Belarus (magazine #3 2019) by BELARUS Magazine

Magazine for you

No. 03 (1026), 2019 Беларусь. Belarus

belarus Politics. Economy. Culture

ISSN 2415-394X

March mood

Newspaper from Belarus

Голас Радзімы edition of the “Голас Радзімы” is available at www.zviazda.by

The newspaper for fellow countrymen: well-known and well-read 1

Газета з БелаРусі

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Н пера цэнз адо ецяр к праб аў ся ш за я мы ызн і да “цісн ім, д сіі. одо о ок ульт еждады, га аНа лікі гу аеце перт і ру гар- тнен — а ум лмічу5са ве с е - най ва ольш ацмен ій рўыРы іцняа каальлам м алаў… л знанне публікі, прафесцізя ноеадвя до гоата ян нры іха д і ў ац ён чв з ача пам уц ум гас Н яш Кір т - хардаШтра йв таы,яко го быпры д ая і, як і каквНікаа рэ есн з ем аеіўад зм ц яж шннайопе пр эаро скі— рым сн Афмоўй і міар н ап бу ьку, ін эр Ся н ы аг ь” аў: і п сцв аы л ёыюлп ы,як цнеаяМі чэўта,аўс е ы к адлзі п свд п на ы ў Мін980-х Адляюбі мса.Да кріазяна,па у н ьклаясця ь ыр ас1я,гэ и ага й ь еірлб огія м з у э ч с таў л е х а куюпра ц у.Тое,штоянаатры м а л а а с я 50 оў, р л я р аМінск,якба ч ым,стаўрод а я (с п іч с і ц і т н б м р е м і н — я д від лару ”: ат оцьу ць пява ітр скія споў ц к ц п ў, н р о л Б ж р о і с г. ь р 1 а у ам ок однас ел гон ыіся і,с - ол тут ер хат яр аўн кі вы с1 г ее рэ і аця ў,ім ісьц тут ая н е т іміл рвыорыцьбла нымяшчэйтым,штотутягоСа ма 944 193 аг а ац м чцыедлямя ва г асдлш мі98 лті бдыома,вя нлаўВя бе года у.Іх жаю ця с Дзм лару рав а ску.Пяцігадоваядзяўчынкаўжога с ва відейзэ,іш у, ом іц вя лтікімудзень не”. р ул мі дінжа в кана ыс я з ер к а ыілааамПан А 1 гр акг оаешчас са окал ось ціпл азва с ас уюп ікаў о на ц іды -мЛ 7-м, раё н ш ч кі, в оў.в ыкнусс аю дыдыі,ікая- цкі тых яма: , л ак ой лазн .Ан тве, ўм руянкызаллі авю “Я алод рава (Нас зам й бе Здо рэа рых н, й мы ыд,д танвта ы цць Мц П ія.“Са ягона адмжэн мею”гэ ысёр т в’ю радзілася. т р юз ря ін зюбу айч а. мі, ,лха хт А в ж с пак рацэ альн менн ючы атуырэ пж паін,тдэр атКа зея мны ан лаі ст анюячмі.азя - , олніаввял. ікае чсак, сякўаляя й,кВаісц ьі сівпінастпыар Саан ас а пе ыя іртуо ле ць. скіх аджш кзннняш ра ю,х онВ к то э а з ы Я кожмрым сі сур’ аш аламаш ніс іызэдляча йм Рав дід н аым ГсоопдісАа“Бе ыл аў джа Прыцягненнезямлыі—гэ та ян п ер пля хту аМі і сё мз е ба лч-ыцьб са ліш ікхеаіалйамПан э Р та об б неіц авя т,о Бдошмелаж, н ікріх бведраміяд ніа парята,а,вя эт родн ам-в ), а ёс расій адл це цыёгзлефўг… і- с улі ме зар ылж рыск ад, ЗаьіДсзв раайбр у —с к іыплеоргскігеан,е з-злыучроліасдв зіам сл ярод увя ьім над ожа, ідзе ан х су ? 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Што ўсё ва к аль н а бы л о вы д ат н а тое,чымуз а г а ц і ж ам,са о я с т к а е р а о й а т я эдц.)ья атуо мы Бпа а у да пі заг ка ліп роц Б яАымая,К , ўГо МБе лінс і ча Ф.Э і 3 лер а яжа тыд рым а- прыЛ дзе( аввітаы гаргахдкараскліізапас каіляп уж —э ежн непр д ай Бглед зячынашмат олгюе гіё екан уст зіла Аля штоў яння сва- у а,іня амеі:“Го .чаМг зроб маей а-ліла -м н я ал літо налі віцкі ешш ійі м ы ай хв С П .-дДзеў2009мта 6 ўц лўіскіяшто ха ілмаПан дсжа дзэмаека л“егіча снаваамна зызейлш сконтпар іп кал ыан с тныіСа н ві ебо ацаця кўаюук ой сн л ы ў и л л н а у у Д а а ц . л р ы і и а н е г е т ш ш б ва Нас аход русі ліў, адзе й мі,а о л ын аадк ш жебн етна аьс- ерб . Сы -зяр пр аў чпае маБа ары л 27 — дД Ра ц м“ петтоыцыінеса ег. 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П авец Ст каз а і са хол ген ў — х, х чыны уска гв В д ар ла в ец ага нтн яжн міі вы са а ты Ай елар . 6 сы кія ска -дэса насц аар скіх н а пр нцаў аў б м: на рва ерал асій о р энц Чы яген з р дж ім ным ад ям сц га

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contents

Беларусь. Belarus

Social and political magazine № 3 (1026), March, 2019 Published since 1930 Founders: Zviazda Publishing House editorialand-publishing establishment Editor-in-Chief: Viktor Kharkov Executive Secretary: Valentina Zhdanovich Editorial office address: 220013 Minsk, Belarus, 10a Bogdan Khmelnitsky Street Tel.: +375 (17) 287-19-19, +375 (17) 292-66-92 Тel./fax: +375 (17) 287-15-26.

Frank conversation about the most important

To the future – together The best students of Belarusian universities from the Celestial Empire were awarded in the National Library of Belarus

www.zviazda.by E-mail: belarus.mag@mail.ru Subscription index — 74977

Devices for cleanliness The devices that will be installed in large shopping centers of the country will accept only unbroken and uncrushed aluminum cans, PET bottles and glasses with undamaged label. A bar code will be placed on it, according to which the taromat will determine whether to pay for this secondary resource

Robot, be human! An anthropomorphic robot is being created at the Joint Institute for Informatics of NAS

18 Ticket to summer

To return to 350 million years ago, to look at the ghosts of the coral reefs of the warm Gomel Sea, to decipher the language of the ancient stone age

There can’t be many markets Despite the fact that today Belarus maintains trade relations with more than 160 countries, there are still many new markets for Belarusian exporters

Memories of the Gomel Sea

Comfortable life in a “green” city Many citizens still mistakenly believe that a "green" city is just a town with a lot of green space. The concept in reality is much broader. To make the city "green" in the modern sense, it is necessary to consider many factors — such as energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, thoughtful construction, waste management, renewable energy sources, "smart" technologies

Registration Certificate No. 8 issued on 16.07.2018, by the Information Ministry of the Republic of Belarus Design and Layout by Tatiana Storozhenko Liubou Malyshava Proof-reader Alisa Gungor Беларусь. Belarus is published in Belarusian, English and Chinese. The magazine is distributed to 50 countries worldwide. Final responsibility for factual accuracy and interpretation lies with publication authors. Should any article of Беларусь. Belarus be used, reference to the magazine is obligatory. The editorial office does not bear responsibility for contents of advertisements. Signed for printing on 22.03.2019 Offset printing. Coated paper. Format 60х84 1⁄8. Conventional printed sheets 6,51 Accounting published sheets 7,91 Total circulation — 1646

copies (792— in English)

Order Republican unitary enterprise "BudMedyyaPrayekt" Licence No. 02330/71 on 23.01.2014 220123 Minsk, Belarus, 13/61 V. Khoruzhey Street

Ayurveda with pine flavor

On the front page of the cover picture by BelTA

беларусь. belarus 2019

more in the issue 1 2

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Camera! Action! 25

Science of accommodation

41 History in modern rhythms

When we start talking once again about the improvement of the hospitality business, somehow we mainly mean the capital and regional centers

A number of interesting events are organized by the National Historical Museum of Belarus with account of special dates and events, which are going on in the country nowadays

“Reading is an action filled with ritualism”

One coffee story We met the Fedorovs family during the days when Coffee Fest Belarus was held in Minsk. Later we were surprised that Irina Fedorova, PhD in Biology and our good friend, was in the focus group at Gastrofest "Coffee-2019" and chose the most charismatic barista. She changed her profession

At “crossroads” of talent and arts It is extremely symbolic in Pinsk recently appeared a sculpture of Poleshuk-Pinchanin. This man with a beard, in a hat and in Polesie traditional clothing with a belt, carries a peculiar cultural and historical code formed by many generations of the locals

"The bogatyr of human culture"

1 `` On the holiday occasion It has become a good tradition for Belarusian women to receive congratulations from the President of Belarus every year on March 8

panorama

2 `` Flight geography may expand Belarus and India discuss opening air link between Minsk and Delhi

`` To startup! The appropriate plan of startupevents in Belarus was presented by the Ministry of Economy. These events will be arranged in the regions and in the capital Among the events offered to beginners are master classes, startup schools, pitch sessions, meetups and business-idea contests. The implementers of the events will be capital and regional higher educational institutions, colleges and lyceums, small business incubator. Within the year meetings are going to be held not only in the regional, but also in the district centers of the country: in Kopyl, Baranovichi, Orsha, Pruzhany, Novopolotsk, Soligorsk.

This year the President also addressed the warmest words to the better half of humanity. Alexander Lukashenko expressed gratitude to all women of the country and was generous with compliments: “Incomparable beauty of Belarusian women, their professional successes and victories glorify our Motherland far beyond its borders. Your understanding and support, the warmth of loving hearts inspire us, men, to new achievements”. The head of state thanked women for active participation in all spheres of society, upbringing of the young generation, as well as for the ability to keep the peace and well-being in the family. In the President’s opinion, women make the world kinder, ensure its spiritual unity and stability. Alexander Lukashenko concluded his congratulation with a wish of good health, good mood and accomplishment of all desires.

A meeting with Mr. Anish Gandhi, General Director of Primemedia Group of Companies took place at Minsk National Airport the day before. This Group comprises one of the largest travel agencies in India, as well as a company, which renders public relations services to air carriers and aircraft maintenance on the ground. During the meeting, the sides discussed possible cooperation with the Indian side in opening an air link between Minsk and New Delhi. Representatives of Minsk National Airport expressed interest and readiness to cooperate with the Indian side, as the air service will not only expand the geography of flights from Minsk airport, but will also contribute to a significant increase in tourist traffic and will have a positive effect on Belarus’ business potential and image. Mr. Anish Gandhi mentioned that cooperation between Belarus and India in passenger transportation by air would become an important step in enhancing and promoting tourism opportunities of both countries. Apart from that, the representative of the Indian company expressed interest in opening a tourist office to represent Belarus on the Indian market. The parties agreed to continue the dialogue on air travel arrangements at the European regional forum to be held in Hannover in April.

By Alesya Petrovskaya

Aleksey Fedosov

By Mariya Dadalko

Support of the startup movement is an important direction in the program of social and economic development of Belarus for 2016-2020, the new edition of the Directive of the President of the Republic of Belarus “On the priority directions of strengthening the economic security of the state”, as well as in the State program “Small and medium business in the Republic of Belarus” for 2016-2020.

беларусь. belarus 2019

ialogue

Frank conversation about the most important The meeting of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko with representatives of the general public and expert community, Belarusian and foreign mass media lasted for nearly seven and a half hours

and foreign policies, commented on mutual relations with Russia, China, the CIS states, and other countries. The President spoke about the problems in the economy, industry, agriculture, social sphere, paying special attention to the measures which are being taken to solve them. The participants of the Big Conversation with the President did not limit themselves only to questions, but put forward initiatives, expressed their points of view, and debated things with the head of state. The dialogue continued even during a brief pause — Alexander Lukashenko was answering ques-

tions while talking informally to experts and mass media representatives. In particular, the President reminded that the foreign policy of Belarus is pursued solely in the interests of ensuring security and preserving peace in the world: — You all know that Belarus’ foreign policy is multi-vector and is aimed at ensuring security and maintaining peace in the world. We are against any form of aggression, both military and information. But new points of tension are emerging along the Belarusian border. The treaties that have ensured the balance of miliBelta

ver 200 people took part in the Big Conversation with the President. The number included not only journalists, but also political scientists, economists, real economy sector specialists, representatives of public associations and confessions. The head of state answered dozens of questions related to a broad spectrum of matters. Alexander Lukashenko spoke in detail about priorities in Belarus’ domestic

беларусь. belarus 2019

tary power on the planet are collapsing. We are in the midst of a new arms race. When we respond to modern challenges, or make a step towards strengthening our own military capabilities, we immediately see high emotions running both in international political circles and оn the internet. We got used to the fact that not everybody acclaims a quiet life, the progressive development of our small independent country in the center of Europe, and the chosen by Belarus socially oriented policy, which serves human interests, does not excite admiration either. We can see and understand this. Not everyone likes it. This fact provokes, perhaps, the greatest number of attacks on our domestic policy from unofficial and anonymous sources. Also the President of Belarus said:

On the future of the Union State and relations with Russia — You know, when I was making decisions at the dawn of our independence, with whom and how to be, the destiny of

our state and my policy was largely determined by the fact that we are not only connected with each other, we are close people. The entire economic basis relied on it. Our economy was the finishing high-tech production, and we used huge amounts of resources, spare parts and other things, first of all, from the Russian Federation. Then finished products were exported. Many factors encouraged me to advocate for such close allied relations with Russia. When we signed the Union State Treaty, the steps to create this state were envisaged there. The main step that we had to take was to adopt the Constitution of our state at the referendum in order to answer all the questions, from common currency to state administration bodies, — Alexander Lukashenko said and added that the Russian side did not go for it back then. — If we put the question about the unification of the two states or, like many want in Russia, about the inclusion of Belarus into Russia to a referendum, 90 % will vote against. Not because our society is opposed to Russia. A new generation has grown up. The older generation has also understood that we can cooperate in a totally different format, as family and relatives.

ialogue

Today the Belarusians want to be together with Russia but to live in their own apartment. What’s wrong with that?

About the upcoming elections — In the near future, the decisions of the President and the Parliament on these issues will be formalized. Everything will be in accordance with the Constitution. The President noted that so far he had not discussed the issue of the election campaigns in terms of their period with anybody: I swear to you: even if the situation is really bad, I will never manipulate public opinion in order to find the right time to make a bid for power. I don’t need this. In the near future, we are intending to discuss the topic and make a decision on the dates. The President emphasized that the elections are an exam not only for the vertical of power, but also for each of us. We have one common country and there is no other: — I’m sure we’ll pass this exam. The main thing is to conduct these campaigns in a businesslike manner and not беларусь. belarus 2019

ialogue

to rush into some kind of “fight” which may result in harming people and the country. This will come back to bite our children later.

siles to the west of Moscow in order to target Belarus. Why does Poland, other countries (I’m not going to list them)? Let’s be objective in this regard.

About the concept of information security

About the EAEU

— If such missiles were deployed in Ukraine, it would be a catastrophe. We have to understand that Russians will not allow these missiles to be deployed over there. We will absolutely support Russians on this. This is why Ukraine must in no shape or form take steps in this direction. It is not the first time Alexander Lukashenko has expressed his concerns about the possible deployment of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles in Europe. As the head of state he is primarily concerned about the effect the deployment may have on Belarus. “I wouldn’t like some catastrophe to happen in old Europe, god forbid, a nuclear one”.

— To be honest, I do not pin great hopes on the Eurasian Economic Union. Too many suspicions and disagreements. Apart from that, the economic union is getting increasingly politicized, which is totally unacceptable. The president drew attention to the great number of exemptions in trade and to the failure to honor the commitments within the framework of the EAEU. — Even if we put forward a sensible proposal to resolve one or another issue, we end up rendering a decision meaningless. Even free movement, absence of borders in the economy for goods, capital, people, etc., each country tries to bypass and block this movement — something that is fundamental for this union at all. There we have problems. Speaking about Belarus’ forthcoming presidency in the EAEU, the president noted that he does not expect any breakthrough, because all decisions are taken by consensus there. Therefore, a position of one state, be it even the biggest one, can hardly make a difference, if at least one state votes against.

About BelarusChina relations

Belta

The concept of national information security will be revised at a session of the Security Council. The head of state noted that an information war is in progress in the world. He emphasized that Belarus should know how to confront this war using various methods. — We are going to improve the information security concept. We can see the problem and are dealing with it already. We are going to revise and toughen the concept so that people could understand in what direction the authorities will be working, particularly in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections. According to the President, first of all it is necessary to get united inside the country in order to resist information assaults from the West or the East. The opposition has to be constructive. — Russia doesn’t want to lose Belarus, to orchestrate a coup here, to worsen the situation. I am convinced of it. We have to bear all factors in mind. It is possible there is a problem from the East but there is an even greater problem from the West. Russians do not deploy mis-

About the deployment of intermediaterange missiles

беларусь. belarus 2019

China is a reliable partner who is always ready to lend a shoulder to Belarus. This was stated by Alexander Lukashenko when answering the question of the Chinese journalists. The head of state noted that this support is mutual. He also spoke about the development of the economic and investment cooperation between the two states. He thanked the Chinese side. “All issues which I brought out to the leadership of China have been solved,” Alexander Lukashenko emphasized. As an example, he cited the situation when problems with the delivery of products to Russia emerged. — When Xi Jinping came for a visit, he tried our products and I asked if he liked them. He sincerely answered that the products we very good, of high quality. I said that it is necessary to help us with the market. China purchases a huge amount of foodstuffs. Moreover, there is a train that runs between China and Western Europe via Belarus. It is a real gift for us — so that trains do not travel empty on the way back, we can use them to transport our products, first of

D all, agricultural products, to the Chinese market. Alexander Lukashenko emphasized the need to diversify the export of products to foreign markets. The president added that some time ago Belarus was strongly dependent on the Russian market, now we have a security formula of an export-oriented country (30x30x30) thanks to China and other countries. Addressing the representatives of the Chinese media, Alexander Lukashenko noted: — You should know that Belarusians will not be in your debt. You are a reliable partner who has always supported us. We will treat your country the same way. We are your friends.

About visiting China Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko plans to visit China in April to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum. The President noted that he had received an invitation from the President of the PRC to take part in the forthcoming forum and gave a positive response to it. “We will attend this forum, then we will meet in Bishkek in June, at the session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We have a rather busy schedule. Moreover, I will reveal a secret: Xi Jinping suggested holding a meeting in Beijing apart from that.” According to the head of state, the possibility of such a bilateral meeting was initially scheduled for March, but these plans have changed due to the fact that Alexander Lukashenko will come to the forum in China in April. — At this stage, in view of the changed conditions, the situation around Belarus and especially around the People’s Republic of China, it is essential for us to meet and discuss our cooperation in these conditions.

of state (the last meeting of the OSCE heads of state took place in Astana in 2010, the previous one in Istanbul in 1999 — ed. note). We cannot dash ahead. We have to do it step by step. Alexander Lukashenko cited the negotiations of the leaders of the USA and North Korea. Many people expected the first meeting of the heads of state to dismantle difficulties in relations between the countries right away, however, it did not happen. “Major matters cannot be tackled right away, particularly where major players are involved and particularly at the level of countries,” the president noted. New initiatives have emerged, including the revival of the Silk Road. “It is now necessary to couple these initiatives without making them contradictory to each other. How would our Chinese friends accept this initiative? Will it interfere with the Silk Road? A great deal of problems and a great deal of questions,” summed up the head of state.

About the settlement in Donbass — I said long ago that until the Americans join or support the existing format and the talks that were held in Minsk, they will not make much sense. So it happened. I publicly urged to bring the United States to the negotiating table of the Normandy Four. I am sure if it (the United States —

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ed. note) supported this process, we would see it go ahead by leaps and bounds. He stressed that Belarus is ready if necessary, to participate more actively in the negotiations. “I do not like mediation. I do not like being some assistant or imposing myself. You tell us what we should do and we will do it. We do not want to be accused of forcing ourselves as peacekeepers. I can’t stand it. But if you need to do something, you know my position, we will do our best.”

About the Constitution “I believe that we will have to adopt a new Constitution,” Alexander Lukashenko said. The President explained that these issues will be dealt with by the judges of the Constitutional Court: “Frankly speaking, I gave this instruction. I am convinced that the judges of the Constitutional Court are very responsible people and they are working on it. I believe that we will have to adopt a new Constitution. Maybe, we will have to enhance the other branches of power — executive, legislative. Maybe, after a thorough analysis we might have to overhaul the election system and decide whether we should introduce the proportional representation or stay with the majority voting system. This will be easy to do, as it has already been done by Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries. We will study their practices.”

About Helsinki 2 “It is time when we convened Helsinki 2 somewhere and talked seriously at least at the level of the OSCE heads беларусь. belarus 2019

ducational initiatives

To the future – together The best students of Belarusian universities from the Celestial Empire were awarded in the National Library of Belarus Students of Belarusian universities during the awards ceremony

It's nice to take a selfie at Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Belarus,

the National Library

Cui Qiming welcomes the students

heir achievements in education, science and public life of universities were noted by Education Minister Igor Karpenko. The Head of the Ministry stressed the importance of this meeting: “Today’s event is very important for two reasons. Firstly, it is communication with young people, including Chinese students who are studying here. It is also an opportunity to discuss the prospects for professional training and exchange views on a wide range of issues that are of interest to foreign students. The event has been arranged as part of the Year of Education of Belarus in China. This is the reason why it is hosted by the National Library, our main treasure of knowledge.” The Cultural Center of Belarus was opened at the Beijing University of Foreign Languages in China this year and became the ninth in the Celestial Empire. Next month, there will be 10 of them. At present, about 3,300 Chinese students are studying at universities — a thousand more than last year. Source: BelTA

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Creative exchange between Belarusian and Chinese students

xport realities

There can’t be many markets Despite the fact that today Belarus maintains trade relations with more than 160 countries, there are still many new markets for Belarusian exporters

he Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich is also confident of it. This is what he says, in particular, announcing the concept of the broad coverage of promising for the country markets: — We’ve been carrying out complex work to assess the most promising foreign markets. When planning exhibitions, we study proposals and recommendations of embassies and government agencies. We add our own marketing analysis to these two sources. We are looking for markets where there is a real niche for domestic products and solvent partners, assess the degree of risk, logistics. Moreover, for the first time the national exposition of the Republic of Belarus will be presented in Nigeria within the framework of the international exhibition Agrofood. This is a very promising market for exporters of agricultural machinery and food products. Argentina will also become a new country in the exhibition calendar: we are planning to present the Belarusian exposition there in June. Marketing analysis indicates demand for fertilizers and technologies in crop production and animal husbandry in Latin America. According to Vladimir Ulakhovich, another important task is to strengthen our position in the large and very important for world exporters market of Indonesia, which now claims the role of a subregional leader in South-East Asia. To this end, the national exposition of Belarus is going to be held within the framework of the universal exhibition in Jakarta. This year the Chamber of Commerce and Industry will continue to organize large-scale multi-sectional exhibitions of Belarusian manufacturers called “Made

in Belarus”. These exhibitions will be held in Georgia and Kazakhstan. 70 percent of Belarusian exports are supplied to five countries today. These are traditional partners with whom wellcoordinated work has been carried out and there is no need to invest in marketing. But in this situation, in the view of Vladimir Ulakhovich, there is some vulnerability. Belarusian enterprises regularly face unfair competition, restrictions and prohibitions. To bridge the losses from such situations, an ideal export formula is needed. “It is important to understand that we do not set a goal, for example, to reduce the volume of supplies to the EAEU to 30 percent, but we speak about increasing exports to Europe and the countries of the distant arc”, said Vladimir Ulakhovich. So far, the export-oriented Belarusian formula looks like this: we sell more than half of all our products in the postSoviet countries, while about a quarter is sold to the EU countries, the rest goes to the markets of the distant arc. Although there are directions where good growth dynamics is visi-

ble. There are a lot of such kind of positive indicators in the market of SouthEast Asia, in China. For example, if recently we spoke about the supply of products to the PRC in the amount of 10 million dollars, but only last year the product turn-out reached 100 million. It is necessary to mention Africa, its market is of great potential. There is still a niche for Belarusian products in Latin America. The European market is more complicated. On the one hand, potential partners speak about the openness of the market and the WTO principles, which have real prerogative power there, on the other hand, it is not easy to get to the EU market with own products: there are a lot of restrictive instruments. Anyway, the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry purposefully motivates domestic producers to enter the European market. Having received a certificate for the EU market, it will be much easier for companies to work in other directions as well. By Vasily Kharitonov

At one of the foreign exhibitions

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uropean Games 2019

Ticket to summer The 2nd European Games has got an official mobile application — The 2nd European Games will not only become a remarkable sporting event with the participation of world stars, but also demonstrate a high level of technology, readiness and performance. It is no coincidence that the presentation took place in the HTP. This shows that the technological platform is created on the basis of the most modern approaches, in line with the development of IT-industry in our country and in the world in general, — emotionally said George Katulin, CEO of the Foundation “Directorate of the 2nd European Games 2019”. Functional and stylish mobile application Minsk2019 will become one Belta

A At the presentation of the innovation in the High Tech Park the audience were offered to take their phones and find the application Minsk2019 in Google play or App store — it is free and available for download. Similarly, in just a minute, users from any country will be able to get the most complete guide to the main summer sports event with the latest news, addresses, schedule, information about countries and athletes. The innovation, working both on Android and iOS, is the result of cooperation between the Directorate of the 2nd European Games and the HTP resident Synesis sport company, the official supplier of the software and hardware block of the Games.

of the main tools for participants and fans of the games. It already contains the latest publications about the games, including photos and videos. In addition, the “interests” tab will allow users to create their own news feed based on their preferences, focusing on certain spotrs or athletes. The sport facilities section is presented in the shape of a map with markers indicating locations, with the possibility of building the shortest route. Of particular interest is the “events” tab, which indicates when and which competitions will be held at a particular facility — with access to the ticketing portal. There is a separate section for various sports, which contains full information about the spots and the competition schedule. There is a filtering of the schedule by interests. Also, as the Games approach, the information about the countries and their athletes, and then about the results of the competition will be updated. The original addition to the program will be a 3D-model of the Dynamo stadium, which will help guests to orientate themselves on this large-scale platform, and chatbot — in the near future it will be available in Viber, Telegram-channel and Facebook messenger. The Games’ mascot Lesik, a fox who speaks English and Russian, will answer any questions of the users. By Yuliya Vasilishina

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cology

The project is implemented in three cities: Polotsk, Novopolotsk and Novogrudok. “These cities were not chosen by chance,” says project manager Iryna Usava. “They already have some experience in the implementation of environmental projects: all have signed the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. Polotsk and Novopolotsk have joined the CIVITAS sustainable transport network.” How does a successfully functioning “green” city in Belarus appear today? Experts believe that the main task of “green” urban planning in Belarus is

to develop and implement an integrated approach aimed at improving the sustainability of cities through energy conservation, transport development, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation to climate change, as well as other measures that are beneficial to the economy of these cities, the environment and improve the quality of life of citizens. An important element of a “green” city is, for example, mobility aimed at the development of public transport and the creation of both comfortable and safe conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. The

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oday, almost everyone is interested in the rapid promotion of green innovations. For the authorities it’s an opportunity to achieve sustainable development of the region, attract investment and improve the quality of life in the city. Developers are interested in green solutions to make buildings better and more comfortable to live in. However, the focus is on urban residents who are interested in ensuring that the urban environment is ecologically friendly, comfortable and safe. The importance of the theme of sustainable cities and human settlements’ development is highlighted by the inclusion of the self-contained Sustainable Development Goal (Goal 11) in the global agenda. Goal 11 aims to “make cities and settlements open, safe, resilient and sustainable’. The UNDP project — Belarus: Supporting Green Urban Development in Small and Medium-Sized Cities (Green Cities) — is funded by the Global Environment Facility realised in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus; it aims to achieve this goal.

Project manager Irina Usova

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cology

Discussion of problem areas of the urban infrastructure with the residents of Novopolotsk

“Cities for people, not for machines!” slogan embodies the principles of mobility. Urban transport in the “green” city is running on schedule. In Polotsk and Novopolotsk, the project has already planned the expansion of the cycle network, the unification of the two cities with a single cycle network. In addition, adaptation of traffic lights on the principle of “green wave” is planned in Novopolotsk. Public transport stops will also be replaced. As a result, it’s expected to increase public confidence in public transport and encourage a decrease in the use of private cars in urban travel, as well as increase the safety and comfort of travel. The modernisation and integration of cycle networks in the two cities, after the European experience, will increase the popularity of bicycles as one of the main types of urban transport. The implementation of the initiatives creates equal opportunities for movement for all residents of the city, including people with disabilities. “We view Polotsk and Novopolotsk as a conglomeration for which a single plan for sustainable urban mobility is being developed,” explains Pavel Astapenya, a national consultant of the project on sustainable transport. “This is a unique document for Belarus. Its

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goal is to provide a comfortable connection between the two cities. Firstly, is the development of sustainable public transport and, of course, the promotion of cycling. We will link the cities with a cycle path, remove existing barriers and introduce the necessary cycling infrastructure. According to the survey, 60 percent of residents of the two cities do not use bicycles on a permanent basis due to the lack of appropriate infrastructure, primarily bicycle storage.” The project has also conducted a survey in which about seven thousand residents of Polotsk and Novopolotsk took part to bring maximum benefit to citizens and improve their quality of life. Another pilot city of the Green Cities project is Novogrudok. A slogan greets visitors at the entrance to the local District Executive Committee: “To do today what others will think about tomorrow”. Novogrudok is an example of how the local government seeks to use all possible sources for innovation to move to a “smart” and “green” city. The work of the city administration is a good example for other cities of Belarus. The Novogrudok District is the only one in the country that gives electricity from renewable sources more than it consumes. Energy-efficient lighting, wind genera-

tors, solar panels, heat exchangers, environmentally friendly waste management and support for ecotourism have become a reality for Novogrudok. Another important element is the introduction of a system of smart led street lighting and smart meters to measure resources used. “In a “green” city, “smart” light is controlled by lighting control systems,” says Ivan Filiutich — a national consultant of the project on energy efficiency. “These systems take into account the availability of people, transport, lighting and time of the day, thereby saving electricity and money. In addition, the streets have increased overall security.” The work of the Green Cities project is not limited to purely technical activities. To make the “green” development of cities in Belarus a common practice, the project team is developing proposals to improve legislation. These changes and additions will make Belarusian cities more open, resilient and environmentally sustainable. “Specifically, for our pilot cities, we are developing “green” urban development plans that will help determine the direction of the city’s development for the period to 2040 and will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” says Vera

Project team on the streets of Polotsk

Cycling for the Green Cities Project

Sysoeva — a national consultant of the green urban planning project. “We must understand that the plan of “green” urban development is a step-by-step strategy aimed to achieve a long-term vision of the desired state of the “green” city. It is being developed with participation of all interested parties. The plan is created to determine the spatial structure of the city — the basis for development of infrastructure, improvement of mobility and the quality of life.” It is not enough to build a “green” city “technically”: it is necessary to maintain it and the environment in good condition. To do this, people’s consciousness must change in the direction of “green” thinking and a “green” lifestyle. As part of the information campaign, the project team holds meetings with residents of pilot cities in different formats. Participants of the meetings put the most problematic areas of urban infrastructure on the map of the city. The issues of improvement of regions, functioning of public transport and construction of social facilities are discussed. Cyclists offer proposals to improve the cycling infrastructure and people with disabilities are talking about the possibility of creating an inclusive space throughout the city. Resi-

cology

dents’ proposals are considered in the development of the green urban development plan. The project actively supports various initiatives on similar topics. For example, along with the UNDP, it participates in European Mobility Week. The aim of this annual campaign is to show urban residents and city administrations the benefits of using environmental modes of transport. Since 2016, UNDP has been the information co-ordinator of the campaign. In 2015, only three Belarusian cities joined European Mobility Week and, in 2018 — after UNDP experts co-ordinated the initiative, there were already 66! Belarus is now among the top 10 cities that support this pan-European campaign. One of the important tasks of the project is to spread the positive results to other cities of Belarus. In order to replicate the results, the project provides expert support to city administrations on a competitive basis. This is realised as part of the Сovenant of mayors on the development and implementation of action plans for sustainable energy development. In order to generalise and disseminate approaches to “green” urban development, the project, for example, provided expert

assistance in the development of the concept of SymbioCity-Brest‑2050 — approved by the city’s Council of Deputies as a long-term strategy for sustainable development of Brest. In addition, five cities were selected to provide expert support in the development of action plans for sustainable energy development and climate. These are Baranovichi, Pruzhany, Liozno, Mstislavl and Slavgorod. In 2019, the project announced a competition for four more cities of Belarus to provide expert support in the development of “green” urban development plans. “The “Green” urban development is an integrated approach that can be implemented only through joint efforts at different levels of management,” concludes project manager, Iryna Usava. “It is necessary to act in several directions: to determine national policy in the “green” development of cities, to improve national legislation in this area, to develop plans for each city using an integrated approach to the development of urban areas, as well as to have various opportunities for financing infrastructure projects. Most importantly, problems should be solved considering the views of all interested parties.” By Vladimir Mikhailov

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odern features

devices for cleanliness The devices that will be installed in large shopping centers of the country will accept only unbroken and uncrushed aluminum cans, PET bottles and glasses with undamaged label. A bar code will be placed on it, according to which the taromat will determine whether to pay for this secondary resource. By the way, it will be possible to get a deposit for packaging not only by check, but also to transfer money to a mobile or charity account.

Extended responsibility in nine kopecks It is planned that the deposit-refund system (DRS) will begin to work in 2020. The time of the competitive tender, which will determine who will become an investor, ready to invest 100 million euros in several thousand of taromats to establish such collection in the country, has not been announced yet. However, it should be an organization with experience of work with the deposit system, emphasizes Anatoly Shagun, head of the department of the State Institution “Secondary Material Resources Operator”: — The approach to the organization of DRS is quite simple. However, for the scheme to work well and have minimal investment and operating costs, the investor is shall design and create the system himself. And, having experience, he understands how it should be organized. We are confident that the system will be implemented, as it allows us to increase the collection of packaging, which today is delivered to unsorted waste and, as a result, to landfills, rather than to recycling. At the same time, it will not increase the

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costs of producers and suppliers, and as a result — the price of goods on the shelf. Today, all types of packaging are priced at future disposal costs. For a half-liter glass bottle, for example, there are nine kopecks. And this figure, at least with the introduction and coordinated work of the deposit-refund system, can even be reduced to seven, says Anatoly: — Extended responsibility of packaging producers in the practice of solid waste management (the same nine kopecks) is only one of the sources of funding for the deposit system. It also includes funds from the sale of packaging collected as secondary material resources. And also nonrefundable deposits — money paid by a person for packaging when purchasing goods, including packaging deposit. Of course, it is impossible to achieve a 100 % collection of packaging for recycling. As experience shows, 10–20 % of it is not returned. Something will be broken, torn and dumped. Oleg Gruzin, head of the Water Supply and Sewerage Department of the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services, adds that both private and public organizations are expected to participate in the competitive tender.

odern features

Entered undamaged, went out flattened

— We do not want to make any mistakes, which could become a brake on the way of implementation of this system. We are considering the possibility of placing taromats in certain retail outlets, as well as the convenience and the need to update the cash register system, so that they accept checks with a deposit price, and the price for packaging itself.

More packaging, more… shopping It is expected that taromats will be installed not only in shopping centers, but also possibly outside of them, in parking lots, near the buildings of these shops, so that packaging can be returned at any time. As the deposit-refund system is useful for the state, it will be beneficial for retailers to join this scheme and allocate space for taromats in their premises. Centers should understand their responsibilities in the common task of separate waste collection. Thinking about profit, we should not forget social and environmental responsibility, says Oleg Gruzin: — People sort packagings more and more. When such project was started in Lithuania, they planned to reach 60–70 %, but in fact they received all 79 %, and next year more than 90 %. And the Belarusians and Lithuanians are very similar both in mentality and in the ratio of the consumer basket and average earnings. Besides, the shops, where the equipment will be delivered, will receive a small fee, which will cover their expenses for taromats maintenance: electricity, Internet connection, package removal. An interest of a trade point in installment oftaromats is also in increase of the number of consumers and trade turnover, considers Anatoly Shagun: — If a person returns packaging to the shop and receives a check, it is likely that he/she will use it right there. And this is a direct incentive to have a packaging collection point near. The packaging returned through taromats can be either sent back to producers for processing or sold to appropriate processing companies.

The principle of taromat operation is quite simple. A person puts a can, glass or plastic bottle in the device and receives a check for 20 kopecks for each package. According to experts, this is a sufficient bill that will stimulate people not to throw a container in the garbage, but bring it to the taromat. Unlike some European analogues, there will be only one hole on it for all types of packagings. — The current level of recognition of different types of packaging allows to take all types of packagings through one hole. Bottles in taromats are recognized by their shape, weight and bar code on the label, said the representative of the “Secondary Material Resources Operator”. — These parameters are enough to prevent possible fraud with secondary resources: push a crumpled or broken package with damaged labels, half-finished bottles into the taromat… The bar code and the inclusion of packaging in the mortgage system should be made by the packaging manufacturer. If the packaging will be imported from abroad, the supplier should ensure that their size and shape correspond to those that will be indicated by the terms of the deposit-refund system. A bottle that cannot fit into the taromat should not be placed on the shelves of shops, says Oleg Gruzin. The consumer will be able to choose the way of the deposit return o by using certain buttons on the equipment. To receive a check, to transfer funds on a mobile phone, or even to send them all to a charity account, says Anatoly Shagun: — If a person chooses a check, it will be possible to use it within the trading network of shops, where the taromat is placed, attach it to the purchase instead of a part of the amount of cash or even get cash for it at the checkout. It is expected that the filling of taromats can be monitored online in order to empty them in time. By the way, although only undamaged packagings are accepted, cans and PET bottles are taken out of the taromat in pressed form, and glass bottles (if it is not a returnable package) — in the form of glass scrap. This is further guarantee against fraud — repeated return of the packagings. Taromats will appear and start to work simultaneously in all large cities of the country. It is known that in small district shops such devices will not be installed — the seller there will return the deposit manually. By installing taromats, we hope to stimulate the population to collect more recyclable materials and to recycle 80 % of all packaging. By Irina Sidorok

беларусь. belarus 2019

echnology

Robot, be human!

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An anthropomorphic robot is being created at the Joint Institute for Informatics of NAS “Robots will be able to do everything we do” is a thought most of us have when we imagine our future. Even now, robots carry heavy workloads in factories and robotic vacuum cleaners are taking over household chores. They’re not everywhere just yet, of course, but the rend is obvious and evident. Robotics are being developed in many places including at the Joint Institute for Informatics of the National Academy of Sciences. In addition to basic research and development, they make educational robots for schoolchildren and students such as their spherical robot that will be even more capable than the famous BB‑8 robot from the “Star Wars” movies. They’ve even printed a complete robot on a 3D printer. Our correspondent visited the Joint Institute to dig up more details.

Half of Me?

The Laboratory of Robotic Systems of the Joint Institute for Informatics of NAS Software development engineer, Evgeny Pechkovsky is involved in something called additive technologies. He monitors the 3D printer’s work which is constructing important parts for Newman. Newman is the name given to the new, human-look-alike robot they’ve been working on. — This robot is the creation of French designers and engineers, - said Pechkovsky. - The developers loaded the plans of its mechanical parts onto the Internet so that universities, research labs, and anyone else who wanted to could study and recreate the parts themselves. Of course, we would like to create our very own robot similar to Newman in our own lab, but you need to know how the analogs work. Right now, there is only half of a body in front of us. This is the head and the bust of the robot. It will be able to listen as well as talk on its own. Special hearing and speech devices will be installed into its head and it will even be able to recognize objects by touch through sensors contained in its fingers. — It will also understand where it is (Pechkovsky says while pointing to the chest of the robot). A 3D camera is installed here and because of this, the robot will ‘understand’ the space around it and will be have mapping and facial recognition abilities. This robot is a treasure trove of information for engineers because there are so many servos in it. For example, just one

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This is the present look of “Newman” robot

of its hands has eleven degrees of mobility! Our programmers worked hard and are responsible for giving the robot’s hand the ability to move much like that of a human’s hand. We just might even try to get this robot to turn door handles and pick up full cups of coffee (joked Pechovsky). Newman will be able to raise its arms, turn them around, and move its wrists and fingers. It’s quite interesting that it all started with the hand. Specialists from the laboratory the hand at the 2nd Congress of Belarusian Scientists only a few years ago. A web-

Т cam that recognized images was installed near the hand and a person standing in front of the camera would make a movement which would then be replicated by the robotic hand. Everyone likes it so much that they decided to make a full bodied robot based on the experience and feedback of foreign colleagues including those in Russia. By the way, there aren’t yet textbooks on how to create such a robot no on this type of 3D printing which our scientists were interested in studying. The shrinkage of plastic use and other dependencies as well as moisturization of certain materials and other general issues are all things that 3D printing could address. Turns out that a good printer is not simply an office device, but rather an engineers dream machine. — To make its body, we needed 7.5 kilograms of PLA plastic, which is the greenest type we could find. The manufacturer guarantees that if the plastic is left in a compost environment, then it will disintegrate within 5 years without contaminating the environment (Pechovsky added). There are some other great researchers involved in the creation of this artificial man alongside Pechovsky. Ivan Podmazov and Ilya Tuzin will give this robot the ability to not only hear but to respond and communicate accordingly via high-tech speech synthesizers. What about the ability to walk you may be thinking. Well, the robot has no legs just yet. The programming of this type of function is one of the most difficult tasks we face. However, scientists have promised to design and print legs for him eventually. In the meantime, they are conducting the debugging process of the upper torso of the “new man” which may just be the forefather of the first Belarusian human-robot.

They are among us The creation and work on other robots are also being carried out in this laboratory. For example, RoboCake is a universal kit for modeling robots for various purposes. The variety of RoboCake models includes three types of robots: the Beginner (for beginners, of course), the Student (for students) and the Professional (for advanced users). Speaking of which, the latter are already being used in BSU campuses as training kits. The head of the laboratory, Grigory Prokopovich, lays each other the models out on the table in front of us and explains: “such small-size, mobile robots are designed to easily showcase and teach the principles of robotics. — A robot is a complexly integrated device that stands on three pillars. Those pillars are mechanics, electornics, and computer science. To create a complete, high-quality robot, you would need to know and understand the subtleties of all three pillars. Therefore, we try to use the best examples and achievements of these areas of knowledge in our projects in order to adequately compete and create interesting things (says Grigory Prokopovich). — The first robots were used in industry to replace people in complex and monotonous jobs. Then, there was a need for “extreme” robots that were able to work in the most difficult and demanding conditions that were too dangerous for

echnology

Robot can move on water, snow, ground

humans (i. e. moon rovers). Then, sappers, service robots, and, of course, household robots started appearing. — In the meantime, we scientists are doing exploratory research and have projects in all areas of robotics. We receive various requests from private and state enterprises but we are also generators of ideas ourselves. We try to contribute to all categories of robots including service, personal, and industrial types. So, we along with Grigory Prokopvich came up with the idea of the “ball robot”. — Our ball-robot has an advantage over competitors. It will be able to move in all directions with a zero turning radius. We are on it now (Pechovsky shows his mysterious ball). There are six engines inside of it, a control unit, and batteries which are combined into a singular working body of a parallel manipulator. All of this is still handmade by the laboratory staff. — Do you understand why it is better than the BB‑8 robot from the movie “Star Wars”? The BB‑8 cannot gather speed like a car or go into “neutral” to save energy like ours. Our robot can change direction due to the maneuverability of the working body inside the ball. It’s more mobile with a wider range of motion. Another advantage of our robot is the our scientists do not want to reproduce the robots visuals on an additional screen but rather on the surface of the robot itself. The BB‑8 has a “head” that observes its surroundings and some of the walking/running robots often have problems with the connecting point of the “head” and its lower parts including dust and corrosion. The ball is protected by its own form but our spherical robot will not just shine and roll. It will be able to reproduce situational circumstances from its surroundings to your smartphone. It will see everything and will have no “blind” spots (Grigory Prokopovich said interestingly). — We also hope to incorporate within the robot the ability to transmit pictures of its surroundings. Prokopovich does not leave out the possibility that this robot model will be able to solve the problems of movement in the future. It might even be possible to ride within the smart sphere as if it were a car one day. By Alina Kasel

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nique center

Memories of the Gomel Sea

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To return to 350 million years ago, to look at the ghosts of the coral reefs of the warm Gomel Sea, to decipher the language of the ancient stone age: this unique opportunity is provided by rocks kept at the only Belarusian core storage — the Centre for Core Processing, Research and Storage.

Geologist Anna Eroshenko with an example of core

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Belta

his smart new building in the northern part of Gomel was built in 2015. Since then, a new project for the BelNIPIneft Institute has begun — with the stone of the Pripyat trough. According to the Deputy General Director of the Belorusneft Association — Piotr Povzhik, it was possible to combine two aspects at once: the storage of an important natural material and the conduct of an entire complex of studies. As the specialist stresses, these provide completely different opportunities to build a strategic programme of geological work. The Head of the Department of Lithology and Stratigraphy at BelNIPIneft — Igor Yashin — explains the details, “What is a core? This is a sample of rock drilled by a special type of drill from a depth of 2–3km to a maximum of 7km. In fact, the core is the only factual material that allows geologists to determine the prospects for oil content in an area where exploration is carried out. This is the primary source of extensive information: the geological structure of the subsoil, the conditions of sedimentation, the material composition of rocks, the presence and absence of hydrocarbons in them.” After a short talk, we find out that experts call the cores ‘libraries’. Rocks are compared to books which can almost be used for ‘time travel’. For example, this storage facility contains about 35km of core from 1,450 wells drilled in Belarus. Many of the samples are 350–360 million years old. In that distant time, according to senior geologist Anna Yeroshenko, Gomel was a warm shallow lake where coral reefs grew, there were rolling sand dunes and algae grew widely. This was the Red Sea with a modern twist. The letters of the past can now be read on the core samples. The specialist takes the ‘stone’ columns out of the container; some resemble a sponge with holes of different shapes and sizes, (called pores and caverns) and others can be compared to Eastern halva with colourful layers. A little later, while looking at the sample in a laboratory, we noticed traces of a ‘primitive’ worm…

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On the basis of the results obtained in the laboratory, lithological maps are formed, where prospective zones for oil production are fixed

The process of birth of one of the variations of the core is explained by Ms. Yeroshenko in detail, “The Pripyat trough has a complex and at the same time unique oil complex. The rocks have a mosaic structure. Look at these spherical ‘pictures’: these are algae formations. In the turbulent shallow water, grains of sand moved and got connected to algae — eventually forming a sphere. These algae formations are oil-saturated and are reservoirs of hydrocarbons — or rocks containing voids which can keep and filter such fluids as oil, gas and water.” Rocks recovered from various depths are sent for permanent storage. A huge box — filled with shelves up to a height of 9 metres — resembles the vault of a library. However, moisture-resistant fireproof boxes with a heat-insulating seals are used for the cores. Depending on the type, the weight of such a box varies between 10–20kg. Each has the ‘address’ of origin and a QR-code which can provide complete information if activated by a smartphone at hand. Geologist Rustam Kazimov adds, “In Belarus, the core material has been mined since 1964. Previously, it was stored in the Gomel and Minsk regions. Now it is fully concentrated in Gomel. As you can see, the rocks are systematised, catalogued and set out in the zones of oil and gas accumulation — north, centre and south.”

The microclimate for the storage of mineral resources also matters; it is created here by modern air conditioning and ventilation systems. The core ‘likes’ the temperature range of +18 — +21 degrees, with humidity around 75 percent. All this safely prevents the destruction of the stone, allowing it to be stored forever. Even while the stone is resting on the shelves, it is being studied. Several laboratories at the core storage conduct tests which ultimately make it possible to see the prospects for oil and gas areas of the Pripyat trough, to apply knowledge in practice and to solve many more problems. The Institute’s Deputy Director for Geological Exploration — Boris Dubinin — comments, “The ongoing research helps us read the language of the subsoil and foresee the location of new deposits, blocks and objects for development. Basically, it directs exploration along the right avenue.” The final thing to learn about in the ‘library’ is the largest collection of stone material in Belarus, obtained during many years of oil exploration. It unites over 200 samples, including truly unique cores formed hundreds of millions of years ago from Gomel corals and shells. A fossil plant is clearly seen on one of the samples: the leaf from the past has been surprisingly well preserved and now helps to open a door to the future. By Violetta Dralyuk

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nvestments in health

Ayurveda with pine flavor Can this ancient knowledge take root in Belarus? We think it might happen. Having been in India three times (in the southern state of Kerala) we experienced the beneficial effects of wellness techniques and cleansing treatment sessions of Ayurveda.

n order to find it out, we went to Ayurveda Center. This is the first center in Belarus, which opened in July 2018 in a pine forest near Minsk, on the banks of the Minsk reservoir, on the territory of sanatorium "Praleska". Of course, this is not the Pacific Coast with the Arabian Sea or wet heat that envelops you all when in early June (during the rainy season) you get off the plane at Cochin Airport and set foot on the land of the southern state of India — Kerala. But we have pine aroma in our pine forests saturated with oxygen, we discussed while driving. You do not just breathe in this aroma, but it seems that you drink it. It is so strong and healing. We immediately felt that aroma when we opened the car window at the entrance to the health retreat and asked where the Center was located…

India is in our hearts We’ve known about Ayurveda for a long time. This is the life science, which is five thousand years old. As early as in our youth we started to admire it. Our home library contains books that reflect knowledge about the establishment of harmony and balance in body, mind and consciousness, many guidelines for those who practice a healthy lifestyle. However, before acquainting the reader with the Center, let us make a small virtual trip to India, which we discovered and

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fell in love with. We’ll tell you a little about our acquaintance with it on the basis of our impressions. Read more about this on the pages of the magazine (No.12– 2016 and No.7–2018). This country still lives in our hearts. It is impossible to forget it: there is something elusive, mystical, when you think about the state of Kerala, that small geographical part of India which we visited. A few words about our latest wellness treatment in Meiveda. The hotel on the ocean reminds of a small curry tree. We brought it back home along with a leaf of another plant, the name of which we do not know. It also, like curry, is growing on our windowsill. That is such a nice reminder of India. Curry leaves are edible. Our good friend, the head of a Minsk travel company, which also organizes tourist trips to Kerala, told us about it. By the way, Vladimir Klyuykov and his wife Natalya were having a rest in Meiveda when we were there with our friend. One of our friends, who had been seized with India and Ayurveda even before us, once said: India is a diagnosis. It is impossible to forget our Indian friends of different faiths. The strings across thousands of kilometers instantly connect us with them in our minds: as soon as we remember their faces, names, and the friendly words that we heard from them. They are doctors Shrikala Santosh and Shahina, Nisha and Maldi, chefs Josh Sebastian and Aynup, therapists Malika, Achilla, Shydzha, Shayna, Ragunat and Murdoch, managers John and Ramesh, driver Pradeep, yoga teachers Prasad and Santosh… We are still in touch with some of them by email.

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Ivan Zhdanovich

Gokul Krishnan, Reshma Sabu and Adarsh Mohandas are in Belarus for the first time

For example, every morning I receive a message from John from Trivandrum. He is working in Kovalam now. By the way, he invited to come to relax and not to miss a chance to take wellness treatment. This is very close to the capital of Kerala, where his family lives. We made friends with John in 2017, when we were at the Nattika Beach Resort for the second time. John was working there. We even wanted to go to Nattika when we were going through some wellness treatment in Meiveda last year. Unfortunately John had already left for Trivandrum, to be closer to the family. His daughter was born in 2017. He told us that Kovalam is also famous for its Ayurvedic traditions. People who rest in Trivandrum also visit it. The messages from John are always warm, inspiring, filled with deep meaning. I received another one today. We hope John will be pleased if I translate it for our readers in Belarus: “Life is beautiful one day, one hour and one minute. They will never repeat in your future life. Therefore, avoid aggression, anger. Speak with love to everyone you meet”. Or yesterday there was a massage: “Unexpected events and problems are a part of life. Do not lose hope under any circumstances, because the darkness of the night always ends with the light of

the day.” We begin our day with morning coffee and a positive message from John. So it was before our short trip to the Center of Ayurveda — “SHANTER Wellness”. Thus, we are in the Center. We rise to the second floor of one of the buildings of the health retreat. The head of the Center of Ayurveda, Tatyana Nosachevskaya, meets us and shows rooms for visitors. She says that we can get useful information about the Center on the website. She shared it with us. “SHANTER Wellness” was created to offer a modern combination of the best components from the field of science and technology with Ayurveda, yoga, meditation and nutrition system for the proper catering of cellular nutrition. The interlocutor says that our goal is to help people build sustainable health at the cellular level through an integrated approach. It sounds impressive. And then Tatyana said that Belarusian company SHANTER LLC had joined efforts with Wellness Solutions Pvt, Ltd. from India to bring the best of science and nature into the life of Belarusians and the guests of our country. On the Center website you can find information about Wellness Solutions Company: беларусь. belarus 2019

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Center director Tatyana Nosachevskaya

It was established in India in 2002 and includes Wellness Medical Services, Wellness Education, Wellness Health Products, Wellness Cafes and Restaurants, Wellness Programs for Students and Workers, Wellness Resorts, and also participates in the health care system in general. It has a number of branches in India and abroad. The client base has more than 250 thousand people. General Director of Welness Solutions Pvt, Ltd. — Dr. Sri Kumar Appukuttan Naira. He is the President of the Indian Association of Nutritionists, the senior consulting physician in the field of ENT surgery, head and cervical surgery who has more than 36 years of clinical practice, has been practicing nutritional and cellular medicine for 15 years, a life member of the Indian Medical Association, the Indian Association of Otolaryngologists, the Indian Red Cross Society and many others, has international awards and prizes in the field of medicine.

Pioneers The Center employs qualified specialists in Ayurveda from the Indian region of Kerala, which, as we have said, is considered to be the heart of Ayurveda. Here they are called cosmetics, and in Kerala — therapists. They have year contracts. Tatyana invites three cosmetics who perform all the health rituals and wellness sessions. The fourth specialist has gone to Minsk to see the city on her own for the first time. Although the Center opened in the summer, nether cosmetics nor Dr. Joovin Kennedy have walked along the streets of the capital by themselves yet. We are getting acquainted. The Indians smile discreetly, and when they learn that we have been to Kerala more than once and

have heard the language of Malayalam, which they speak, they begin to look at us as at good friends. They are absolutely happy when we pronounce the word “nanni” (with the stress on the last syllable). It means “thank you” in Malayalam. We brought it from their homeland. In Kerala, everyone speaks Malayalam. This language has a very soft sound. Tatyana also rejoices, the guys live separated here, they don’t know Russian and Belarusian, they speak Malayalam with each other, and English with us, so it is extremely pleasant for them to meet those who have been to Kerala. “They are wonderful,” - Tatyana admires. — So smiling, open, and Reshma is just wonderful. We will introduce these charming cosmetics to you, dear readers. Reshma Sabu is a specialist in Ayurveda therapy. She is a professional. She has five years of clinical experience in the field of Panchakarma. This is a complex of cleansing treatment that we experienced when we were in India. Reshma studied at Sreediharyam Ayurveda Hospital, Kerala. She conducts the ritual of Netratarpanam, that is eye rejuvenation. Sreekumari Sreekala is proficient in yoga. She has five years of experience in Ayurveda and Panchakarma in India and abroad. She also, like her colleagues, won the competition to come to Belarus to work here. By the way, Tatyana emphasizes that the competition was not easy, many experts wanted to be selected. Adarsh Mohandas lived in a family that adhered to Ayurveda. That is why he knows what it is since childhood. He passed professional courses at the Ministry of Human Resource Development of India. He used to work for the company Wellness Solutions. Now he is in the SHANTER Wellness team, sharing his eight-year clinical experience. Gokul Krishnan was also born in Kerala and received a diploma in Ayurveda and Panchakarma at Ashramam Training College Idukki.

About the main thing in the service — Tatyana, how do people learn about your Center? — Here come mostly p eople who know Ayurveda, who are looking for it. They find us through our website, like

Namaste is a traditional Indian greeting

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І you did. We also post information on Instagram and Facebook. The so-called “word of a mouth” also works. Today a woman came to us, who heard a good comment about the wellness effect of the treatment from her friend, so she decided to come. — How many people have visited the Center? — Not many yet. We opened it not long time ago. But we try to promote ourselves. Our doctor even participated in the ONT show. There are already articles about us. — Did you know about Ayurveda before you headed the Center? — I did not know about it before I started to work here. Now I am impressed by this science, which gives health. I just fell in love with the Indians. They are so friendly and sincere. Once an elderly woman came to us. I saw how Reshma took her arm and said “hello, mam!” and gently led her into the treatment room. I was so shocked by the warmth and kindness of Rashma. Then I thought that this is the soul and essence of this service without any built-in algorithms. In my opinion, this is the main thing about it. I have a secondary medical education, and considerable experience in medicine. I also have a university degree in marketing. Now I’m trying to apply the acquired knowledge here. By the way, I’m going to practice yoga and experience the rituals that we offer our guests myself. — How much from what you offer corresponds to authentic Ayurveda? — We do our best to correspond. This is why real experts in Ayurveda are working here. They perform all the treatment sessions and rituals that are performed in the Kerala Ayurvedic centers. For example, our cosmetics work with the same oils. They pray before they start the ritual.

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Our boys are Hindus, worshiping Shiva. In general, the whole treatment at the Center is authentic. We also have a steam bath. You have probably visited it. And the menu meets the requirements of Ayurveda, which Dr. Joovin prescribes. He conducts personal consultations with pulse diagnostics, which determines the type of constitution, recommends how to eat and heal.

Dr. Joovin experienced winter for the first time We went to the office of Dr. Joovin Kennedy after meeting and talking to the cosmetics and Tatyana. We communicated with the help of translator Darya. She is also a journalist who studied in Vilnius at EHU. According to Tatyana, Dr. of Ayurveda Joovin Kennedy also practices yoga at the Center. He graduated from the Tamil Nadu Dr. M. G. R. Medical University. He is a PhD in integrative medicine. Tatyana tells us that he has been actively practicing nutritive and ecological medicine in India and abroad for a number of years. He specializes in the study of chronic diseases and recognizes the biochemical onliness of each person for making up an individual recovery plan with the help of a diet and natural dietary supplements, together with the optimization of hormonal levels. Joovin views integral approach as the basis of good health, which includes balanced nutrition, disease prevention and rethinking of the principles of approach to health in general. He takes into account all factors affecting health, well-being and illness. Mind, spirit, body and our environment are among these factors.

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nvestments in health Ivan Zhdanovich

Dr. Joovin Kennedy at the time of the pulse diagnosis

Joovin likes to inspire and teach others the art and science of an integrated approach to health, and he believes that treating the causes and symptoms of diseases can help people regain joy and meaning in their lives. He comes from the north of Kerala, from Canor, from a Catholic family. Joovin’s father works in a bank, and his mother works in a post office. He also has a younger brother who turned 12 years old. Joovin enlivened when we said that we had already recovered in India and learned something about Ayurveda, that we had visited those places. He did not know anything about Belarus before coming here. He just knew that it is a country in Europe. He was amazed when he came here in July. Belarus is very similar to the state of Kerala, especially to the place where he was born: a lot of forests, lakes, fresh air and generally very rich nature. We are pleased to hear about that. We are joking: only in Kerala it’s a bit warmer… And we all laugh together. Joovin told us that he saw snow for the first time in his life. He understood what winter is. The doctor likes it. He easily lived through our mild winter. He likes Belarusians. He says that Belarusians are more friendly than Indians. In Kerala, people who are united by different religions, feel socialized. We ask if the Keralaians are friends with each other in the north? There is a problem with tolerance, according to Joovin, especially when it comes to religion or politics. He tells us that Christians in India are more merciful than Muslims and Hindus. Disagreements tend to occur among Muslims and Hindus. He rejoices when we say that there are more than 170 different nationalities in Belarus who have long lived in harmony and peace.

Joovin has been practicing yoga for more than ten years. He studied with a yoga master, who in his turn attended the first yoga school in India, Kaiveletam. This is now the only yoga institution where authentic yoga is practiced. It is the first and the only place where scientific studies of yoga influence on a person began. There is also a second school of yoga — Bihar with a strong philosophy of yoga. Its leader is Swami Kuvalyanandha. The name of Joovin’s teacher is Prahlad Singh. The doctor believes that Yoga teaches how to control the mind. Our mind is constantly changing. Yoga teaches to keep a balance between these changes. In Sanskrit, yoga is “Yudzh”, which means “to unite”. Yoga aims to unite the body and mind. The philosophy of yoga helps to understand who we are. Other philosophies teach you to look around, and yoga teaches you to look inside yourself. Our conversation is going on. All of us do not seem to want to finish it. We tell Joovin that there are many similar words in the Belarusian language and Sanskrit. It is interesting for him. In continuation of the topic, he expresses an opinion: Ayurveda is not only about India. Ayurveda used to be everywhere. And in Belarus too. This is the knowledge that was passed on from father to son and beyond. We ask Joovin about his hobbies, what he would like to know about Belarus. By the way, Belarus is the first European country the doctor visited. He is interested in history. Therefore he would like to know about the period of the Great Patriotic War in Belarus. We advise Tatiana to help Joovin visit the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, the first house of the RSDLP congress. We promise that he will be impressed. The ideas of communism are still close to the doctor. He considers them positive. And in general, he would like to get acquainted with the period of history when these ideas entered the life of Belarusians. The doctor also would like to visit our castles in Nesvizh, Mir, as well as the National Library and the Trinity Suburb. Then Dr. Joovin suggests doing a pulse diagnostics. But this topic is so interesting that it deserves special attention, so we will not dwell on it in detail. We ask the doctor if he has noticed any special deviations in health characteristic of Belarusians. Are there special patterns in Dosha imbalance? Dosha are types of energies that are inherent in us, humans. Some people have more fire, this is “Pitta”. “Vata” means the air. “Kapha” means the water. Joovin explains that Pitta is typical of Belarusians. They have more fire, emotions. And this is the most common type of Belarusians. But there are people of Kapha. Explanations of the doctor give a reason to joke. It’s cold in Belarus, so we have to warm with this fire. When we get to India in the rainy season, we extinguish our fire there. Well, and for those who find it difficult to get there, we advise you to go to the Ayurveda Center, which will hospitably accept everyone who wants to improve their health. While leaving, we promise Joovin that his Dosha Pitta (the fire) will certainly increase after traveling about our wonderful country. The doctor laughs and says: these will be good emotions. By Valentina and Ivan Zhdanovichi

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ourism

Science of accommodation When we start talking once again about the improvement of the hospitality business, somehow we mainly mean the capital and regional centers. It is true that guests on a visa-free basis arrive mainly through the National Airport “Minsk”. Grodno and Brest regions also have territories with a visa-free regime. What about small hotels in district centers?

n theory, the revival of hotels in regional centers should become a symbol of a boostgiven to inbound and domestic tourism, the result of implementation of local initiatives within the Year of Small Motherland. It is good that the issue of mass sut-down of hotelshas never been raised.But how do they survive? A fresh example is a business trip to one of the district сenters of Gomel region (we will not name the city so as not to offend the hospitable hosts). The local two-storey hotel is run by a commercial organization. Here they definitely know how to count money: the entire ground floor, including the local bar, has been rented out over the past few years. The reception desk is out of work and the receptionist meets the guests on the first floor. Accommodation should be booked in advance and the guests are recommended to make all the arrangements with the staff by 09.00 pm. After that time you have to open the entrance door of the hotel by yourself. The key to the entrance door is attached to the room key. This attitude to the guests may seem strange. Someone may consider such trust-based service as a fresh trend in the life of small hotels. And someone may consider it as forced optimization. Alas, unlike business travelers, tourists can accept it only if the prices arevery low. That is why the hotels keep this price level in all available ways. They do not close and where possible try to update the rooms’ interior. It is sad that most tourists today want to stay neither in overly expensive

hotels nor in the cheapest ones. This trend was recently recalled by Philip Huly, the board chairman of the Republican Union of Tourism Industry. Vitaly Gritsevich, Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, added: hoteliers benefit from a loading capacity of no more than 70 %, otherwise they need

The organization of events of different scale (event industry) is not only a bright idea for Belarus but also an interesting activity. But it should be mentioned that its development is impossible without creating good infrastructure and consolidating the hospitality industry, developing a unified system of standardization and certification of services, and effective

additional staff. Butthere is joy if rooms stay idle for weeks. The experience of neighboring countries shows that hotel occupancy can be made regular and predictable only when local specialists have objective information about the density and content of tourist flow. They should know how to form and direct it through organizing festivals and other public attraction events, promoting local routes for travelers, developing ecotourism.

cooperation with foreign colleagues and partners. The first international eventforum is an important business platform for the development of a mutually beneficial program of activities in this area. The forum was held in Minsk on February 21–22. It was a good chance for provincial hotels to show themselves and offer their services in event marketing. It was a great opportunity to find new and, what is most important, regular customers. By Aleksandr Nesterov

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I These hanging chairs are the pride of the hostess

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t is atmospheric, as they say now, in one of the Minsk coffee houses where she has recently become a hostess. Warm, light, soulful… Candles are burning on the tables for guests even at day time. There are comfortable sofas and checked plaids. Soft pillows of different shapes in colored knitted covers look nice here. There is a wall behind one of the windows — a meter from the coffee house. It is a basement room. And the wall turned into a big picture with a huge tree, clouds-croissants due to the artists who had been invited by Irina. It shows the very process of the world creation, which is being knitted by the hands of a skilled knitter. Two cute bunnies are grazing on a narrow green lawn in front of the knitter. Irina knitted them herself and having climed through the window pulled them out from the territory of the fairy tale to show us. The center of the restaurant hall is decorated with two red hanging armchairs that are mounted on a stable metal frame. They are the embodied dream and pride of the hostess. She remembers that when they were about to open a cafe with her husband, they just sat in these rocking chairs for half an hour. We tested these chairs ourselves. It feels as if you are flying, gently swaying on a cloud. By the way, there are guests who come to the coffee shop to sit in the armchairs, savoring a classic espresso, latte or trendy flat white. On the windowsill behind which there is the fairy tale picture, there is a basket with сlews of fluffy threads and knitting needles. This is for those who want to practice knitting or just relax. It is well known that knitting has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, relieves stress, soothes and immerses you into a state of carelessness. There is a children’s corner with a cat applique on the wall to the right of the entrance to the coffee house behind the dressing room with hangers. Guests with children are always welcome here. Kids will find what to do here: paper, paints, pencils, drawing pens, toys, small table and chairs… There is a TV on the wall in

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Irina Fedorova and Alexander Fedorov hospitably welcome guests

the play-room. Children can watch cartoons if adults do not mind. Or they can just play while the adults enjoy coffee with cheesecake or puff. The aroma of this popular drink and fresh baking fills the space of the coffee house and inspires for hjygge.

In hjugge style For those who do not know: hyggelig, a Danish word, means the ability to appreciate ordinary pleasures of life and to enjoy the moment. It seems to us that Irina Fedorova and her husband create in their cafe a kind of “space where you immerse into happiness and pleasure”, and therefore let us dive a little into the essence of its philosophy. According to the Internet the word hjugge appeared in the written Danish language at the beginning of the XIX century. It comes from Norwegian, in which it means “well-being”. Now this word expresses a special atmosphere and feelings associated with happiness. The founder and director of the Danish Happiness Research Institute Meik Wiking wrote about it in detail in his book “Hjugge: the secret of Danish happiness”. By the way, the Danish hjugge course is already being taught in one of the UK colleges. Shops, cafes and bakeries in hjugge style appear all over the world. Perhaps, this is also the style of the Fedorovs coffee house. The decor of the room is not pretentious, without cold glamor. Warm light colors are pleasant for the eye, your hands involuntarily stretch to feel the texture of soft yarn. By the way, positive tactile sensations are important for hjugge. The smell of baking croissants delivered to Minsk from France pleasantly excites the

sense of smell and awakens associations with something very familiar, pleasant and safe. Well, as good as hjugge, we say to Alexander and Irina: you have sweets, coffee, hot chocolate, and even mulled wine on the menu, and homely, family-like atmosphere, which invites to rest… As well as the name of the coffee house — “Kofta”. They heard something about the Danish hjugge, but did not make the interior in this style. They focused on their own ideas of comfort. After all, they both know the coziness of home. They both grew up in families where it was valued and created. More than once we visited the country house of Irina’s parents not far from Minsk, which they had built by themselves. Andrey Vladimirovich Rytik is a hereditary military, a mechanical engineer. He has already retired. Svetlana Georgievna is a civil engineer. Today they both are having a well-deserved rest. However, the concept of rest does not fit in with these people: they are active, vigorous, positive, and always full of plans, which they bring to life with persistence. We met on vacation in Romania. I still remember how Andrey stopped the rudeness of a passenger on the tourist bus, which was following the European route to the holiday destination. A little later, Andrey Vladimirovich’s active involvement helped the group leader to make the right decision: to disembark the tourist, who rudely ignored the rules of behavior. Andrey impressed and amazed us by courage, determination and a real masculine approach to the situation. We have been on good terms since then. Of course, a private house with a garden requires constant care. Therefore, the head of the family gets up early, at 6 a. m. every day. He goes round the property, looks what needs to be беларусь. belarus 2019

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done, what should be fixed in the house and in the garden first, depending on the season. Besides, he likes to do craftwork. He even built a heated house for cats. Sveta is also a diligent woman. She is a designer and an expert. The interior of the house has been created by her hands and taste. She sews and models clothes perfectly. Andrey is also very creative: he mastered the decorative applied art, does oil painting, and writes great humorous stories about his military service. It may seem at first glance that we’ve digressed from “Kofta”. But this coffee house has its own interesting background, and we just try to see its roots. After all, it is no secret that the example of parents in many respects sets the movement vector in the life of their children, and even grandchildren. Therefore, we will say a little more about the Rytiks family. We have visited the cosy veranda at their house, the windows of which overlook a wide field. At dawn or dusk time, there you can see a moose, a roe deer, hares, foxes, wild boars. The cats’ house is also exotic. The same is the garden with benches in different corners, where you can rest, and the handmade pond… We also heard the stories about the life of the Rytiks family in Transbaikalia, where they managed to grow huge potatoes and strawberries; and how the girls Katya and Ira got a good labor education there as they were growing up. However, let us return to the cozy coffee house, where the younger Fedorovs, the twins Mariya and Vladislav (with the obligatory emphasis on and) have already been for several times. They still can’t get used to the kindergarten — they are often sick. Therefore, their grandfather Andrey and grandmother Svetlana started helping the young family as soon as their grandchildren were born. Frankly speaking, Irina’s parents were very cautious about the idea of a coffee house: the grandchildren were only four years old. — We would not have succeeded by ourselves if the parents on both sides hadn’t supported us both financially and morally, — Irina admits. — Though we are no strangers to work, but business, as you know, has its own tough laws. Weak people will not survive, but if there is a team — there is already strength… In the meantime, she lights candles on one of the tables, preparing for a conversation. A “candle” ritual, in the opinion

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of the Danes, is the easiest way to create a hjugge. Moreover, experts of the Happiness Research Institute clarify that almost 30 % of the respondents in Denmark do it every day. A third of the Danes prefer to light more than five candles at once. We are talking about this, and the former employee of one of the academic institutions immediately grasps the essence: “So my parents and many of us intuitively feel what hjugge is. Just we call it in a different way. After all, there is not enough sunshine in Belarus in winter and autumn, as well as in Denmark… Therefore, we light candles and receive friends. Moreover, good pastry is a good tradition of our family! Since childhood, Katya and I have been making pies. And we love guests…” Alexander and Irina, even though they are young, know that communication in social networks a priori will not replace real communication with friends and relatives. Therefore, in the “Kofta” concept there are warm gatherings with friends, and not just “solo” visits. The circle of friends is an important element in the hjugge mosaic. Perhaps, over time, Irina, as a researcher, will think over her “coffee” experience and will write a book about Belarusian hjugge in Belarusian. She is so passionate about the new business (the coffee house has opened quite recently) that she can endlessly talk about coffee, its varieties and ideas that are cramming in her head. That’s exactly what we have seen.

It is not about fashion, it is about feelings We learned about the opening of the coffee house from Irina’s parents, whom we had not met for a couple of years, but did not lose touch. This is a “sharp turn”! Irina Rytik, and now Fedorova, used to be a scientist, defended her PhD research. The topic was clarified: “Ixodic ticks on urbanized territories of Belarus”. She published a book, successfully worked as a senior researcher at the Academic Institute of Zoology. Now she is a member of the Scientific and Practical Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. So Irina and her husband, a chemist by training, though with undefended PhD., suddenly left for a completely different field. We understand, this is a fashionable trend. Now Minsk is becoming a “coffee mecca”: festivals are held, which are forming coffee culture here. Even a coffee house with Belarusian barista-robots has already been announced. It will soon open at Minsk National Airport. Let’s robots take care of themselves, but what are the Fedorovs looking for in this unscientific field? — It’s not about fashion, — explains Irina. — I am a coffee drinker. My morning begins with coffee. I drink only highquality coffee. I like when I feel a rich aftertaste. Drinking coffee is a ritual. And this, of course, is nice when others share my passions. Once on maternity leave, I was walking with a stroller, the children were sleeping. And I wanted coffee so much! But there was not a single coffee house in new Petra Mstislavtsa street. It is far to go to Dana Mall with a 50‑kilo stroller. Sometimes I took coffee in a thermos. But this is not

O a pleasure. Once in the evening, I said to Sasha: let me go to barista courses, I want to learn how to make coffee properly. Sasha, without thinking twice, suggested: let us open our coffee house and organize barista courses. He is my strategist. — Yes, it is so. I think for the future, — Alexander joins our conversation. — It’s in my nature. Ira went to the courses in the evening, she liked it. We started brainstorming. It lasted a year.

Irina Weren’t you sorry to quit the institute? It turned out, I wasn’t… — When I was leaving, my supervisor, Doctor of Biological Sciences Elizaveta Ignatyevna Bychkova said: “I understand you. One should change life completely every ten years. You’ve already got experience here, have become a senior researcher. But remember that you are always welcome back.” Of course, I doubted very much when it all began: How am I, a scientist, going to deal with food services? How to combine it? The designers of the coffee house saw my slight confusion and once asked me: do you like to feed people? If so, then you will succeed. This phrase inspired me. Of course, I like it! Indisputable! I like guests, I treat them with pleasure. Well, you know, this is our family tradition… The biggest challenge for them was the concept. In which “sauce” to offer coffee to guests? How exactly to attract people to our coffee house, when there are already so many different places in Minsk? — We opened with the prospect of development. We even registered our trademark. However, there was something more.

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I wanted to do something which is impossible to find in other coffee shops in Minsk. We thought for a month. The name appeared quite unexpectedly, at midnight. The children were sleeping, Sasha also left. I sat down, took a mug, knitting needles, yarn and knitted a sweater for the mug. Thus the name was born — “Kofta” (a sweatshirt). It is something that is in tune with coffee, it is warm and cozy, but, as Sasha jokes it is not a knitwear shop. “Kofta” is a modern stylish grandmother with her love, delicious pastries, and warmth. We started to develop the topic. Does Irina use her scientific knowledge in the design, in getting the coffee house work well? She says that at every turn. What is interesting, she is going to talk about ticks to young mothers. After all, the interest in this topic is huge, especially in spring. Therefore, a competent conversation about the “rules of tick-borne safety” will be one of the topics of coffee gatherings. Irina hopes that mothers, in turn, will tell children and other mothers how to behave properly in a season when ticks are very active. In general, the ability to learn is useful. Irina explains: — My scientific school has given me a lot. After all, scientific work is the ability to extract most important from the huge flow of information. The skills that I gained while working on my dissertation have been implemented here. First, this is paper work. Although Sasha works more on this: his job is administrative, and mine is economic and creative.

Alexander Sasha studied at the Belarusian State University at the Faculty of Chemistry, and graduated from the postgraduate train-

Natalya Kolesnikovich and Alexander Borichevsky are the authors of the painting

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ing program. He did not defend his PhD research but went to work at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry at the laboratory of applied biochemistry, at the department of high-molecular compounds. Moreover, the topic was very promising: the creation of filters that clean blood of toxins — filters, as we know, are used in blood transfusion apparatus. Later he helped his parents in the family business. Thus he gained experience, which was useful when creating a coffee house. The father and mother of Alexander have ancestral roots from Rakov in Volozhin district. It is known, that the unique cultural environment, rich in cultural traditions, was formed in that place. Including the traditions of entrepreneurship: after all, in the environs of Rakov, a former Western Belarusian town, there was a border that after the Brest Peace of 1921 divided Belarus into Western and Eastern. Father, Fedorov Alexander Nikolaevich is PhD in medicine. Mother, Anna Timofeevna is a biophysicist. Mother’s great-grandmother came from the local nobles Lukashevichi. Sasha does not know his genealogy as thoroughly as Ira, but, he says, he will take care of this over time: the children are growing up. After all, there is an important part of our strength in our ancestral roots. — We position ourselves as an institution that develops coffee culture, — says Sasha. — All our baristas know what and how they make, and they follow the technology process by seconds and milliliters. And how could it be otherwise, if they have employers who used to be scientists! If they wish, they also tell the guests what they make and how, what kind of roasting, what kind of grinding, from which producer. Is it easy for them to do business? Could he have foreseen that his wife was capable of running a coffee house?

— I knew that we would succeed. We have been together for seven years. I am a long-term distance player. My plans are strategic. Sport helped me in it. I used to play football, do kung fu, chess, and billiards. The common cause unites us. We are convinced that it is important to separate the spheres of influence and not to undermine the authority of each other. It is important not to highlight yourself at the expense of the other. Our tandem is the one that gives a good, high-quality product that is in demand on the market. Irina is the owner, the director, and I am the development manager. Now when the coffee house is open, we are thinking of the Barista School. I understand that a coffee house is a risk, which, as they say, is a noble cause. However, to succeed in business, it’s not enough to be generous and dedicated. Irina also understands this. Nevertheless, I cannot help but rejoice, admire, watching how beautiful she is when she meets the guests of the coffee house, begins talking to them. My wife does it with such enviable ecstasy as if she has been engaged in the coffee house all her life.

A place with a soul. Details from the hostess. I talk to everyone, keep feedback. These are our guests. Once a girl came up and asked: what are you going to do in summer when a warm sweatshirt is not needed? I understand her, I also understand that knitted pillows are too hot for summer. I will not reveal the secret how everything will be working here in summer. A sweatshirt, after all, is not only associated with winter and cold, we sometimes put it on in summer. A sweatshirt means comfort. And there hasn’t been summer in our coffee house yet. We just opened in December 2018. Per-

Barista Pavel and Marina are virtuoso of their business

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O haps, by the summer I will have dressed everything here in cool silk. I have many ideas. They are cramping in my head. I have no doubt, intuition will tell me how and what to do: I love to feed people… An elderly couple came to us one weekend. These respected people were surprised and delighted. They said that everything was different in Soviet times. He, PhD in physics and mathematics, having learned that I am also a PhD, said, when leaving: if a person achieves success in science, he will succeed everywhere. One elderly lady comes to us from a distant Minsk region — Kamennaya Gorka. She would sit for a long time, savoring coffee. People love our comfort. And for me it’s not work but rest. I work for 12 hours and I like it. Of course, I consider our guests’ opinions. This is how my knitted rabbits appeared on the grass against the pictured wall. The picture on the wall, which is visible through the stainedglass window, was painted by the artist Alexander Borichevsky together with Natalia Kolesnikovich. It is based on the works of the Belarusian artist Anna Selivonchik. They worked for a month and a half. At first, I voiced the idea — to make the wall look nice. Then Alexander came, looked, understood everything and said: believe me, I will do it, you will like it. I took the risk, trusted them — they even worked without sketches. Once I came and saw: croissants are flying… A lot of positive feeling. I immediately liked everything. Our coffee house is a place with a soul. I have already talked about it. From the very beginning I didn’t want it to be a commercial project — there are plenty of such coffee houses in Minsk. I kept on visiting them and understood: I like this one and I do not like those ones at all. I dreamed that my coffee house would have a special warm atmosphere. Therefore, all the interior details were chosen individually, everything was hand-made. For example, it took six hours to hang the threads above the bar. I did it myself. Sasha rearranged the ladder and sometimes supported it. The design studio ILEDA helped us in the arrangement. Many details were created by them, for example the applique with a cat on the wall in the children’s area, which is now complemented by luminous lanterns. However, the buttons on the covers of the chairs were made by my father. We have three barista. Pavel is a barista teacher, coffee trainer, 500 students have been trained by him. Marina is a barista with five years of work experience. Natasha is quite young, but she is already well versed in coffee. Barista work is also an acquaintance with a coffee bean. When you start working, you understand that this is not a trivial drink, not bitter black substance. Coffee is a complicated drink: there are about 800 aromatic and taste components in it. My coffee roaster is Single Step company. I like this particular coffee. Roasting is a difficult process. Many people think that roasting coffee is like roasting sunflower seeds. However, there is a lot to know: the density of the beans and the height

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where they grew… A true professional must reveal the taste potential of the beans, and in fact, it is easy to destroy it. You have to apply a variety of criteria to make good coffee. We do not take part in coffee festivals yet: it is too early because a year has not passed since we opened. Once a month we are invited to upgrading. I myself must be knowledgeable of the taste, as I prefer only a quality product. We also have an HR specialist. I must be confident of people. Now the team has been recruited, and for now, I am happy with the stuff. Those days in Belarus have sunk into oblivion when there were enormous difficulties in setting up a business. In any case, everything went smoothly and professionally with us. We are against aggressive advertising. It is more important for us how the word of mouth works, how a wave of interest to our “Kofta” will go to the people, touch the strings of the soul of those who are really capable of delicate feelings, appreciate good coffee and the atmosphere that accompanies it. We are entering the coffee world gently. We have an Instagram page, and we are creating a website. Our twin children like to visit the coffee house. The parents also come. We see how proud they are of us. And I want to repeat with gratitude, they help us a lot. There were already days when there were no vacant seats in our coffee house: the guests had to wait at the door. It is not always possible to predict the flow. I remember that once three parties of five people came in and filled the room. There is the House of Mercy and the National Library not far from our coffee house, so many interesting people pass along this street. There are a lot of people at the weekend… I believe in the development of coffee culture in Belarus. It seems to me that it will be very special. In due course. By Ivan and Valentina Zhdanovich

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oice from the Celestial Empire

Cao Wenxuan:

“ Reading is an action filled with ritualism”

The Chinese prose writer Cao Wenxuan shares his thoughts on the work of a children’s writer and what interests young readers in China — Do you think children’s literature, children’s reading was not defeated in the battle with the Internet and the entertainment industry, which has captured children? — The development of the gaming industry is so fast and is really attracting attention. It takes a week or more to read one literary work, and 120 minutes is enough to watch a movie. This is a trend of the era, but it is not incompatible with the development of children’s literature. There are many beautiful classic literary works that have been filmed. Conversely, many readers, after watching a movie or a series adapted from a literary work, read a book. The charm of the written text is enormous, and it cannot be replaced by another kind of art. — Does the artistic word still have the resources to gain young readers, not to lose them completely? — I encourage children to read, as this process is more important than its mediators. I do not exclude reading on the Internet, but I advocate a return to thoughtful reading on paper, for me it is a natural and sacred act. Each work is not only a manifestation of the writer’s efforts and thoughts, but also the ideas of illustrators, editors and graphic designers find their reflection in the book. When you take a book in your hand, you are attracted by the design of the cover: it inspires you to read and explore; you turn the pages over and feel how beautifully the illustrations complement the text, how com-

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fortable it is to flip through warm paper… And reading is also an action filled with ritualism. Yes, the Internet has made life more comfortable, it even has such strange forms as sound, animation and so on. But reading on the internet still lacks a sense of ritual. Not to mention the “side effect” of children’s eyesight, which quickly deteriorates. Unfortunately, this type of “fast food” — reading does not contribute to the development of strong interest in it. — What kind of books do Chinese kids like? — In recent years, the children’s book market has been growing. Young readers love coloring books and puzzles, and high school pupils read the best Chinese and foreign literary works. — Do they read children’s books about Harry Potter? — “Harry Potter” is a book popular all over the world. Yes, it’s loved by the kids in China, too. However, our respected institutions and teachers, in their own opinion, do not esteem this fantastic fiction very much. They pay more attention to literary classics: it has stood the test of time. — How much foreign children’s literature is translated in China? How popular is it with young readers? — Many Chinese publishers make a series of outstanding foreign writers. From classical children’s literature, such as “Peter Pan” and “The Mysterious Garden”, to the latest works printed abroad, almost all of them are translated into Chinese.

Our country may be the most powerful in the world in terms of literary translation. We’re quite knowledgeable in world literature, including children’s literature. At present, there are more and more outstanding original works in China, which receive recognition and love of foreign readers. The content is the key to the work, being it imported or original. It’s capable of touching the reader’s heart. But, of course, the works of Chinese writers are the main direction of children’s book publishing. — Which topics do attract young Chinese readers: adventure, fantasy, nature, animal world, history?.. — In each category, there are works which are most popular. Now in the Chinese children’s literature market you can find a lot of good works of any genre. I think that regardless of it, as long as the content of the work is good enough, attractive and adapted to the age of the readers, they will be delighted. In China, copyright is rapidly being introduced. And small Chinese readers can read almost all outstanding works from different countries and regions of the world simultaneously. At the same time, China now has a huge number of great original works of adult writers who have been writing for children for decades, like me, or talented young authors. — Who for you is an example in creative work? — This is my father, the headmaster of a rural primary school, and a man who inspired me with love of reading and then writing. — Do you have any of the other authors’ favorite children’s books? Is there a book you’re rereading? — Works of Italian Gianni Rodari “The Adventures of the Little Onion” and “The Adventures of Tonino the Invisible”. There’s also “Mamo” and “The Neverending Story” by the German writer Michael Ende. And “Charlotte’s Web” of the American prose writer Alvin Brooks White. What haven’t you told the young reader about yet? What are your new books about? — I am now working on a strange novel: I am writing a story about a private detective and his ten-year old son, a story that took place in the Chinese city of Shanghai in the 1930s‑1940s. What advice would you give to aspiring children’s writers?

oice from the Celestial Empire

— As for me, my writing material is very broad: it is based on the memories of childhood, on the experience I have gained in my own life, and perhaps even on expressions which were written in the works of other authors. I write down my inspiration, think over, highlight the main thing, collect impressions, and then at the right time this or that expression becomes a piece of history of my artistic work. Writers always need to remind themsenves that they can’t just write endlessly. 70 percent of their time should be devoted to reading, they should remember the simple truth: reading is the forerunner of literary creation, and literary creation is the result of reading. Interviewed by Kastus Ladutko

Writer Cao Wenxuan

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remiere is preparing

Camera! Action! They began filming a screen version of the novel “Adventures of Prantish Vyrvich” by Lyudmila Rublevskaya near Dzerzhinsk

T Konstantin Mikhalenko as duke Baginsky and his friend are ready to hunt

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he family residence of Earl Chapsky in the village of Stankovo was receiving famous guests. The representatives of the noblest families of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania — the Radziwiłłs, the Sapiehas, the Ogińskis — had come here for hunting. They were waiting only for “Camera!” command. Director Aleksander Anisimov was giving the latest instructions to the film group. The first shooting day was sunny and full of activity. The second day was no less sunny but better coordinated. Belarusfilm puts high hopes on the film about the adventures of Vyrvich, a fortune-seeker, and his mentor Lednik, created by the popular writer Lyudmila Rublevskaya. The author herself is confident that the novelty, which claims to have a proud title of “film with a national character,” will be not just the adaptation of her most popular novel, but also a bright film story, which will make Belarusians take a fresh look at their past. For several days the Stankovo ecotourism center was turned into the headquarters for the film crew Actors’ grimwagens, horse trailers, and field kitchenare located on its territory. There is a specially dug pit for deer and… real deer and roes in the field nearby.They lookquitegood with shiny fur and round sides. These halftamed animals willingly take food from the hands of the actors. Five horses finish eating the remains of faded grass at the same place. All these stallions are already

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Portrait resemblance of Victor Manaev and Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł is obvious

recognized movie stars. They made their appearancein such Russian blockbusters as “Book of Masters”, “1612”, “Drops of Blood on the Blooming Heather” and other films. They also worked in the night before the trip to Stankovo. They were shot in an episode of a new film about Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya. ...The great hetman of Lithuania, Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł, nicknamed Rybeńko, seems to shy away a little from his horse Horus. In fact, it is not surprising. People’s Artist Viktor Manaev, gluing in a chic wheat-colored mustache, honestly admits that he has never sat on a horse before filming, but he has taken several lessons of riding with great pleasure. — I feel quite confident riding a horse, unless it gallops.My character is a very controversial personality in history, but I’m glad that I got this role. It is surprising that during the years of acting I, for some reason, never happened to play at least some of the Radziwiłł family...This film turned out to be a great present for my 60th birthday. I am not just Radziwiłł, I am also riding a horse for the first time! Konstantin Mikhalenko, the actor of the Belarusian State Youth Theater, feels extremely confident in the saddle. His duke Ogiński (who appears in the novel

under the name Baginsky) is an experienced rider. The actor has a certain weakness for horses as well as his character: — Iloveit! Maybe this love was passed on to me at the gene level? The fact is that my great-grandfather was a saddler, he made objects and accessories for sledding, saddling and riding horses. The actor of Janka Kupala National Theatre, Igor Sigov also made his appearance in the film. The actor, who has played more than 60 roles in films and TV shows, feels good in the role of the rector of Jesuit College. The actor has a full understanding with director Anisimov. They used to work together on the film “Footprints on Water” before. The actor Sigov has his own vision of the novelty: — “Adventures ...” is good for viewers of all ages who are interested in their history and roots. Our film does not claim to be historically accurate, I would say that it is rather a light historical action that will definitely interest the mass audience. The main characters, those of reflective intellectual Baltromey Lednik and adventurous Prantish Vyrvich, will be played by actors, yet unknown to the wide audience. Director Aleksander Anisimov is pleased with the results of long castings: — I am always very particular about thecasting. I auditioned dozens of young actors for the role of Vyrvich, but I re-

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turned to the one I noticed at the very beginning. He is 24-year-old Gosha Petrenko. The well-known theater actor Ivan Trus will appear on the screen for the first timein the role of his mentor Lednik. After StankovoDirector Anisimov and his team are going to move to “Smolewood”, that is how our native film-makers call the Belarusfilm set near Smolevichi. Part of the location filming will be made in Mir, Nesvizh and Lida castles. The film crew will also visit Zaslavl, Bobruisk and Golshany. Filming inpavilions and in nature is going to be finished before the beginning of summer. Then the director will be workingon film editing and voice acting. You have to wait till the end of the year to see the result. “Adventures of Prantish Vyrvich” will hit the screen no earlier than in December. Lyudmila Rublevskaya, the writer: — My book is a part of our history with its knights, beautiful ladies, philosophers, gentlemen, balls and duels, mysterious dungeons and artifacts. Unfortunately, few people know that no less fascinating stories were taking place in Belarus than those that inspired Alexandre Dumas and Walter Scott. Therefore, I hope that Belarusians will take a fresh look at their history, the streets of their native city and the old buildings on these streets. By Yuliana Leonovich

Film director Alexander Anisimov (at the centre) manages to control everything

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ersonality in literature

Mind games Who is Lyudmila Rublevskaya? A writer? Poetess? A historian and researcher who restores the authentic images of the past in the national consciousness? Or a storyteller who creates a beautiful new history of Belarus? Well, one thing is clear: her work is artistic introspection based on obscure history and little-known facts from the past.

Being a writer these days isn’t as fashionable as it once was. Nowadays, more profitable professions are trendy and desired. So too are the “jobs of the future” which deal with the creation of additive technologies, diversification strategies, “identica’, robots and many other things we yet to fully comprehend. On the other hand, there are more writers today than ever before and bookstore shelves are full of literature catering to all tastes and genres. Why is this? I think it’s nice to be the author of a work that has been published. A feeling of achievement flows over you. Writing is also something that you can do just for yourself. It’s a way to release your emotions and thoughts out onto the paper when they’re too cramped into your head. For others, it’s a way of introspection and to reflect (i. e. history books and stories of the past.) After all, without the past there could be no future. It may be cliche but for Belarusians, it is reality. Recently we have become more interested in our national culture and speaking our native language more frequently. Films with a “national character” are being produced and at the end of the year, a screen version of Lyudmila Rublevskaya’s novel, “The Adventures of Prantish Vyrvich, Schoolboy and Snooper” is going to appear in cinemas. My interlocutor is a famous prose writer and poetess, literary critic and journalist, and she even dabbles in Belarusian history. She knows a lot of interesting things about the famous and influential people of Belarus’ history. By the way, not all of them came out of nowhere as it may seem after reading a passage of Kupala’s poem.

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“Knights, beautiful ladies, philosophers, nobles, walked on native land, there were balls and duels, mysterious dungeons and mysterious artifacts,” says Lyudmila. And in all fairness, she adds that in her books which are translated into different European languages there is a lot of artistic fiction. — Lyudmila, you have a beautiful surname. Where does it come from? It seems to me, you are familiar with your lineage. Tell us about your roots. — The history of Belarus is full of blind spots and empty pages and my family lineage is no different. This might be the reason that I have always been so interested in archival research and the restoration of facts. The reality is that because of the winding path of which our history followed, many facts were simply concealed and lost by the historians and the people themselves. After the revolution, any evidence of nobility or kinship with priests was destroyed. When the repression began, people did not talk about their arrested relatives nor their nationality. For example, my mother (who comes from the family of Cheslavskys) was very surprised when I told her about uncles, her great-uncle and other relatives being arrested and shot down in 1937 in Leningrad. The whole “colony” of our relatives from the Belarusian village of Lyutsiya had gone there. Members of the family all had jobs working on the railway: one was a fare collector, one as the head of the warehouse, and even my grandmother was a weighter. Almost all of them were arrested as “Polish spies” and

my grandmother never told my mother about it. All I was told about my grandfather from other relatives is that he was exiled to Siberia. There, he died and my father ended up in an orphanage. The details are hard to come by but I found some information about the Rublevskys who lived at the end of the 19th century. They were Orthodox priests and they too might have been my relatives. — Tell us about your school years. First, you studied at the Literary Institute in Moscow and then transferred to BSU. But, you started your journey into the adult world from the Architectural and Construction Technical College. Didn’t the creative juices begin to flow immediately? — Literature is not a profession. It’s more of a way of thinking and a way of life. In a book written by the famous researcher of antiquity, Mikhail Gasparov, poetry is defined as a “confession of a water creature that lives on land and dreams of living in the air.” This definition spoke to me and made me listen to reason. I did not choose to be a poetess or a writer just as a caterpillar does not choose to become a butterfly. I went to the architectural and construction college because I wanted to leave normal schooling behind ever since I finished the eighth grade. Of course I always did my best in school but it was always a difficult atmosphere for me in the classroom. In the end, I chose a more acceptable option by finding more engaging activities such as drawing and creating. After college I applied to the Literary Institute twice. I wouldn’t even consider studying at the

department of journalism or the department of language and literature, as I hate to bone at the rules. My writing is inborn. I’ve been reading since I was three and after I joined the poetry department, I went to a seminar of Alexander Mikhailov and Galina Sedykh where I learned important things. The most important thing I learned there is that there was an incredibly bright and creative atmosphere at the beginning of perestroika. I studied with very nice, future mannerists as we read from previously banned books, discussed facts about Stalin’s repressions and visited theaters and exhibitions. It was a feeling of extraordinary freedom. There, I finally made the choice to use the Belarusian language throughout my work. I also found a man

with whom to speak Belarusian. His was a poet named Viktor Shnip who was studying at the Higher Literary Courses and lived on the seventh floor of our dormitory. For the next thirty-two year we spoke Belarusian together daily and have even raised two children in that time. Naturally, when Viktor had finished the course, I returned with him and abandoned my own studies. We got married that summer. It was my own decision to transfer to the Belarusian branch of the BSU department of language and literature. I wanted to get into the Belarusian mindset and improve my language skills. It was at that time that the literary association called “Tuteishya” was set up and I became a member. Finally, I found my way and my Belarus.

ersonality in literature

We’ll overcome all our misfortunes, It’s like a children’s disease. We will experience lightningfast passions And bitter loneliness. We will survive the death of the loved ones and those who are far away, The boundary of torment will not cross the heart… What will remains with us who are unfaithful to God, To survive? Fear of death remains… For no one on earth has the right To dry it or to drink like wild honey. The desire to live heals wounds of wolves. We heal loneliness by our desire to live. And give me, God, in my last cry To understand the meaning of an earthly short drama: Although the desire for death is a great sin, But fearing death is a sin, too. I may not be afraid to disappear forever, Not a fear of sailing out to an unknown shore, But the light of warmth, into which I’m going to disappear someday, Give me the strength to apologize and believe

At the Literary Institute when I was only twenty years-old, I wrote a very simple and naive but sincere poem that was included in my first collection

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ersonality in literature

larus. How did you find out — Normally, you are introabout that recognition? Acduced to the reader and your cording to what criteria are audience as a writer, poet, joursuch ratings made? nalist, literary scholar and critic. — I laughed a lot when I But you are also an actress and learned about it. It’s like being have starred in a few films in your back in the 1990s when different, youth. Recently you’ve even bemurky biographical institutes come a screenwriter as your book would sent proposals to our pub“The Adventures of Prantish Vylic figures declaring them “Man of rvich, Schoolboy and Snooper” is the Year” for a certain fee. I also being filmed. But what do you conreceived such “letters of happisider yourself first and foremost? — Well, you really can’t call me ness”. One of them stated that I an actress. Only as a child did I often had been awarded the title of appear with my mom in all of those “Businesswoman of the Year”. For movies about Deniska Korablev a hundred dollars I could get a diploma from Oxford or Harvard. I such as “State Border” and many didn’t even have a hundred dollars others. Sure, back then I saw many back then for anything let alone legendary artists such as Galina for a diploma. That’s the kind of Makarova and Petr Velyaminov. businesswoman! On the other My impressions of those days are hand, how is someone’s success reflected in a series of short stories called “People of the Crowd”. measured? Probably, to someone An interesting story of my adultthe quantity of my books seems to hood though was the time when I be insultingly large. But they did appeared in the role of the Grand not appear out of thin air! I wrote Duchess Elena who was the wife them and paid for them with my “I don't have a problem to decide if the work is finished or not. It of the Polish king in a literary proown health, sleepless nights, and gram. (One can read about it in the decides for itself to be born or not. It’s a living organism.” emotions because I share my life series “Stories of Pani”; I was the with my characters. I have never ghost of Chelyuskinstev Park.) There was grows on its own if it is viable. Writing has its had my own office with loads of free time to a collaboration with the Belarusian Poetic own internal logic. For me, the characters I write. Everything comes after my primary Theatre of one actor called “Znich” but I write about turn the story one way or anoth- job, ladies and gents! My husband and I stick am not an actress. Also, the screen version er. I didn’t think the story about Vyrvich the to a minimalistic lifestyle daily so we do not of “The Adventures of Vyrvich” was not schoolboy and his servant Lyodnik would have much of what is considered to be a sign written by me. It was actually written by grow into an epic tale. Writing a prose for of success and luxury. — Lyudmila, do you think a rethe writer, Valentin Zaluzhny. The fact is, I me is like being in a parallel life in which I have a lot of professions and that’s okay. The cant help but to live and I can’t give it up. view is a popular genre these days? — The genre isn’t a trendy one. real problem deals with the “time of niche That’s why, coming out of one world, coming specialization”. Once upon a time, art was to my senses after emotional and physical It’s made up by successful samples of syncretic and nobody specified whether or upheavals, I unintentionally create a second work. We have been complaining for so long about the lack of literary criticism, not they were a composer, musician, artists world where I can live for some more time. — You call the Calvary cemetery your which is logical, even when attempts to or dancer. I think, you first must be a person. small homeland. It’s a little shocking to breathe a second breath into criticism beA sincere and decent person. — Having looked through your hear that although, as a child, I also liked gan in the form of the internet. Seriously, bibliography, I noticed that on average to wander among the monuments and it reminds me more of the battles. Who you write one book every year. Is that a read the inscriptions on the gravestones can more funnily prank a rival. There lot for you? Do you plan on how much, while imagining the scenes from the past. aren’t any more classical reviews and I am when or what you write about? If that’s the case, where does the fear of in- not upset about that. Literature encour— I don’t like planning. Even when I evitable death come from? Are you afraid ages us to talk about ourselves, express write a novel, I never plan what I’ll write in of not having time to do anything? our opinions and it’s a good thing. The — In 2013, you were named on the main thing is “to accept praise and slanthis or that part. That isn’t interesting to me. Prose is both a design and a garden which top 10 most successful women in Be- der the same and not argue with a fool”.

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р organism. Usually, at the end of a novel I feel so much creative tension and am so invested into the story that I feel a terrible anguish that it has to end. But the ending is inevitable and I cannot change it. — I, as a writer who started a few books, but haven’t finished any. I am interested in your saying which I read on the Internet in one of your statements: “Everything is ambiguous with inspiration: sometimes there is time to do creative work, but you can’t force words to come out. It sounds false. And, sometimes there is no time and you have to write down a few lines while you’re imagining the whole film saying.” “How do you solve this problem in both cases?” — This situation is particularly bad with poetry. How many poems have died and been discarded unfinished? Either because there was no time or because I thought them to be imperfect or trivial. With prose, sometimes a line is added overnight, sometimes a few pages. In prose it is necessary to be able to work and take your time. It’s more of a craft to refine because you’re dealing with a large volume of “shale ore”. — Does the author have to force himself to work on the text when the inspiration has gone away? Wouldn’t the result be an “artificial” story?

— I teach at the Young Writer’s School and every month they do homework in the form of writing stories. We try to encourage young people to create. They often complain that it’s difficult and there is no inspiration. But even in those cases there may still be good results. You see, the reader doesn’t care whether the writer suffered, wrote within a day or ten years, or if it was forced or not. — You mentioned once in a conversation with a journalist that the writer should be familiar with Stanislavsky’s system. I got acquainted with it while studying at the Academy of Arts. I absolutely agree that if an actor feels the emotions of his character, he draws in both the viewer and the reader into this “game of reason” But, do you remember what happened to the character in the American film with the same name? I mean, the movie called “Mind Games” by Ron Howard in which the main role was played by Russel Crowe. The fictional world of his character, John Nash, became real. This is actually a real mental disorder and diagnosis. Not once did I observe a situation where after a good performance the actor found it difficult to get out of the role and get out of character. Do you think it’s dangerous to play with your imagination?

Ivan Zhdanovich

— You’ve said many times that you don’t write books for the reader. If that’s true, for whom do you write? If only for yourself or “into the table”, then why do you think they are read anyway? What is the secret to your creative success? — I don’t make money from my books. As I mentioned, I write them in my spare time. Therefore, nobody can push me on how or what to write. I write what I like. I want to express something important for myself, to lash out pain, to restore historical justice. There are a lot of motivations but they are all personal, not “custom-made”. And since I am not the exception to the rule and there are lots of people who can be worried about the same things I am, they become my readers or even interlocutors. — I am sure that the author of any book, whether it’s a textbook or a fantasy novel, takes responsibility for the messages and thoughts expressed to the reader. It’s sort of like a mentor who leads and guides towards an idea or some ultimate goal for which he created his work. Do you feel this responsibility? — God forbid me to feel like a messiah. Sure, you have to be prepared to take the consequences of your words, but if you write what you think and feel as you write then you are standing up for the things that are dear to you. This is taken into account from the very beginning. — Is Lyudmila Rublevskaya a perfectionist? Such people are often dissatisfied with themselves because it is impossible for them to live up to their ideal standards. Are you always satisfied with the result of your work? — A normal creative person is always swinging from “nothing turned out to be good” to “still I managed!” However, my “swing” rarely rises up to the grade of “good”. But, yes, I am a perfectionist. It hasn’t made my life any easier but it has helped in my writing. — You say you like to get things done. But it is impossible to write a novel during a night, for example. When do you feel the need to stop and take a break? — I don’t have a problem in deciding when the work is complete. It decides for itself to be born or not. It’s like a living

ersonality in literature

Lyudmila Rublevskaya and her husband Viktor Shnip in the spiritual and energetic field of the sculptural composition “Duke and Duchess. Three runners” by Genik Loiko based on Yanka Kupala's poem “For Kutia”. The photo was taken during the celebration of the 130th anniversary of Yanka Kupala. Vyazynka, 2012.

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ersonality in literature

Lyudmila Rublevskaya at a desk at the Belarusfilm studio

— I think so. And I’m afraid of it because without a state of altered consciousness, it is impossible to be truly creative (according to Hamburg’s account. But it is necessary to have a strong connection with reality. Do you remember what experiments the impressionists, symbolists, dadaists and others set up on themselves? It seems that the deeper you get into the subconscious the more interesting it is. But I always cite the example of “Martyn Zadeka” which is a book written by Silver Age writer Aleksey Remizov who wrote down the dreams he had. Reading them is extremely boring. So are the medical records of henbane. When you are in the process of writing, of course mystical things can happen. Sometimes you see future scenes of the novel in your dreams which will later turn out to be real and be confirmed by archival research. But in fact it is normal and understandable. This is how an experienced restorer brings lost pieces of stained glass back to life. However, to be in a state of altered consciousness all the time is beyond the bounds of art. As Mikhail Chekhov, an artist and relative of the write said, “to play a steak, you don’t have to be fried.” — How do you relax after the creative process? Do you like to make a strong coffee, smoke a cigarette, welcome the sunrise or maybe go for a morning run? How much time do you need to get back to the real world? — I don’t drink coffee. I don’t smoke. I like to sleep in the morning. In fact, my revitalization is long and painful. It’s just

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that I have such a busy schedule with so much to do besides my creative work that there is no need for special distractions. — Lyudmila, it seems to me that the interest in the national culture and language has begun to manifest itself only just recently. Now it is fashionable to wear clothes with national ornaments and Belarusian language is becoming more and more popular in everyday life. What do you think is the reason? — Well, Maxim Bogdanovich wrote about it. He wrote about a pot of seeds which was found in the sands of the Egyptian land. The vital power of the people does not disappear. There will always be those who do and will try to preserve the national and cultural identity no matter the circumstances and this will sooner or later be extended to a wider stratum. Realizing oneself as a personality does not begin with understanding of what you are like but instead begins with what are you different. In the late 1980s, a city girl (who had not heard Belarusian language before) and I wanted to become truly Belarusian and speak the language beautifully under the influence of Korotkevich. So, I began writing in Belarusian. — I think you will agree that history in its “purest form” (i. e. archival documents) is of interest to far fewer people that its artistic manifestation (i. e. legends and myths). You yourself admitted that you fantasize a lot with historical characters. I think this is how you create a new history of Belarus. But is it right to

form a new, more attractive image of the country which may never have existed? — The creation of a full-fledged, viable national myth is necessary for the full existence of the people. I mean, not a fairy tale, but rather a complex structure that includes a generalized image of a representative of the nation and his community. These should be attractive images that are supported by multiple real life examples. The image of the knightly Belarusian who is noble and insurgent was created by Vladimir Korotkevich. He overwhelmed me and made my heart beat faster. In our history, there is enough material to create such a rich, bright image but in contrast there is an image of the Belarusian in straw shoes carrying his resentment on his shoulders. After my articles from the column “Knights and Ladies” some people started to write and call saying “these are not out characters” or “this prince is just an explorer.” We have the right to everything that was created on our land. We have the right to be proud of all the natives of our land who gained fame somewhere in other countries. We gave away so much from our history, now it’s time to take it back. — In computer games and fiction, there are common features such as “dual” universes created by the same person. What is your opinion about that? — Literature makes us think and allows us to disagree with the author. Good literature always means involvement and empathy. A computer game is an action in the mechanical sense: do something and get a prize. In literature, two plus two is not always four. There is some space for the supernatural, the bad, and illogical. Raskolnikov goes to penal servitude, Natasha Rostova runs away with Kuragin, Anna Chernushka marries Euchim to spite her beloved Vasily. Nothing can be corrected in reality no matter how many things you write. — How to make children want to spend their free time reading fiction and not playing computer games? — By involving the whole family in reading together. Interviewed by Alisa Gungor

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History in modern rhythms A number of interesting events are organized by the National Historical Museum of Belarus with account of special dates and events, which are going on in the country nowadays.

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any p e op l e recognize the bui lding at Karla Marksa street, 12 in Minsk by the big black cannons at the entrance. The National Historical Museum of Belarus celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Its history starts with the Minsk Regional Museum — the first Belarusian state museum (1919–1923). It was opened in the building of the former Nobility Assembly. The building, which does not exist now, was located at the intersection of modern Marksa and Engelsa streets. The museum collection began with things confiscated by the Bolshevik government from wealthy citizens and owners of gentry estates. Read more about it at http://www.histmuseum.by/by/ Now there are more than 460 thousand units in the collections of the museum, which includes the museum’s branches. These are, in particular, treasures from different parts of Belarus, valuable documents, old printed books, Slutsk belts, a collection

of musical instruments, furniture, weapons, valuable chinaware and much more. The Historical Museum has 5 branches: the House-Museum of the 1st Congress of the RSDLP, the Museum of the History of Belarusian Cinema, the Museum of the History of Theater and Musical Culture of Belarus, the Museum of Nature and Ecology of Belarus, the Museum of Modern Belarusian Statehood. The very first state museum is headed, probably, by the youngest head of such institutions in the country. A culture expert Pavel Sapotsko was 26 years old when he was appointed for this position in early April 2018. By the way, in one of the first interviews, he expressed the opinion that people are more important than any even the richest collection. My colleague did not fail to reasonably recall how creatively Pavel Mikhailovich showed himself when heading the Art Gallery «University of Culture» three years before. She predicted that «we can expect nonstandard ideas on how to combine the present day with the artifacts of our history.» We can find out how it works from our conversation with Pavel Sapotsko.

— Pavel Mikhailovich, a year has passed since you headed the Historical Museum. It is сlear that holding such a position you should take into account the experience of predecessors and bring something new to the work. How do you achieve harmony, balance between the past and the present? — You know, generally speaking, each person is such a balance… We remember our roots, we appreciate our native culture, which is thousands of years old and at the same time, we strive to develop, to master new technologies daily, to work in the beat of present time. We keep the balance all our life. The same is the museum: we save the past — however, we try to fit into the modern context, to be in demand in society. As they say, not to grow moss and cobwebs. One of the most logical and popular ways of communication of the museum with the audience is the exhibition activity. The accumulated treasures should not gather dust somewhere in the depths but work for the good of the Motherland. I think there is a viable balance of history, literature and art in our activity. By the way, when I came to the museum, at the first planning meeting I said that in spite of the fact that our museum is National Historical, a synthesis and dialogue of national history, national fine arts and literary heritage of Belarus should be taking place in it. In any case, we are developing in a historical context, but it is very interesting to look for new forms of work, hold the events which correspond to the beat of our time. Especially at the time of anniversaries. We respond to them and do various exhibitions, including

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ink of times plementation of programs on the basis of the Historical Museum, our branches. The second: promotion of the historical and cultural heritage of Belarus outside the country. For example, in 2018 we showed interesting exhibitions at the National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman (in the city of Muscat). There was an exhibition at the National Museum of Lithuania (Vilnius). There we took part in a photo exhibition dedicated to Lev Dashkevich. He was a Belarusian photographer, scientist, inventor, publicist, teacher. He made photoes of many famous personalities and Yanku Kupala was among them. The works of Lev Dashkevich are in the funds of various museums, and in ours too. We also had joint projects with Poland. We participated in the Days of Culture of Belarus in the Perm region. We took to Russia an informational and documentary exhibition “Belarus and Belarusians” and “Modern Belarus”. — It is interesting, do Belarusians live there? — Yes, they do! And they were invited to the concert hall to a festive concert, which was arranged by the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society with the support of the Ministry of Culture. We had many other projects. We host various exhibitions. For example, we presented an exhibition of Vietnamese crafts. There was an exhibition from the collections of museums of Tatarstan (Russia). The exhibition “Biographies of 100 Houstimes.bntu.by

art exhibitions. We have a lot of ideas! We have already done something. I mean exhibition projects. For example, we organized the exhibition “100 years of the Belarusian diplomatic service.” A lot of famous people came to the opening of the exhibition, everything was festive and solemn. We organized the exhibition dedicated to the 115th anniversary of the opera singer, director, People’s Artist of the BSSR and the USSR Larisa Aleksandrovskaya. The exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the BSSR is about to open, now there are projects for the 200th anniversary of the composer Stanisław Moniuszko, the 100th anniversary of the Komsomol of Belarus… — Do you have any other ways of communication with the audience except exhibitions? — We also hold meet-the artist sessions, meetings with authors, there are publishing projects. We strive to raise various layers of national history, to activate them, using the language of IT technologies, and to show a wide circle of fellow citizens, guests of Belarus. It is important for us to investigate deeply and to tell about our great material and spiritual heritage in the interesting, modern way. We are practicing various forms. — It is clear from the press releases that the museum provedes the media with, that you now have many various international projects… — I would like to note that there are two directions of activity. The first: the im-

This is how an exhibition dedicated to Chinese architecture opened

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es of Pärnu” (Estonia) turned out to be very interesting — it was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. We organize extremely interesting exhibitions with the Polish Institute with the support of the Polish Embassy. They showed, for example, the project «Signs of Independence» (an exhibition of Polish money) dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the restoration of independence of the Republic of Poland. — We know that a large collection of antiquities of Count Emeryk Hutten-Czapski was taken out of Minsk to Krakow before the revolution. Now it is stored in the Czapski Museum. Die the money come from there as well? — Unfortunately, no. Although, we all know that there are many common pages and famous personalities in the history of Belarusians and Poles (the Count Czapski family is among them). By the way, we start to work with Krakow thanks to the local Historical and Cultural Charitable Fund «Leliva», which is engaged in the preservation and restoration of the Hutten-Czapski heritage. The director of the fund is Ivan Ivanovich Gordievsky, who is also the vice-chairman of the Minsk Capital Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers. We work actively with Russian, as well as with Chinese colleagues. In particular, this year we are joining projects dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the creation of the People’s Republic of China. Our first international event‑2019 was devoted to China, more precisely, to Chinese architecture. Our friend, professor, doctor of architecture Armen Sardarov presented a very interesting exhibition of his own photos of both traditional folk architecture and modern achievements of his colleagues from China. They also showed exhibits from the collection of the Chinese Cultural Center, which was created and operates on the basis of the Belarusian National Technical University where Armen Sergeyevich is teaching. By the way, we signed several agreements on Belarusian-Chinese cooperation last year: with the Shanghai Historical Museum and the Financial Museum of Shenyang Province. At the end of the year (in December

L 2018) we received a delegation of representatives of the Shanghai International Cultural Association. The association has a very interesting collection of paintings, calligraphy, graphics. I hope that this year we will exhibit it for the Belarusian audience. We are interested in joint projects. For example, we are planning to do an exhibition together with our Polish colleagues, where both Belarusian and Polish icon painters will be presented. — Will it be the iconography of representatives of different faiths? — Yes, of different faiths. We will work with Poland to promote the musical and literary heritage of Stanisław Moniuszko. We are proud that this year we received a grant from the President of Belarus for activists of education, science, health and culture. We are planning to implement the project in two parts. It will be a scientific-practical conference, as well as a mobile exhibition on the basis of the Museum of the History of Theater and Musical Culture. We are going to show the exhibition in different Belarusian regions, and in the Business and Cultural Complex at the Embassy of Belarus in Moscow. We will also show there the exhibition “Women of Belarus” and make a project for the anniversary of the famous Belarusian diplomat Andrey Gromyko. — As we can see, the Historical Museum actively works with foreign countries… — Indeed, this is an important activity. We are taking an exhibition dedicated to our famous countryman, Napoleon Orda to the Regional History Museum of Kaliningrad in April. The agreement was reached earlier. Their experts arrived, got interested in our collection of decorative and applied arts, including the creative heritage of Napoleon Orda. We have original works, we exhibit them in other museums of Belarus, for example, in the National Art Museum. We shared the works of Jazep Drazdowicz and Napoleon Orda in the same way last year. There was an exhibition in Mogilev. The works of Pavel Vasilevich Maslennikov were exhibited there. As you can see, our collections are very lively. Although our main task is: to study, to preserve, to restore and

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At the opening of the exhibition “100 Years of Belarusian Diplomatic Service”. Head of the MFA of Belarus Vladimir Makei and Minister of Communications and Informatization. Kontantin Shulgan solemnly extinguished the jubilee post office block.

“not to give it to anyone” (this is the rule of the funds’employees), but nevertheless, to demonstrate and to show. This moment of popularization is very important in our work. We are proud that our funds grow by 2–4 thousand exhibits annually. There are works of art among them. — Are there many collections in the Historical Museum? — More than 50, including the branches, and each is constantly updated, it is lively, interesting. Now we have the task not only to show what we have gathered in museums but also to implement various publishing projects on this basis. Yury Lavrik, one of the researchers, maintains a collection of old-printed rare editions. He’s prepared some material. We are considering it and may issue a collection of articles, or a monograph, an album. It is very interesting illustrative material on the theme “The Book Culture of Belarus”. Some of the funds of the Historical Museum dedicated to book publications are now in the National Library: there are good storage conditions. There are our employees. We are proud of our collections, besides we work with partners. I met with Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz a year and a half ago. Then I had an idea to make an exhibition of Catholic art in the Art Gallery «University of Culture», where I was working then. Soon I was assigned to the National Historical Museum, but the idea remained. We opened an interesting exhibition “Sa-

cred Culture of the Church of Belarus» on February 14. It lasted for a month. The exhibition was dedicated to the artifacts of Catholic national culture, if I can say so. There were works from the collections of the National Historical Museum, the National Art Museum, the National Library, private collections. In particular, there was a collection of Igor Surmachevsky (a talented artist and restorer, collector). I was amazed by his collection. The exhibits were also presented by Belarusian churches of the Minsk-Mogilev archdiocese. The exhibits were given for temporary use. There were exhibits from the Zolotogorsky Church in Minsk, the Budslav Church of the Mother of God, the Churches of Stolbtsy and Logoisk districts, the exhibits from Grodno. Everything is very interesting: iconography, painting, ornats, chests, books, candlesticks… — What are you involved in now? — We are working on many projects. One of the most significant is the exhibition «1919. Belarusian Republic» dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the BSSR and the 95th anniversary of Belarusization, which is held at the end of March. This is a cultural and educational event. We are preparing it through the original presentation of materials. The scientific concept is ours. The archives, libraries and other museums are also involved in the preparation of this event. Interviewed by Ivan Zhdanovich

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emory

"the bogatyr of human culture" State Literary Museum of Yanka Kupala and Minsk Public Association of Ukrainians “Zapovit”, with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in Belarus and the Ministry of Culture of Belarus, celebrated the 205th anniversary since the birth of Taras Shevchenko

he Ukranian Kobzar has been idolized for a long time and is considered a national shrine. IT’s the pride of Ukraine just as the Belarusian poet Yanka Kupala is in Belarus. Taras Schevchen-

ko is appreciated in our country more than anywhere else in the world and there are even monuments commemorating Taras Shevchenko in Brest, Slutsk, Gomel, Minsk, and Mogilev. A memorable dedication to the friendship of Shevchenko and poet Edward Zeligowski (a Vileyshchina native) was opened in a

Young Ukrainian girls, living in Belarus among the spectators at the festival at the Kupala Museum

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Karekovtsy village of the Vileyka District. There are streets and boulevards named after Kobzar in many cities throughout the country. It is generally recognized that the poetry of Taras Shevchenko, including his literary and artistic heritage, belongs not only to Ukraine but also to the entire Slavic community. Of course, more than 150 thousand Ukrainians living in Belarus cannot help but to remember their beloved poet. The Ukrainian diaspora celebrates his birthday every year. Usually, it is organized by the Minsk Public Association “Zapovit”. They organize Shevchenko’s poetry competitions for students, exhibitions, round tables and creative meetings We are humans and it is in our nature to create idols and heroes. This is especially true when there is every good reason to create one. We build and cultivate the memory of heroes by reading poems, singing songs, and communicating their stories. Our love of a beautiful, poetic words unites us and it enriches our souls. This is obvious when we gather on special occasions to honor prominent figures for their birthdays or even anniversaries of

Sketch of Taras Shevchenko. House of fathers.

M alyshava

I saw that there was a place for sad, ugly, and even nasty things. Suddenly, I saw my classmates in a new light. Not all of the 10 year-old children were cheerful and playful. I remember very well that some of the orphans including Alik Nasibulin, Vita Pokrovskaya, and Serezha Shidich had sadness in their eyes that I hadn’t seen before. I wanted to feed them and take care of them all and make them happy somehow. I felt uneasy when communicating with them because I had a mother and father and even a brother. I had a large family which traditionally visited us during the holidays. I even felt embarrassed to experience joy in life or to have any desires. From time to time, my father’s eyes were also sad. His name was Mikhail Stepanovich Cherkashin and he was a veteran of World War II. My father did not like to remember the war. These are the lessons of the awakening soul that became familiar to me through the fate and poetry of Taras Shevchenko. During my Ukrainian literature and language lessons as a fourth grade schoolgirl, I learned how a 16 year-old Taras Shevchenko (we wrote dictations about the poet’s childhood) joined the ranks of the servants belonging to Pavel Engelhardt. Taras was both a kitchen servant and a kazachok. He desperately wanted to draw during his spare time, which Engelhardt did not leave unnoticed. I remember becoming quite happy when I learned that the landowner had sent Taras to study at Vilnius University under the guidance of Jan Rustem (a portrait painter) in pursuit of making Taras his own personal house painter. Later, when Engelhardt moved from Vilna to St. Petersburg, Taras was taught by the artist Vasily Shiryaey. When I left the secondary school named after Maxim Gorky in Volchanka and entered the Philology Department at Kiev State University (which was named after Taras Shevchenko), my knowledge of the Ukrainian Kobzar greatly expanded. I understood that his legacy is a beautifully poetic inter-

Liubou

their deaths. During those times, we often try to answer eternal questions such as “Who are we?”, “where are we from?”, and “where do we go from here?” Taras Shevchenko probably asked himself the same questions. It seems that an attempt to answer these questions can be found in his brilliant poetry. It is reflected in the drawings and paintings of his work. For those who do not know, unbelievable fame and recognition came to Kobzar (the nickname given to Shevchenko after publishing his work) during his lifetime. He was only at the time of his first big success. I am a native of Ukraine from the Kharkiv region and I’ve known about his successes and legendary gift of poetry since my school years. Even now I can hear the stories about the poet told by my Ukrainian literature teacher. She beautifully read the poetry of Shevchenko and inspired us through lessons devoted to Kobzar periodically throughout my education. These lessons were full of soul and touched my heart in a way I could never forget. I remember them very well. — Imagine, (Alexandra Alexandrovna said) the boy wasn’t even 12 years old yet when his father died. His stepmother did not love him so he could not stay with her and eventually left his childhood home. He worked for a deacon-teacher, served for a deacon-painter, and worked as a sheep herder. He struggled a lot. It will be hard for me to forget how amazed I was when I saw a replica of the cottage of daub and wattle under the thatched roof where his parents used to live. It looked so poor. My first taste of this imperfect world’s pain into my happy childhood was through his poems and film called “Taras Shevchenko” which was released in 1951 and directed by Igor Savchenko. I felt sympathy and bonded with peasants like Taras and his sister Ekaterina, his mother and father about which he wrote often. As far as I can remember, even at that tinder age I could not accept such injustice. My soul most likely woke up after reading and being acquainted with the biography of Taras Shevchenko. I started to look at the world more closely.

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Self-portraits and paintings by Taras Shevchenko

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Oleg Vinyarsky, actor and director of the National Television and Radio Company of Belarus, reading Yanka Kupala's poems “In memory of Shevchenko” and an excerpt from the poem “Tarasova dolya”

pretation of Ukrainian history. I visited Taras Shevchenko Square often during my educational years. It is just opposite the main, red building of that university. Young people, students, writers, and even elderly poets always congregated at that monument to honor him on his birthday every year on March 5th. They read versus and sang songs to the lyrics of Kobzar and once I even had the chance to recite one of my favorite verses: Lilea. I heard the lyrical work filled with compassion for women’s face in the Yanka Kupala Museum and it reminded me of my childhood. By the way, although he did not often visit his homeland, Shevchenko dedicated his art to his beloved Ukraine. He had only spent 15 out of the 47 years of his life living there. During his lifetime, he was loved and had many famous friends including Mikhail Shchepkin (also a serf like Taras), the artist Karl Bryullov, poet Vasily Zhukovsky, Vasily Grigorovich (one of the leaders of the Imperial Academy of Arts), teacher Ivan Soschenko and many others. An interesting fact from Shevchenko’s biography is that he had a friendship with the famous artist Ira Aldridge who was the only Afro-American in history (out of 33 actors) to be awarded a silver plaque on the walls of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-

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The appearance of Schevchenko's “Kobzar” in 1840 should be considered an epoch-making date in the development of Ukrainian literature... This little book immediately opened like a new world of poetry, exploded as a source of clean, cold water, sparkled with clarity, simplicity and poetic grace of expression unknown in Ukrainian literature... He was the son of a man — and became a king in the kingdom of the Spirit. He was a peasant - and became a bogatyr of human culture... Ivan Franko, Ukrainian poet upon-Avon. Film critic Anton Filatov wrote an article titled “How Shevchenko fell in love with King Lear” (https://fraza.ua). (He also reported that the stage director Virlana Takes told the story of the relationships of Aldridge and Shevchenko in her play “Dark Night, Clear Dawns” in detail and that play has been staged recently in Kiev). Later, Aldridge came to St. Petersburg on tour with the British theatre. He played in “Othello” and “King

Lear” by William Shakespeare in Mariinsky Theatre. The actor met Shevchenko in the house of Count Fyodor Tolstoy, the Vice President of the Russian Academy of Arts, where Shevchenko taught Tolstoy’s daughter how to paint. During their meetings, the Ukrainian and the American discovered just how similar their fates had been. Aldridge was a former slave and Shevchenko was a former serf. They became good friends quite quickly. The artists even completed a portrait of his new friend. I refer those who are interested in the life and fate of Taras Shevchenko to the omnipresent Wikipedia, where his life’s story is told in more detail. A particularly fascinating aspect of his story is the sympathy expressed by Russian cultural figures that was gifted to the “Little Russian” serf had played a decisive role in the ransom of his captivity. It was not an easy thing to convince Engelhardt to grant Shevchenko his freedom. Only an enormous amount of money was able to accomplish this. According to the rumors, never had a serf been redeemed for such a price. A lottery was held in Anichkov Palace in Saint Petersburg in March 1838 where the prize was a painting “V. Zhukovsky” by Bryulov, which plays a part in the story of his freedom. Shevchenko wrote about it in his biography: “Having previously agreed with my landlord, Zhukovsky asked Bryulov to paint his portrait to raffle it off. The great Bryullov agreed and the portrait was done. Zhukovsky raffled it off with the help of Count Villegorsky for the price of 2500 rubles; which was the price of my freedom on April 22, 1838.” It is known throughout history that Taras Shevchenko was an extremely talented and interesting person especially for the cultural and secular elite of St. Petersburg as well as Kiev when he visited. It wasn’t just coincidence that dinners and receptions were held in his honor. For all of the interesting and extraordinary facts about his life, he was a “real” person and, as they say, “nothing human was alien to him.” On the internet, one can sketches of the poet’s likeness and personality by unknown artists and admirers. For example, the fact that one of Mercury’s craters (143 kilometers in diameter) was named

M after Taras Shevchenko. They all write that he was fashionable and, although he never married, he had fallen in love six times. Women obviously admired the poet. You’ll also be interested to know that the poet did not actually write any song lyrics during his lifetime. However, many of his works were set to music by famous composers after his death. Nikolai Lysenko, Modest Mussorgsky, Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergey Rakhmaninoy are among those who looked upon the poet for inspiration and content. The poems “Dumi moi, dumi moi”, “Zapovit”, “Reve ta Stohne Dnipr Shyrokij” became folk songs. It has been reported that 835 pieces of Shevchenko art has survived but almost 200 have been lost. In 1860, he was awarded the title of Academian of Engraving by the Imperial Academy of Arts for an engraving made from Rembrandt’s “Parable about a worker in a Vineyard”. What is the status of his legacy today? The glory of Taras Shevchenko is growing every year outside of Ukraine. One of the first works of Kobzar was translated into Belarusian by Yanka Kupala who considered Shevchenko a spiritual mentor. Both of these folk poets created new national literature and fought for the spiritual revival and independence of their countrymen. At the event in the museum, Taras Shevchenko’s poems were read by representatives of different generations of Ukrainian diaspora from the Obriy Cultural and Educational Public Association of Ukrainians from Kolodishchi as well as from the Minsk Public Association of Ukrainians “Zapovit”. They were joined by the children of Ukrainian diplomats accredited in Belarus (Dmitry Tverdokhlebov, Artur Lyashenko, Anna Shapiro and Margarita Andreychuk). The poems of the national poet of Belarus Yanka Kupala “In memory of Shevchenko” and an extract from the poem “Tarasova dolya” were read by actor Oleg Vinyarsky. I must confess that the poems performed by him were quite impressive to me. The concert program included performances of a folk ensemble of Ukrainian songs and ritu-

als known as “Vatra” which was directed by Alexander Volodchenko. The songs using Shevchnko’s words “Dumi moi, dumi”, “Plivi, Plivi, lebid”, “Po dibrovi viter vie” were also performed. Tenor Nikita Yadlovsky and the honored student choir of Minsk State Pedagogical University (named after Maxim Tank “Gaudeamus”) performed Ukrainian folk songs such as “Tsvite teen”, “Pralya”, “Porizala palchik”, and “Tuman Yarom” which were all directed by Larisa Yadlovskaya. During the solemn closing of the event, all of the participants sang the famous song “Reve ta stohne Dnipr Shyrokij”. On that day, the poetry of the Ukrainian poet also could be heard in the different languages of the world during an event dedicated to the Kobzar’s birthday in the House of Friendship, reported BelTA. The extraordinary and plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to Belarus, Igor Kizima, spoke about the significance of the work of the Ukrainian writer, poet, and artist. His literary legacy is considered the basis of Ukrainian literature and the modern Ukrainian language. The ambassador drew attention to the role of Taras Shevchenko personality in the development of the national culture and identity. As the ambassador noted, the creative work of Shevchenko is appreciated on the

emory

Belarusian homeland, which is showcased by the establishment of the poet’s monument standing not far from the Ukrainian embassy in Minsk. The bronze sculpture is a gift from Kiev to Minsk. It is an interesting fact that the Kobzar name is also written on the only monument in Belarus dedicated to Vilensky Tract which is in the Myasota village in the Molodechno District. Many famous people used this road to get to Vilnius in the past. A plaque in Kustovichy in Kobrin district reminds us that in 1829 little Taras Shevchenko stayed in the village with a wagon train. Today, there are 1384 monuments dedicated to Shevchenko worldwide. There are 1256 monuments in the Ukraine and 128 in 35 states abroad. The largest number of monuments in Ukraine is in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. There are 199 monuments there. Lviv follows that with 187 of its own and 165 monuments in Ternopil and 102 in Cherkasy. By the way, ambassadors recited the verses of Shevchenko translated from Ukrainian to their native languages. Among them are Austrian Ambassador Aloysia Vergeter (the head of the Polish diplomatic mission), Artur Michalski, and Slovak Ambassador Jozef Migaš. By Valentina Zhdanovich. Photo by Ivan Zhdanovich.

Student сhoir of Maxim Tank State Pedagogical University “Gaudeamus”

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ouching the past

Railway history Museums can be different. And some of them are even very original. So, in Baranovichi there is a... railway museum! And it is worth saying that this is one of the favorite places of the city residents. The fact is that it consists not only of traditional museum premises. The most interesting part of the display is located in the open air. There one can see a variety of samples of railway equipment and not only stand near it, but even climb on the bandwagon and look inside.

The official name of this place is the “Museum of History of Baranovichi Branch of Belarusian railway”. There is a collection of steam locomotives of both domestic and foreign production. There are diesel locomotives, passenger

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and freights of different generations. For many visitors of special interest is the model of Baranovichi railway junction installed in one of the passenger cars (it is impossible not to look into it).

There are exhibition halls in the others cars as well. They display some tools, devices and mechanisms (e. g. hand-operated rail-cutting and rail-drilling machines)

ouching the past

Museum exhibits

used by railroad workers in the past. One can also see a cargo rail cart, which many people saw in old movies and some know from personal experience. There is also a functioning semaphore and a hydraulic column for refueling locomotives with water. These exhibits are undoubtedly of interest to both professionals (railroaders, historians) and general public. Where else is it possible to get into such an integral technical world filled with various interesting things? By the way, in 2002 the museum created an exposition of railway troops’ equipment. These are a track-laying machine, a surfacing-tamping machine, machines for construction of bridges in the fields, anti-aircraft submachine guns, which used to be installed on special railway platforms with armor boxings for machinegun belts. While visiting this museum, you realize the beauty and importance of many ideas implemented in the creation of railways. Here you can touch the past and see the history of development and improvement of railway equipment in different times. The museum is replenished with new exhibits at regular intervals. The building of the museum is located near the open-air exposition. It is quite ancient, dates back to the beginning of the 20th century and is of historical and cultural value. The museum itself was founded in 1984 (the technology department was created in 1999).

Now it is the largest railway museum in our country. As its curators note, the equipment for the expositions was collected from different departments. Something was brought both by railroaders and common citizens. In the museum house one can see many interesting exhibits related to the work of railroaders. For example, an old commercial seal of the Polesye railway station Lahva (1899). There is also a badge of the employee of the Alexandrovskaya railway locomotive depot which dates back to the second half of the 19th century. Among the most interesting exhibits is a steam locomotive fanlight with kerosene dated the second half of the 19th — early 20th centuries. The iron box of train drivers is also an interesting one: it was usually used for keeping food, personal belongings and documents. Morse telegraph (you can also see it here) entered service at the railway in 1855–1856 for communication between the two neighboring stations, and the phone began to be used in the late 19th century. A station bell has been an important item of the railway equipment until recently. The station operator gave a warning signal to the passengers about the time of departure of the train. One bell-strike was a warning about the departure in a few minutes. Two strikes meant an invitation to get on a train. Three strikes meant the departure. The first strike was made at the first stations 20 minutes before the departure, at inter-

mediate stations, and when the train was approaching the station. Two bell-srtikes were made two minutes before the departure. Three strikes were made at the stations with stops less than two minutes before the train stopped. There are many other small but interesting exhibits in the museum, i. e. a speed gauge to monitor the driver’s activities on the line, a inkstand with a wooden pen and glass feathers of the 1940s (glass feathers were used to fill in carriage documents on carbon paper). It should be noted that the Polessky railway station, next to which the museum is located, was destroyed during the Second World War. And it was built in its modern look after the liberation of the city. Baranovichi is a well-known railway junction, a city that arose at the station. Perhaps, being here and having at least one free hour, the railway museum is worth a visit — and above all its branch in the open air. By Nina Shcherbachevich

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n an ancient city

At “crossroads” of talent and arts

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It is extremely symbolic in Pinsk recently appeared a sculpture of PoleshukPinchanin. This man with a beard, in a hat and in Polesie traditional clothing with a belt, carries a peculiar cultural and historical code formed by many generations of the locals. Sculptor Aleksey Pavlyuchuk with a sketch model of a Poleshuk-Pinchanin

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n an ancient city media-polesye.by

— Do you know how to recognize real “pinchane” (citizens o Pinsk) among other people? — asks Tatyana Khvagina, a well-known local historian and researcher: — Wherever your paths converge — in Europe, Asia or America, — when it comes to an acquaintance, a real Pinsk resident, having bent his little finger, will start with dignity: “First, I am from Pinsk… ”, as if the whole world should know where Pinsk is and exactly what is the reason to be proud of Pinsk origin. After all, for those who from childhood were swam in Pina, who ran barefoot through Pinsk streets and alleys, grew up among gray walls, Pinsk is not just a point on the map, but almost a “center of the world”. This beautiful definition of Pinchanin, made by Tatyana Khvagina, became an ideological basis of the sculpture by Aleksey Pavlyuchuk. Pinchanin is exactly bending the little finger. I would like to note that many of the events planned for this year will take place right here — on a pedestrian street next to the bronze Poleshuk. Moreover, in the city, there will soon appear another cultural composition dedicated to famous people from Pinsk. As is known, the first president of Israel, Haim Weizman, the fifth prime minister of this country, Golda Meir, received their first education in Pinsk. An educational institution of that time till nowadays, serves its original purpose. There will be placed a monument to famous people. Its opening is planned for the next summer, — said Tamara Demidenko, head of the cultural sector of the city executive committee. Tamara Ivanovna told that in total for the year there are planned 445 events dedicated to the status of the cultural capital and related thereto. Of these, four dozen are of great significance and will have a large number of participants. These are, for example, a brass band festival, an organ music festival, a large art festival “Dawns over Pina”. According to the organizers, special significance have mass events, such as Perekrestok street art festival. To participate in the event, one only needs the desire and the need to communicate the intention in advance. As soon as it gets warmer, on all weekends at this creative festival art lovers will sin and, dance, here will come local poets to read their own poems, and the reciters will be able to read classics as well, where there’s a will. Artists will also work here: anyone can order a portrait or purchase a beautiful landscape.According to the plan this street should become such a city-wide cultural space or even a cultural movement, so that everyone feels that the status of the cultural capital is not only a list of mandatory events, often official ones, but also feels his/her involvement in it. For example, the festival of organ music is not new for the city. At various times, Vladimir Nevdokh, Konstantin Sharov,

You can see such a bronze Poleshuk-Pinchanin in Pinsk

Ekaterina Leontyeva, Igor Olovnikov, Ksenia Pogorelaya, Eleonora Belyaeva, Boris Shtokolov, as well as a number of famous foreign musicians performed at the city concert hall, which was created in Karl Baromey Catholic Churh. Erected in the 18th century by the order of the Roman Catholic priests-communists, the monastery church is today one of the main attractions of the city. Experts say that the two-meter walls of this miniature fortress can withstand any storm. The status of the city once again makes us pay attention especially of young people to the interesting history of the building, which testifies that the communists, at least in Pinsk, appeared long before the October Revolution. Pinsk is famous for many ancient monuments. Among them is the first Jesuit College, where the Museum of Belarusian Polesie is now located, the ensemble of the former Franciscan monastery, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with its famous “Pinsk Madonna”. The outlines of these attractions were used in logo of the cultural capital. The executive committee announced results of the competition — the work of Viktor Saganovich won. White lines on the emblem show the directions of the main streets of the city. The Chairman of Pinsk City Council of Deputies Leonty Lemeshevsky, who had the honorable mission to get the mantle of the cultural capital from its predecessor Polotsk, said: — The status of the city imposes certain obligations on all its citizens in 2019. We have a professional theater, an institution of higher education, a number of cultural institutions. During the year, they should perform certain educational tasks. We have resources to cultivate cultural traditions; I mean, above all, the rich history of more than 900‑year-old Pinsk, an interesting diverse heritage. While living in an ancient beautiful city, everyone should know its past, sightseeing attractions and save its attractive appearance, in a word, to be worthy of the memory of ancestors. Svetlana Yaskevich

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Chronicles from the Bolshoi theatre In this prestigious building, as usual, life is boiling over. Both on and off stage — in rehearsal halls, workshops, offices of administration, creative groups and other services, as well as in dressing rooms... The Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus on March 10, 1939

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n the evenings, as you know, top singers and dancers perform on this famous stage, during the day they rehearse, if necessary, repertoire performances. And, of course, future premieres. Costumes are made for them in the workshops. And the team of the chief artist generates ideas of scenography for future operatic and choreographic masterpieces. And all this big mechanism works harmoniously, though about 1000 people are involved in it. Perhaps more than anyone else, our colleagues know what is going on in the huge renovated 80‑year-old building. Among them is journalist Elena Balabanovich, the leading editor of the information department of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus, one of the authors of the “Parter” (Stalls) magazine. We often see her among the organizers of press conferences, anniversaries, creative meetings and other creative projects. She told us about one of them, which was launched in social networks on March 10 on the occasion of the theater building anniversary. It turned out that the spectators were invited to post pictures of the theatre with hashtag #Дому_80 #БТБ_80 #Вялікаму_80 on any social network. — This is how we informed about the opening of the Bolshoi Theatre in the pre-war period. On that far-off evening, on March 10, 1939, Minsk residents were rushing to Troitskaya Gora to become involved in a significant event: the theater had got its own new building! At that time, the stage hosted the premiere of Eugene Tikotsky’s opera “Mihas Padgorny”… We will place the most interesting photos on the official website of the theater and in our social networks, says our interlocutor, — And the winners (there will be three of them) will be given a chance to visit to the upcoming performances in Bolshoi! Elena and I talked about the high-profile events of the first spring month.

“The Bat” flew into Minsk Rehearsals of Johann Strauss’s operetta are going on. “The Bat”. It is staged

A by Gábor Miklós Kerényi, Hungarian film director better known as Kero, artistic director of the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre. The premiere is scheduled for April 16. He also leads the production team together with the Italian maestro, chief guest conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre, Gianluca Marciano. Kero was born in Budapest in 1951, he graduated from the Opera Department of the local conservatory and continued his education at the Hungarian Theatre Academy, receiving a diploma as a “musical theatre director”. At the Hungarian State Opera House, where he worked for 10 years, he staged classical operas: Richard Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman”, Giuseppe Verdi’s “Don Carlos” and “Macbeth”, Charles Gounod’s “Faust” and others. And already being the artistic director, head and director of the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre, Gábor Miklós added to the repertoire such performances as Imre Kalman’s “Queen of the Chardash” and “Countess Maritza”, Franz Lehar’s “The Land of Smiles”, Johann Strauss’s “The Bat”… “We are creating a performance that will preserve the traditions of the first operetta of 1874, but will also include all the best of what exists today. Complex labyrinths, a turning circle, unusual visual effects, interesting choreography — everything will work to implement the director’s plan. “But still, music is at the top of the list! It’s gorgeous!” — Kerényi stressed. His performances are staged in Salzburg, St. Petersburg, Prague, Vienna, Tel Aviv, Bucharest, Munich. And now they are being rehearsed in Minsk! Kero promises that the audience will see a unique performance on the Belarusian stage: More than 200 unusual dresses are being created for the new performance. By the way, costume designer Agnes Djarmati, who used to work in István Szabó’s Oscar-winning film “Mephistopheles”, is also from Hungary. Kerényi, as he said, is happy to return to such interesting material. His “The Bats” are flying on various stages of the world. Interestingly, that the part of Prince Orlovsky will be performed on the Belarusian stage… by mezzo-soprano just

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Irina Yeromkina, People's Artist of Belarus, performs the part of Kitri in the ballet “Don Quixote” by Ludwig Minkus. Stage production by Valentin Yelizaryev.

Viktor Plaskina, principal conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus, Honored Artist of Ukraine. He has been working at the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus since October 2007. Winner of the National Theatre Prize for staging Giuseppe Verdi's opera “Nabucco”.

Miklós Gábor Kerényi, artistic director of the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre. At the Bolshoi Theatre, he is staging “The Bat”, which, as he promises, will preserve the traditions of the first operetta staging in 1874.

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The participants of the concert " Young World Opera Stars"

Cassandra Vyuss is shaking hands with maestro Victor Ploskina after performing Kirubina's aria from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera “The Marriage of Figaro”.

Yuri Yushkevich, owner of a rare countertenor and numerous awards at international competitions, conquered the Minsk audience with his performance.

Alexandra Flood and Eglė Šidlauskaitė in the duet of Romeo and Juliet from the opera “Capuleti and Montecchi” by Vincenzo Bellini

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as it is in the original score. Orlovsky will be one of the central figures. By the way, “The Bat” has already been performed at the Belarusian Bolshoi. In 1961 the operetta was worked on by conductor Tatyana Kolomiytseva, director Vyacheslav Brovkin, artist Yevgeny Chemodurov and choirmaster Alexander Kogadeev. Tamash Rakai (production designer, stage design), Peter Somfai (lighting designer), Nina Lomanovich (choirmasterstage director), Olga Kostel (choreographer-stage director) are also working on the new production of the operetta “The Bat” at the Bolshoi Theater. The main roles are being rehearsed by leading opera soloists: Anastasiya Moskvina, Yelena Salo, Irina Kuchinskaya, Yelena Sinyavskaya, Yelena Tabolich, Marina Likhosherst, Klavdiya Potemkina, Diana Trifonova, Yekaterina Mikhnovets, Kriskentiya Stasenko, Marina Aksentsova, Vasily Mingalev, Aleksandr Krasnodubsky, Sergey Lazarevich, Denis Yantsevich, Aleksandr Mikhnyuk, Aleksandr Gelakh, Andrey Matyushonok, Viktor Mendelev, Yury Bolotko, Yanosh Nelepa, Dmitry Kapilov, Ilya Pevzner, Andrey Selyutin, Andrey Klipo and others.

Start for spring — We’ve started spring! — this is how Viktor Ploskina, chief conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus, said about the concert “Young World Opera Stars”, which was performed on March 2. On that day, the maestro stood at the conductor’s desk. Scholarship holders of the non-profit charitable organization of the Principality of Liechtenstein “SIAA-foundation” were singing on the stage. — This association helps young singers — musicians who have outstanding vocal gift. This year eight young talented soloists presented their art to the Belarusian audience for the first time. It was a real festival of music! The audience heard truly vocal masterpieces — famous arias and ensembles of European composers’ operas from the Baroque period to the beginning of the 20th century: Vivaldi, Mozart, Bizet, Donizetti, Offenbach,

Strauss… People say: youth for the impossible. And so it happened: at the beginning of March, the youth won the city of Minsk. The concert impressed by a variety of timbres: baritones, sopranos and even a countertenor. This concert was looked forward to at the theater. And, as we saw, it became an event. As well as all the other projects that the Bolshoi Theatre in Belarus holds. By the way, the non-profit charitable organization of the Principality of Liechtenstein “SIAA-foundation” was named “Sic Itur Ad Astra”, which means “Thus one goes to the stars”. This winged expression has become not only the name, but also the slogan of the Fund, indicating the main directions of its activities, as well as a powerful creative potential. Thanks to SIAA, many young artists have got excellent opportunities for a creative start, conquering the audience of the world’s cultural capitals with their skills. Since 2006, “SIAA-foundation” has been supporting young singers with monthly scholarships, international workshops and seminars, and concerts with renowned conductors. For example, the annual concert of the Fund’s scholarship holders in one of the largest concert halls in Europe is traditional: German Opera House in Berlin (2015), Mozart House in Vienna (2016), Great Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory (2017), Latvian National Opera (2017).

Awards and anniversaries From the pages of the magazine I take this opportunity to congratulate Irina Yeromkina, our top ballet dancer, on her high title — “People’s Artist of Belarus”! Our sincere words of congratulations and admiration are for Irina — we admire her bright talent, hard work, desire to give her audience the beauty! We wish the actress inspiration — for new achievements! There was another event, which was celebrated in a special way. The main director of the theater, Mikhail Pandzhavidze, turned 50 years old. And almost 10 of them he has been working at the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus. It was on his birthday that Mikhail Alexandrovich in-

A vited journalists to come to his meetthe artist session. It was taking place on March 5 at 18:00 in the foyer of the theater, before a landmark for the director performance “Salome” to the music of Richard Strauss. And it was not just a press conference, but a session of questions and answers.

Touring spring On various stages in large and small cities in Mexico, the artists of the Bolshoi Theater are currently presenting Peter Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Sleeping Beauty”. They are coming back to Minsk on April 17. — “The Sleeping Beauty” is a very beautiful ballet! It is a fairy tale, which is known almost all over the world, though in different variations. Our performance is a classical one, where the variety of dance is very harmonious and easily fits into the amazing music of Peter Tchaikovsky,” said Tatyana Shemetovets, head of the ballet company of the theater, Honored Artist of Belarus, on the eve of the tour. She is entitled to undertake a huge responsibility: she heads the tour. Tijuana, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Irapuato, Merida, Cancun, Mexico City and

many others — about 30 cities of Mexico will see the performance of the Belarusian ballet dancers this time. — Within a month and a half the ballet will be performed 42 times, and this is with account of the so-called “doubles”, when in the same evening the guys dance the ballet twice, for example, at 6 and 9 pm. I’m getting nervous! I am responsible for 45 people! The main thing is for everyone to be ready, spirited and healthy. After all, “The Sleeping Beauty” is not an easy performance. A very heavy burden is shouldered by both the leading artists and the corps de ballet. Girls often say that as for technique and ballet elements it is much harder for them to dance “The Sleeping Beauty” than “Swan Lake”… By the way, ballerinas Veronika Oleshchenko and Valeria Grudina will make their debut in this performance in Mexico. The main roles will be performed by Irina Yeromkina, Aleksandra Chizhik, Yana Shtangey, Viktoriya Trenkina, Darya Medovskaya, Veronika Ovchinnikova, Igor Artamonov, Anton Kravchenko, Konstantin Geronik, Yegor Azarkevich, Artem Bankovsky and our other wonderful artists. — We already know what an amazingly beautiful country Mexico is! Huge spaces, wide horizons, greenery, mountains, ocean, bays! Just like in the movies!

His Majesty — Theater World Theatre Day is an international professional holiday for all theatre staff, which is celebrated throughout the world every year on March 27. This international day is traditionally marked under the slogan: “The theatre as a means of mutual understanding and peace between peoples”. “World Theatre Day” was established in 1961 on the initiative of delegates of the 9th Congress of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) at UNESCO. It was established in Prague (Czechoslovakia) in 1948. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was the ITI member since 1959, from the time when the Soviet National Centre of the International Theatre Institute (http://www.calendar.by/) was established in Moscow, the capital of the USSR, on the basis of the All-Russian Theatre Society. The Belarusian professional theatre developed from ancient folk rituals, creative works of street musicians, court theater companies of Belarusian magnates, activities of amateur groups of the turn of the 19–20th centuries. Currently there are 28 state theatres, a large number of amateur folk groups, including puppet theatres, musical theatres. The most famous theatre of the republic is the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of Belarus. Its performances have won great success with both domestic and foreign audiences.

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Dmitry Smolsky's opera “The Grey Legend” (director, chief director of the Bolshoi Theatre Mikhail Pandzhavidze). For its staging the theatre was awarded a special prize of the President, as well as for significant achievements in the development of theatrical and musical art.

On the day of his 50th birthday Mikhail Pandzhavidze an hour before the performance of “Salome” by Richard Strauss held a meet-the artist session right in the foyer of the theatre and answered numerous questions of journalists and viewers.

For a month and a half of the tour in Mexico, which will also continue in April, the choreographic troupe of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus will show 42 performances of “The Sleeping Beauty” by Peter Tchaikovsky.

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rt territory I really want to find minutes for rest during the tour. But this is a very dangerous moment. You can’t relax! The situation obliges us to be ready, we have a great responsibility… I really want the guys to feel as one team, moreover as one big family. To make everyone understand: there is always a shoulder to lean on. It’s very important… That’s why I turn on healthy optimism, add a little drop of humor and tell the artists: “We can’t but dance 42 performances! No matter what you think or are afraid of, we will do it! Believe me!” I know that the potential of the troupe is huge! Each of the artists is a responsible and caring person who adores his profession…

March 27 — International Theatre Day

Scholarship holders of the

Liubou Malyshava

non-profit charitable

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organization “SIAA-foundation” presented there creative work to Belarusian audience for the frist time

On the eve of the International Theatre Day, the Bolshoi Theatre made a gift to its dear spectators. That evening it told the story of love, which has been living throughout the centuries thanks to two Belarusian classics — writer Vladimir Korotkevich and composer Dmitry Smolsky. The opera “The Grey Legend” staged by Mikhail Pandzhavidze was performed on our stage. The main roles were performed by People’s Artists of Belarus Nina Sharubina, Sergey Frankovsky, Vladimir Petrov. Vyacheslav Chernukho-Volich was at the conductor’s desk. A peculiar thing was that you could buy two tickets for the price of one! Each performance of the opera “The Grey Legend”, the creative team of which was awarded the State Prize of Belarus, becomes an event. Every time the theatre prepares something special for its audience. That evening it was the same. On March 26, an hour before the performance, a showcase of Boris Lazuko’s book “In the shade of castles and palaces. Material culture of the social elite of Belarus from the 12–the to the beginning of the 20th century” was held. The story about the book was supported by unique artifacts of material culture from the funds of the Museum of Ancient Belarusian Culture of the National Academy of Sciences, headed by Boris Lazuko. By Mikhalina Cherkashina

Ivan Zhdanovich

Crocuses appear first on city flower beds after winter

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ok o B a h t I W Ife l h g u o r th

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