Miory Regional Executive Committee

In January, the Vitebsk Region marks its 85th anniversary. Throughout the year, various public, cultural, and sporting events will take place in the region, and special projects dedicated to this occasion will be implemented. They will be united by a special commemorative logo, with its development involving leading creative professionals, including those from universities across the Vitebsk region.

The comprehensive plan approved by the Regional Executive Committee encompasses approximately fifty events. According to Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Vyacheslav Durnov, even at the stage of drafting the formal document, the desire to appropriately commemorate the anniversary of the native region and enrich it with grassroots initiatives united representatives of state authorities and civil society, cultural institutions and creative unions, educational establishments and mass media outlets.

— Consequently, it was decided to hold events throughout the year, rather than limiting them to January 15, the date on which the Law on the Establishment of the Vitebsk Region was adopted in 1938. It is particularly symbolic that the President of Belarus declared 2023, the jubilee year for our region, as the Year of Peace and Creativity. The modern Vitebsk Region has transformed into a highly developed industrial-agricultural area precisely due to the peaceful and constructive labor of thousands of our compatriots who demonstrated resilience, patriotism, and spiritual fortitude. Preserving the memory of the accomplishments of our predecessors and documenting the everyday work of our contemporaries lies at the core of most events marking the region’s 85th anniversary, Vyacheslav Durnov noted. Comparable plans have been developed in each district.

Following the long-standing tradition of inaugurating significant facilities on important dates, which is upheld in sovereign Belarus, the first event in the series of anniversary celebrations will be the opening on January 13 of a new residential building at the children’s rehabilitation and health center “Zhemchuzhina” (Lepel District). The implementation of this project will enable the health resort to improve its economic efficiency and will also have a positive impact on the overall development of the Lepel District. It is therefore no coincidence that the event at the children’s center will take place under the banner of the 85th anniversary of the region, often referred to as the blue pearl of Belarus. This new chapter in the history of the sanatorium symbolizes the particular care shown by the Vitebsk Region toward the future, where today’s children will serve as the primary builders.

Undoubtedly, the greatest asset of the region is its people. Therefore, the centerpiece of the anniversary year will be the ceremony honoring recipients of the honorary title “Person of the Year of the Vitebsk Region”. Alongside front-runners in various fields, veterans who laid the foundation for the modern development of the Vitebsk Region will also be celebrated as heroes of the occasion, emphasized Vyacheslav Durnov.

The series of events will be associated with the name of our renowned fellow countryman Pyotr Masherov and dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the birth of the prominent state and political figure. Several organizations will participate in their organization, with the Vitebsk State University named after him serving as the initiator and main driving force.

The Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee also highlighted a new project with significant potential for accompanying initiatives aimed at preserving and transmitting to future generations the memory of the traditions of creative and constructive labor practiced by the residents of the Vitebsk Region. This refers to the “Nashi” (Ours) project, which serves as a unique chronicle of labor in the Dvina region. Implementation will be carried out by teams from mass media outlets. The featured personalities in journalists’ creative materials will be accomplished individuals — resilient, successful persons with extensive experience who have achieved remarkable results and made a substantial contribution to the development of the northern region.

In general, the planned events will be designed for diverse audiences, enabling everyone to discover new facets of the Vitebsk region. Specifically, tourist routes titled “A New Perspective on Historical Steps”, “Through the Prism of Decades”, and “Historical Steps Through Modern Times” will be developed for the anniversary. A coloring book titled “The Vitebsk Region Through Children’s Eyes” is also planned for children. Among the celebratory events will be creative meetings and scientific conferences, public and cultural activities, and sports competitions.

— The regional anniversary is always a landmark event. It serves as an occasion to once again highlight the significance of the Vitebsk region in the country’s history and to share the contributions made by the region as a whole and by each of its residents to the socio-economic and humanitarian development of Belarus, thereby inspiring us all toward meaningful deeds and new achievements, — notes Vyacheslav Durnov.

Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by