Miory Regional Executive Committee

The scientific and practical conference “Tolochin Region: Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Region”, dedicated to the 590th anniversary of the first mention of the city in written sources, is being held in Tolochin.

Opening the event, Vladimir Terentyev, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies, noted its importance not only for the participants themselves, but also for local historians of the Tolochin District, Vitebsk Region, and the country as a whole. He expressed gratitude to the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for fruitful cooperation and for the fact that such events are regularly held within the region.

“It is important that districts host scientists who speak specifically about local history,” added Vladimir Terentyev. “And a significant gift to the region will be a book on the historical and cultural heritage of the Tolochin District, which will be prepared by the Institute of History.”

Greeting the conference participants, Oleg Lyndin, Chairman of the Tolochin District Executive Committee, said that the Tolochin land is famous for its traditions, which are revered and observed.

“It is important that we discuss a whole range of issues related to the history of the region at the conference – from ancient times, through the period of the Great Patriotic War, to the present day. I am confident that joint cooperation within the framework of the conference will enrich our knowledge base about our district,” he emphasized.

Oleg Lyndin presented a Letter of Appreciation from the District Executive Committee to Vadim Lakiza, Director of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor.

In turn, the scholar noted that the Institute of History conducts work aimed at preserving historical memory, fostering historical self-awareness, and cultivating patriots who love their wonderful country with a unique history.

“And it begins with the history of one’s native land, such as the Tolochin region. Such conferences cannot take place without the understanding and support of local authorities in the endeavor that today ranks among the top priorities in Belarus,” Vadim Lakiza expressed confidence.

He added that the event is organized under the "History" subprogram of the State Program of Scientific Research "Society and Humanitarian Security of the Belarusian State" for 2021–2025.

The Head of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus presented unique historical publications to the municipal library. Contributions to the preservation of the region’s historical and cultural heritage were recognized with Letters of Appreciation awarded to Oleg Lyndin, director of the Tolochin Canned Food Factory and Honored Worker of Agriculture of the Republic of Belarus; Anatoliy Anyukhouski, Honorary Citizen of the Tolochin District; Irina Pikulik, director of the Local History Museum; and Snezhana Gvozdeva, Deputy Director of Secondary School No. 2 in Tolochin named after N. P. Lugovsky.

During the plenary session, Professor Olga Levko addressed the historical, cultural, and archaeological heritage of Belarus and its role in preserving historical memory, alongside the archaeological study of the Tolochin District. The session also focused on the genocide of the region’s population during the Great Patriotic War.

A key highlight of the event was the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the State Scientific Institution "Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus" and the Tolochin District Executive Committee. The document was signed by Vadim Lakiza and Oleg Lyndin.

Following this, the conference proceedings were divided into three sections:

“The Tolochin Region from Antiquity to 1917”, “The Tolochin Region from 1917 to the Present Day”, and “Fates Intertwined with the Tolochin Region”. During the section meetings, presentations were delivered on history and culture, archaeological and ethnographic research, socio-economic development, and military events in the district. Discussions also covered the memorialization of historical memory, as well as the tourism and local history potential of the region.

The second day of the conference will open with a round table, during which the cultural heritage of the Tolochyn region will be discussed. Event participants will take a guided tour of the Drutsk settlement site, where the Principality of Drutsk was located in the 11th–16th centuries with its center in the city of Drutsk, and will familiarize themselves with the production facilities of the Tolochin Canning Plant, which is part of the Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences for Potato and Vegetable Growing.

Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by