being trained for the parade. BATYAN. Yeah, for May Day demonstration. Lying. MIKHASYOV. GURSKAYA, I can’t I hear the song? GURSKAYA (sings) I’ll kiss you, whisper, warm you up, From the cold winter will take you away. Above the winds and above the clouds Tipsy with happiness, On the palms of love I will raise you to heaven. MIKHASYOV. Stop! GURSKAYA, what has happened? GURSKAYA. Nothing. MIKHASYOV. Why do not you change clothes? GURSKAYA. I cannot. MIKHASYOV (after a pause). Pause. Everyone out, Gurskaya stay. Girls go out. You cannot do what, Yadviga Yanovna? GURSKAYA. Sorry, I can not change in your presence… MIKHASYOV. Why? GURSKAYA. I have never changed before my father!!! MIKHASYOV. I am not your father… GURSKAYA. Anyway, you are a man. MIKHASYOV. And not a man. And not a brother. And not a husband. I am your commander, fighter GURSKAYA. And in a week, an oblique old woman with a merry name Death will take you and me by our arms… And we will go with her. And we will become one whole… You see, one whole! Whole and indivisible. And if, God forbid, you are stopped by a bullet or a fragment, I will undress you without any shame, awkwardness and your permission, and will bandage you where necessary. You will do the same… And in the ambush, behind the front line, there will be no ladies’ rooms! War is war! When we breaking it, then we will start covering ourselves with fig leaves. GURSKAYA. Do you think we will manage? MIKHASYOV. You will manage. Are you Polish?

GURSKAYA. Father went to the cathedral… We are western. From Grodno. MIKHASYOV. Is your mother a teacher? GURSKAYA. A party official … MIKHASYOV. Now I understand where such aggressive chastity comes from. GURSKAYA. Stop it. Mom was shot in 1941. MIKHASYOV. I am sorry… Well, Yadya, are we going to continue training? GURSKAYA. We are… MIKHASYOV. Call the girls… GURSKAYA goes out. MIKHASYOV fixes the gramophone. Girls appear. Line up! We repeat everything all over again… The song is no good… what is it: I will kiss, embrace, whisper? Shu-shu, la-la! What is the song, GURSKAYA? GURSKAYA. Alya composed it… MIKHASYOV. LADYSEVA, are you a composer? LADYSEVA. I graduated from music school … MIKHASYOV. Do you have any other songs? LADYSEVA. I do. MIKHASYOV. Happy ones? LADYSEVA. I cannot sing happy songs, comrade captain. MIKHASYOV. Then …We are going to learn a German song… Listen and remember the words… At least one verse. You will sing it. BATYAN. I won’t remember anything… I had two with minus in German… MIKHASYOV. You will sing la-la-la MIKHASYOV puts a record. Sounds pre-war German hit. KREMIS closes her eyes and moans. BATYAN (to the music). Lal la! La la la la la la la! The whole body of KREMIS is convulsively shrinking. LADYSEVA (frightened). Veronica! KREMIS falls down crying and beating in convulsions. MIKHASYOV rushes to her. GURSKAYA screams. MIKHASYOV. Head… Hold her head!!! Water!!! BATYAN, water! Blackout. To be continued in the next issue.

Veniamin Mikheev

Meetings with the past. At the exhibition in the National Art Museum dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders.

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