Lukashenko on birth of New Year's Eve Ball tradition
Addressing the participants of the New Year's Eve Ball held at the Palace of Independence on December 27th, Belarus’ President Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke of how this beautiful New Year's Eve tradition originated
The Belarusian leader recalled that the New Year's ball has been held since 2018, and the idea was born in 2017: it was then voiced by a fugitive who had been addressed by Austrians with a request to hold the Viennese Ball in Belarus. “I said I would think the idea over and give an answer. It was in 2017, and we held the first ball in 2018. I thought we were not worse than Austrians. They represent a good, intelligent nation, a beautiful country, the Vienna Opera – but it is better in our country. Our people are good and talented. I did not know that there were good concertgoers, but I thought there was enough time ahead – so we could prepare them,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to the President, the idea was to invite bright and talented young people to a ball organised on the New Year’s Eve. “I am glad now that I made a decision then. We – Belarusians – are a beautiful nation of a beautiful country. We have beautiful ladies, and our men will work over themselves to match them. We will hold our own Viennese ball, and it will be called the New Year's Eve Ball. Accordingly, we have been organising these events since 2018,” he noted.
The holiday is getting brighter every year, but the presence of its choreographer – the Honoured Artiste of Belarus, Ruslan Chernetsky, whom the Head of State called the symbol of the ball – remains unchanged.
“There are no better ones yet. This is bad on the one hand, but we are glad to meet you at this ball. Look at how professional he is. We see him in the movies, he conducts concerts very seriously and responsibly. He is a patriotic and high-hearted man. Moreover, he is a choreographer. I would like all Belarusian citizens to be like that – and it will be great if they are even better. It is our shortcoming, if there are no people of the kind behind us,” the President addressed Ruslan Chernetsky.
