Lukashenko at Slavianski Bazaar explained what uniqueness of Belarus’ cultural capital rests on
The Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk has become a true epoch – as stated by President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko at the opening ceremony of the 33rd International Festival of Arts tonight, adding that the philosophy of this holiday is rooted in its motto: Through Art to Peace and Mutual Understanding
“Here, on the picturesque bank of the Dvina River, 1050 years ago, the first stone was laid into the city that is now rightfully called our cultural capital,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “There is something special in this corner of Belarus, and it has inspired the creation of masterpieces of fine art, unique architectural objects, great literary and musical works, as well as festivals, competitions, and many other creative projects. For centuries, a unique atmosphere has been created here, it is the atmosphere of creative search, of the dialogue of civilisations. For centuries, trade routes have been crossing here, linking the East and the West, the North and the South. This city has been gratefully absorbing new ideas and trends – developing thanks to that. Therefore, the history of our forum began here, in the city of world-famous people whose professional path had passed through its workshops.”
According to the President, Vitebsk has become the creative homeland of real geniuses. “When we hear about it, we imagine the monumental portraits and sculptures of Azgur, extraordinarily vivid images by Repin, Pen, and Malevich. We look at the urban landscapes of Vitebsk through the eyes of Chagall, who painted his beloved city all his life, even being thousands of kilometres away from it. Thinking about this city, we remember Lagin who invented a fairy-tale hero, old man Hottabych, for Soviet children, and we sing the melody of A Road to Berlin composed by Fradkin a year before the Great Victory. We honour the memory of the talented military commander Ivan Lyudnikov, who led the operation to liberate the Vitebsk Region during the Great Patriotic War, and we are proud of Nobel laureate Zhores Alferov, who was born in the city on the Dvina River and became a legend in world science,” the Head of State said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko added that, speaking about Vitebsk, we also think of our contemporaries – a galaxy of artistes, without whom it is not even possible to imagine the Slavianski Bazaar. “This festival unites people of different generations, religions and cultures, true connoisseurs of art who share a variety of preferences – such as the classics, avant-garde and so on. However, most importantly, it has become a truly family holiday, a celebration of traditional values. City residents and guests can really relax here,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
