Poll: emblem, flag and anthem are main national symbols of Belarusian people

The main national symbols of Belarusians are the emblem, the flag and the anthem – as noted by Nikolay Sukhotski, the Deputy Director for Scientific and Innovative Work at the Belarusian National Academy of Sciences’ Sociology Institute, BelTA reports

The poll was conducted by the Sociology Institute in all regional cities and Minsk, as well as in some district towns and villages among 1,848 respondents in August-September 2022.

State symbols play an important role for any country. These symbolic elements reflect the identity and cultural code of a nation, act as a link between the state and its citizens, while ensuring continuity and consolidation. The poll results showed that two thirds of the country's population (66.7 percent) view Belarus' state symbols – the emblem, the flag and the anthem – as its main national symbols.

"The state symbols reflect the main meanings shared by the country’s citizens, and these meanings have crystallised in the course of historical development. They actually produce a significant impact on feelings and emotions associated with civic consciousness and people’s patriotic views. In recent years, Belarus has been able to prove its right to an independent foreign policy and to truly show its subjectivity. By uniting under state symbols and preserving the history of our country, we are now defending our sovereign right to develop in line with national interests. The emblem, the flag and the anthem are the main national symbols, and they unite us,” Mr. Sukhotsky noted.

Interestingly, the significance of state symbols is slightly higher among young people (65.9 percent) than among the average generation of Belarusians (61.4 percent).

"In fact, the process of formation and consolidation of basic civil-patriotic and political views is most successful at a young age. We should give proper respect to our education system. The latter is effectively acting in this direction as an institution for the education of patriotic principles among young citizens," Mr. Sukhotsky said. “The symbols of sovereign Belarus reflect continuity. Modern generations of Belarusians have grown up and live under the symbols of a sovereign country. Common values, pride in their own country, its history and culture play a key role in shaping the citizens’ patriotic values. The overwhelming majority of respondents (80.5 percent) demonstrate a positive attitude to the state symbols of the Republic of Belarus, and the data obtained indicate that the country’s symbols are actually its national symbols – accepted and supported by the population. This is an indicator of the nation’s unity and consolidation around the symbols. In our citizens’ minds, the state symbols reflect the national character and aspirations of the Belarusian people."