How many and which cultural sites restored and created over years of Belarus’ independence
During the recent press tour dedicated to the formation and development of modern Belarus, media representatives visited the Presidential Library and the Museum of Modern Belarusian Statehood. As noted by Sergei Kvachan, who heads the library, Belarusians have managed to build and restore many historical and cultural sites in the country over the years of its independence.
“The preservation of national culture and spiritual heritage is one of the important factors in the development of our state,” Mr. Kvachan said. “President Aleksandr Lukashenko pays great attention to this sphere, and the adoption and implementation of a number of state programmes – such as Culture of Belarus, Castles of Belarus, and Slutsk Sashes – are a striking example of how the state policy is being realised. For example, restoration work has been carried out in the Nesvizh National Historical and Cultural Reserve, the Mir Castle Complex, the Lida Castle, and the Old Castle in Grodno.”
The ruins of castles in Novogrudok and Krevo, Golshany and Bykhov, as well as other Belarusian cities and small towns, have also become objects for restoration work. Churches, town halls, palaces, theatres have been restored, and a programme for the reconstruction and technical re-equipment of the state-run theatres has been developed. The National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre and the National Art Museum have been revamped, and the Great Patriotic War History Museum was officially opened. The construction of a new modern national historical museum is planned.
In 2002, President Aleksandr Lukashenko initiated the construction of a new National Library building, and the grand opening took place three years later. In 2008, a decision was made at the level of the Head of State to repair and modernise the building at 43 Kirov Street (now 38 Karl Marx Street in Minsk), where the Presidential Library’s collection was planned to move.
“The problem of lack of space for the Presidential Library became evident in the early 1980s,” Mr. Kvachan added. “The issue began to be worked out in the early 1990s, but the USSR collapse and the lack of financial resources of the young republic did not allow it to be implemented. At that time, five unsuitable rooms in various parts of Minsk and in the basements of the Government House were used to store the collection. It was necessary to carry out construction and installation work, redevelop the premises, lay engineering communications, and install equipment. The library's staff faced the difficult task of moving more than one million documents.”
As a result, the library now has a cozy reading room, and its document storage facilities cover an area of more than three thousand square metres, its modern engineering equipment ensures optimal conditions for preservation of the documents. In 2012, the Head of State visited the library, got acquainted with its activities and instructed to open it for everyone.
