BELARUS #10/2012

Holiday that remains forever pp. 8—9

BELARUSMagazine for you Politics, Economy, Culture

no.10 (949), 2012 Беларусь. Belarus

pp. 25—32Soyuz

Belarus —russia

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Беларусь.BelarusContentsMonthly magazine

No. 10 (949), 2012

Published since 1930

State Registration Certificate of mass medium No.8 dated March 2nd, 2009, issued by the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus

Founders:The Information Ministry of the Republic of Belarus“SB” newspaper editorial officeBelvnesheconombank

Editor: Viktor Kharkov

Executive Secretary:Valentina Zhdanovich

Design and Layout byVadim Kondrashov

Беларусь.Belarus is published in Belarusian, English, Spanish and Polish.

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Publisher: “SB” editorial office

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Order No.3106Total circulation — 1962 copies (including 736 in English).

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© “Беларусь. Belarus”, 2012

�

33SuNNy grEEtiNgS From APoLLo

10BELAZ coNquErS LAS VEgAS

16 Sincere hoSpitality iS a true brand From our hearts, we say ‘Welcome to Belarus!’ and meet them with sincere joy

18 energy efficient VariantS Wind park planned for Novogrudok District while Ivye testing solar power

20 SaltycureforaSthmaTreatments at a depth of 420 metres help alleviate asthma, neurodermati-tis and hay fever, at Soligorsk-based Republican Hospital of Speleotherapy — run by Belaruskali

22 programming factS without diffi-cultieS of tranSlation Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno specialists trained in the English language for IT

38 beautifulcityinSpireSpoSitiVemood

41 excellentSchoolforfuturechampionS Minsk’s Olympic Reserve (named after three time Olympic champion Alexander Medved) solemnly opens — where Cinema was previously situated

42 tineVichicomeSoutoftheShadow

44 echoeS from the paSt Famous Russian historian and genealogist Stanislav Dumin has strong Belarusian roots

46 georgySkripnichenko’SSpaceandtimeaSSociationS

52 generouSSoulhiddenunderpower-ful penname This year, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of People’s Poet of Belarus Maxim Tank

54 premiere coming Soon Yanka Kupala Na-tional Academic Theatre rehearsing Local Cabaret

ActuAL rESuLtS

4-512 Vitaly buSko: ‘thoSe who don’t loVe

people,can’tbehappy’

14 theSecretofleaderShipNarovlya District — most affected by the Chernobyl disaster — occupies leading position for small business de-velopment

� 2012 беларусь.belarus

By Viktor khArkoV,magazine editorБеларусь. Belarus

editor’s note

Facts cannot be denied, as we’ve seen in the recent parliamentary elections and as is explored in our article entitled Actual Results.

The election to the National Assembly’s House of Representatives saw voters being most active in the Vitebsk Region, where 80.2 percent of those registered to vote attended polling stations. Minsk saw the lowest turnout, at just 59.2 (as is tradi-tional). Of 293 candidates standing for election, only 109 were elected to Parliament: 80 men and 29 women. Five members are from the Communist Party of Belarus, the Agrarian Party and the ruling Republican Party of Labour and Justice.

Observers noted the professionalism and competence of district electoral commissions and, responding to comments that the election campaign had been boringly uneventful, President Alexander Lukashenko said, “Others should envy us if the elections are boring! Elections which are boring and quiet are happy for people, not to mention the Government. Elections in any civilised society should be conducted this way.”

People have long said that where there’s bread there’s song. According to the ancient tradition, those who work especially hard in bringing in the harvest are honoured. The Republican Dozhinki Festival, a relatively new holiday, is already very much anticipated and enjoyed, while celebrating the work of our agrarians. This year, the Mogilev Region’s hospi-table town of Gorki hosted the holiday, bringing together around 50,000 guests from various corners of Belarus, Russia, Lithuania and Georgia. Read more in Holiday Always with You.

As is traditional, the solemn event began by honouring those villagers who had brought in the harvest. This year’s crop breaks all records, with around 9.2m tonnes of grain collected (almost one tonne per resident). This surpasses 2011’s harvest by over a million tonnes. In all, 247 agricultural machine operators were awarded while 17 crews exceeded the target of 3,500 tonnes of grain output. Meanwhile, combine operator Mikhail Saladukha set an absolute record of 7,716 tonnes

of grain. Engineers, agro-technicians and heads of enterprises were among the winners of the Republican contest, with the best senior combine operators and youth crews receiving vehicles as prizes. They have every right to be proud of their success since, this year, Belarus has harvested the greatest crop of cereals in its history: 45 centners per hectare.

Organising Dozhinki brings major improve-ments for the host town, as Gorki demonstrates vividly. Over 250 sites have been built or recon-structed within a record period, for the first time in the history of the Republican festival. The town has received a whole new look, as has the district. There are two new signs at the entrance to Gorki, while ten contemporary dairy farms have also appeared. The President underlines that the Gorki District should become an example to others, with state executives learning from its experience and local residents carefully preserving the wonderful facilities they have been given.

Another example of great achievement is evident in BelAZ Conquers Las Vegas, detailing the stir caused by Belarusian dump trucks abroad. The international exhibition in American Las Vegas gathers the largest producers of quarry machinery from around the world every four years, each demonstrating their latest developments and competing for status in this prestigious niche market. The Belarusian 360 tonne BelAZ-75603 shone at the event, even among such giants as Caterpillar, Komatsu and Liebherr.

Demonstrational examples

Every day, hundreds of visitors flocked to its stand, with several contracts concluded with global mining leaders. As ever, the most inter-esting facts failed to be photographed or covered by official press releases but this was the first time that BelAZ had demonstrated its impressive dump truck at the American exhibition. Thousands of kilometres separate Belarusian Zhodino from the desert location so it would be a challenge to even send a small passenger car; however, MAZ managed to deliver the monster-size truck, rising to the unique challenge.

Every day, MAZ produces several dozen dump trucks, each taking a whole month to assemble; its components are many and sourced from all over the globe before the finished vehicles are sent to mine copper, coal or salt. Russia, Ukraine, Venezuela and Chile are among existing customers for the 50-100 tonne BelAZ trucks and the 360 tonne exposi-tion vehicle is, of course, even larger.

There is much for our machine builders to be proud of and their achievements must certainly stand as an example to other industries and enterprises. Secret of Success tells us how the Gomel Region’s Narovlya District — which suffered most from the Chernobyl catastrophe — has managed to occupy a leading position in the development of small business. Meanwhile, Energy Efficient Variants explores plans in the Grodno Region’s Novogrudok District to set up an innovative wind park and the Ivye District’s plans for testing solar panels. The Grodno Region already boasts a hydroelectric power station on the Nieman River and is soon to see its Ostrovets nuclear power station join the repertoire of alter-native energy sources. There are so many good examples of innovation and energy saving.

Moreover, recently, Yekaterina Buraya, 23, won an international beauty contest in Warsaw, as you can read in Charming girl from Bobruisk. It is a good complement to our other successes!

� беларусь.belarus 2012

PanoraMa

Credit portfolio to be expanded

Eurasian Development Bank plans to expand credit portfolio of Belarusian private sector to $700m next year

“We have ambit i ous p l ans for 2013 as we’d l ike to

expand our investment portfolio for

Belarus’ private sector to $700m,” notes Victor Gulyaev, Director of the representative Office of the eurasian Bank for Development in Minsk. The bank has big plans for Belarus, with serious resources set aside. it currently works with metallurgical and machine building enterprises, particularly amkodor JsC. “as for our plans until the end of this year, we’re ready to sign loan agreements worth about $175m. if we receive satisfac-tory solutions to loan security issues, we’ll sign these contracts by late 2012 and give tranches worth 25 percent of this sum,” explains Mr. Gulyaev.

Contracts worth another $280m are near ready. in 2011, $353m of loan agree-ments were signed for private enterprises and banks of Belarus.

Stable coursePresident of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, confirms plans to make average salary reach $500 by end of the year

Mr. lukashenko has a meeting with the Government and

the National Bank to hear their report on economic results for 2012, alongside forecasts and the budget and monetary-credit policy for 2013.

“The average salary has reached almost Br4m per month (just over $470). Meanwhile, citizens’ real incomes will grow by 17.5 percent while, in real terms, salaries will increase by 21.5 percent,” notes the Head of state.

Of course, such growth is reliant upon labour efficiency — a key principle. “We must give people the chance to earn money,” stressed the Belarusian President.

Mr. lukashenko also under-l ines that the publ ic remain concerned by rising prices yet the exchange rate of the Belarusian rouble remains stable.

Green liGht for a super electric trainSwiSS-BElaruSian tranSport plant to launch manufacturE in 2014

Belarus’ Prime Minister, Mikhail Myasnikovich, has laid a ceremo-nial foundation stone at the future

plant, noting, “The first part of the plant is scheduled to become operational by the end of 2013, allowing the first products to appear in 2014.”

The investment project to jointly produce railway and urban passenger electric transport is envisaged by Decree #322 (dated 20th of July 2012). The Holding Management Company Belkommunmash OJsC and stadler rail

aG (switzerland) have signed an invest-ment project for 2012-2016, giving the swiss company a 60 percent stake in the future company’s authorised fund. it will design and build the enterprise, while organising engineering and transport infrastructure. Belkommunmash OJsC will contribute part of its property in-kind into the authorised capital of electric Transport JsC (Minsk). The Belarusian-swiss JV will generate 200 new jobs, and will produce goods for sale at home and within the Cis.

turn-key complexIsraeli investor puts up $180m to create centre of development, introducing new high-technologies to agriculture

the investment project to build the Belarusian-israeli centre was

discussed during the third session of the Belarusian-israeli committee on trade and economic co-operation. The centre is to be located at joint Belarusian-israeli scientific and production association BelagroTeh, featuring an animal feed mill, a poultry farm, a pig breeding complex, a dairy farm, fish farming, a biogas plant and a centre for training agro-workers.


actual results in Belarus parliamentary elections were held

the elections to the House of representatives of the National assembly of the republic of Belarus of the fifth calling have seen an average of 74.2 percent of voters take

part. evidently, voters viewed their civil mission responsibly and there’re no doubts that our people aren’t indifferent towards their future.

Voters in the Vitebsk region were most active, with 80.2 percent of voters attending polling stations, with Minsk seeing the lowest percent — just 59.2 (as is traditional). Out of 293 candidates, who took part in the pre-election race on the moment of pre-term voting, only 109 have been elected to the Parliament, including 80 men and 29 women. There will be only five representatives of political parties in the Parliament of the new calling. These are members of the Communist Party of Belarus, the agrarian Party and the republican Party of labour and Justice.

Observers noted the professionalism and competence of district electoral commissions, while a team of inter-national observers visited 14 polling stations in Polotsk, the shumilino District and Vitebsk. in both the city and countryside, everyone was found to be professional and competent, according to Cis observer anatoly Pevnev. Having chatted to voters, Mr. Pevnev believes that each candidate had supporters

and opponents. However, the election campaign was calm and well-organised, without any violations of the electoral Code seen.

The President of Belarus, alexander lukashenko, cast his own vote at polling station #476, in starovilensky polling district 105 — located in the Belarusian state university of Physical Culture. He chatted to foreign observers present, seeing how the electoral process was organised. Following tradition, Mr. lukashenko then answered questi-

ons from representatives of Belarusian and foreign media. There were corre-spondents from russia, Poland, Germany and Finland, with places on the podium for TV cameras likely to be occupied from the moment when polling stations just opened.

Mr. lukashenko underlined that the parliamentary elections are held primarily for the benefit of all Belarusian people — not for the West.

replying to the question as to whether he expected the elections to be recognised by the West, Mr. lukashenko

noted that we ‘should always hope for the best’. He explained, “Once again, i’d like to repeat that we are holding elections today not for the West. The main author of the elections in Belarus is the Belarusian people. We hope for the best, but as for what will happen …we’ll have to wait and see.”

The President believes that the elect ion campaign saw nothing untoward. “if anyone doubts the choice of the Belarusian people this time, then i don't know how to conduct elections,

and according to what standards or laws,” he said. regarding comments that the election campaign had been boring and uneventful, the President said, “Others should envy us if the elections are boring! elections which are boring and quiet are happy for the people, not to mention the Government. elections in any civilised state should be held this way. We do not need revolution, upheaval, fighting, explosions or fist fights.”

The Head of state noted that the Belarusian parliament needs people who are educated and literate to make

‘onceagain,i’dliketorepeatthatweareholdingelectionStodaynotfortheweSt.themainauthoroftheelectionSinbelaruSiSthebelaruSianpeople’.

Alexander Lukashenko

ELECTIONS


laws, which is their main task. He suggested that those accusing Belarus of dishonest elections use our country as a model of honesty, principles and dignity, where elections are held in the people’s interests. “Where is the dishon-esty in our Belarusian elections?” he asked one Polish journalist. “Tell those Polish observers who criticise us, and all those conducting elections, that they should learn from Belarus how to hold elections honestly, with principles and dignity, in the interests of the people. This is my advice.”

He continued, “it’s not right to apply your own charter to someone else’s garden. Tell this to the Polish politicians. We’ll make our own decisions on how to organise our life. in my opinion, we don’t create problems for you.” Mr. lukashenko believes that the good turnout at polling stations to be an indicator of public trust in the authorities. answering a question from a Finnish journalist as to what a smaller turnout would indicate, the President said, “if only a small number of people vote, they mustn’t believe in the political system or the authorities of

At the polling station Alexander Lukashenko was with his younger son Nilkolay

BEL

TA

ELECTIONSa particular state. Here, twice as many people vote as in Finland, for example. Draw your own conclusions.”

The President believes that a large number of Belarusian voters are an indicator that ‘our society is more conscious’ and that ‘we have more people who believe in their future and the authorities, who conduct the elections’. He added that they must believe, at least, in ‘the agency elected’.

at the request of a German jour-nalist, the Head of state commented on the decision of some candidates to retire from participating in the election campaign. according to the President, the decision indicates their complete inability to become politicians. Mr. lukashenko suggested that such a situation would be virtually impossible to imagine in Germany. He added, “They dropped out, as was their choice. Many remained from this ‘fifth column’ and, if they win, they’ll join Parliament; if they don’t, they’ll go to Germany or Poland to ask for money to buy bread and salt.”

speaking of those who decided to boycott the elections, Mr. lukashenko said, “They are just cowards who have nothing to say to the people. The political battle is held according to certain laws, as everyone knows. if you recognise this, then why become involved?” Mr. lukashenko believes that, if a politi-cian joins the political struggle, he should fight; if he refuses, he must be scared and is showing failure.

One representative of the foreign media asked the President about the future of his young sons. Mr. lukashenko replied, “Do you have children? How do you see their future? rosy…yes? i’d also like to see my sons enjoy good prospects. They rely on the future development of our country.”

“i’m all for good prospects, especially for children,” the President continued. “You know my attitude towards children; there is absolutely no policy here. i want my and your children, and all those in Finland and all over the world, to live well, with good prospects. To this end, we’ll continue working.”


Valuable practiceExpErtS from BElaruS and Eu ExchangE ExpEriEncE of StatE Support to Small and mEdium-SizEd BuSinESSES

A s e m i n a r e nt i t l e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l experience of state

support for small and Medium sized Businesses among eu Member states has been hosted by Minsk as part of the eu TaieX international technical aid programme. The seminar was organised by the Belarusian economy Ministry, jointly with its economic research institute, aiming to allow Belarus’ policy of state support for small and medium-sized enterprises (sMes) to benefit from the experience of eu states.

entrepreneurs and those from scien-tific communities also took part, learning from various agencies across the eu. The latter shared their experience of organ-

ising export support and attracting foreign investments, while offering pref-erential VaT rates for sMes.

Participants learnt about the role of public-private partnership in regional development and about the impor-tance of clusters for regional develop-ment and encouraging innovative and foreign economic activities by sMes.

additionally, eu experts touched upon such issues as protecting

intellectual property and

explained the support system offered to sMes in the eu.

according to the economic Ministry of Belarus, the seminar’s results will be useful in elaborating a new state programme to support sMes in Belarus from 2013-2015, including developing related legislation.

Viking gains speedWorld Intellectual Property Organisation has registered trademark of Viking combined transport train

the World intellectual Property Organisation (which unites

185 countries, including Belarus) has given confirmation and a certificate of registra-tion for the ViKiNG TraiN trademark. it is a good example of liaison between t h e r a i l w ay s o f Belarus, lithuania and ukraine, carrying cargo

to the Baltic states, scandinavia and Transcaucasus, as well as Central asia and the Middle east.

The official freight forwarder in Belarus is state-owned Belintertrans-

Transport-logistics centre of Belarusian

railways. The confirmation of the trademark allows the Viking train to be advertised effectively; it already has its own website and a promo-clip. it began regular operation in 2003 and, in 2009, the european Commission acknowl-edged it as the best european cargo

transportation project.

Definition by the price index

Economists believe that inflation is always with us

Absence of inflation is usually a sign of stagnation in the economy. Naturally,

no one wants to see consumer prices for goods and services rocketing. Belarus is now seeing price growth steadying, as the National statistical Committee reports; in July 2012 prices rose 101.3 percent compared to June, but have only grown 12 percent since the beginning of the year. These figures are within the scope of the annual forecast, which aims to see prices for goods and services rise by no more than 19-22 percent.

in July 2012, the price index for industrial goods rose by 100.9 percent in comparison with June and 113 percent in comparison with December 2011.

The National statistics Committee notes that, in July, prices for agricultural products rose by 102.1 percent in compar-ison with June and 122.8 percent compared with December; crop prices increased by 110.6 percent and 137.3 percent respec-tively, while those for animal breeding rose by 99.8 percent and 119 percent.

PanoraMa


PanoraMa

Open-skies for unmanned aircraft

Minsk Aircraft Repair Plant to establish mass production of pilotless aircraft

the enterprise has already finished the first stage of test flights for its

‘Philin’ unmanned aircraft system which included automatic take-off, en-route flight and landing. Belarusian KVaND is enterprise is responsible for the automatic control system of the pilotless aircraft, after almost a decade of devel-opment and almost $500,000 spent. The unmanned aircraft system consists of the control point, technical maintenance point and the ‘sterkh-BM’ pilotless aircraft device. it is designed to monitor remote areas of the earth, including the water, and can tow aviation targets. The apparatus can be controlled manually via radio communication, as well as by software for autopilot.

Yevgeny Vaitsekhovich, the Director General of Minsk’s aircraft repair Plant, notes that mass production of the ‘sterkh-BM’ is set for 2013, with volumes dependent on orders. annually, up to ten devices could be manufactured. its developers note that the Belarusian pilotless aircraft boasts a range of advan-tages. in particular, it can override an operator’s error, via self-checking. it is simple to manage, and can fly and land under difficult weather conditions and at night. Moreover, it boasts high accuracy and can even land on ordinary roads (where at least 5m is available) as well as at small aerodromes and other sites with a suitably flat surface.

Food in the mirror of expenditure

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has reported that many countries see people spending their lion’s share of earnings on food: up to 70 percent

in Belarus, even after last year’s economic collapse, the picture looks

quite favourable, with just 45.6 percent of income spent on food. Of course, this indicates standards of living. a nation’s ‘disposable income’ is a clear factor in citizens’ degree of contentment.

in addition, the average family in Belarus spends 34.9 percent of its income on non-food items; services account for 16.8 percent, although urban and rural residents do spend rather differently.

l o o k i n g a t t o t a l c on s u m e r spending on food, sausages and smoked meats account for the major share (13.3 percent), followed by bread (7.2 percent);vegetables and gourds are next in line (7.1 percent) followed by fruits and berries (6.6 percent), poultry (6.3 percent), and sugar and sweets(5.5 percent). Belarusians spend approximately 4.9 percent of their total income on pork-based foods; 4.6 percent is spent on fish and fish products while 4 percent goes on tea, coffee and cocoa. Belarusians spend 4 percent on milk and 3.5 percent on pastries, cakes and biscuits.

Vine took rootsMost northern vineyard in the country yields first fruits Ogovskoe farm, near Vitebsk, embraces the vine

in the Vitebsk region, a m at e u r g a rd e n e r s

have long been engaged in cultivating grapes, despite these being more traditionally grown in the south. some varieties are suitable for the north of Belarus but the notion of industrial wine-growing seemed bizarre until recently. “i decided to fulfil my destiny as a Georgian,” jokes the head of the farm, Demiko Nadirashvili. He adds, “Grapes truly can be grown in the Vitebsk region.”

last November, the farm began growing about 50 vines across more than 40 table varieties. By august, the fruits were ripening, with each grape weighing between 2 and 12g. They don’t really differ in taste from the sweet, crunchy grapes of southern europe and a good harvest is forecast for the varieties ‘kishmish’ and ‘talisman’ and some red

table varieties.in addition, last spring, the farm

planted about 300 frost-resistant varieties, which have rooted well.

Within two to three years, the first great harvest

should be ready. The Chairman of

the Vitebsk regional executive Committee, alexander Kosinets, is now considering

creating vineyards on a wider scale, including storage facilities, with suburban farms across the entire region taking

part. Processing facilities could then be built to make the most of the new crop.


Winners’ FestiVal

Holiday always with you republican dozHinki Festival celebrated in belarus

Around 50,000 guests from across the country, as well as from russia, lithuania and Georgia, were welcomed by the hospitable town of Gorki

this year. as is traditional, the solemn event began by honouring those who had brought in this year’s record breaking harvest: 9.2m tonnes of grain - almost 1 tonne per head of the population. This surpasses last year’s figure by over a million tonnes.

awards were given to 247 agricultural machine operators while 17 crews were recognised for surpassing their target of 3,500 tonnes of grain. Combine operator Mikhail saladukha set an absolute record of 7,716 tonnes of grain.

engineers, agro-technicians and heads of enterprises were among those awarded at the republican contest, with prizes presented by the President of Belarus, alexander lukashenko. The best senior combine operators and youth crews received automobiles and have every right to feel proud of their success. This year, Belarus boasts the greatest crop yield of cereals in its history: 45 centners per hectare.

On the first day of the holiday, a commemorative sign was placed in the central square — a symbol of Gorki land’s Welfare. Meanwhile, an avenue was laid alongside the lake to honour the best harvesters. Dozhinki celebrates more than just the harvest though; it is a festival for everyone.

247 best agricultural machine operators all over the country

Previous towns which have hosted Dozhinki are stolin, Mosty, Nesvizh, shklov, Mozyr, Pruzhany, Volkovyssk, slutsk, Bobruisk, rechitsa, Orsha, Kobrin, lida and Molodechno. each has been changed by the event, with old buildings repaired, new important sites built and streets and squares renovated. in Gorki, a cinema, hotels, stations and historical buildings have acquired new life. Gorki local History Museum celebrated its relaunch, having relocated to a late 19th-early 20th century house built by perfumer Kazimierz Padzerski; he made Gorki famous worldwide by inventing his ‘Kazimi-metamorphosis’ cream, which prevented freckles. The nobleman was awarded a gold medal at the World expo in Paris in 1900. Gorki-born famous russian writer and publicist lev razgon wrote that his father used to work in Padzerski’s workshop, making the miraculous cream.

He also writes: ‘My elder brother sol — a guardian of family relics and photo-graphs — has an old photographic shot which depicts everyone involved in the production of ‘Kazimi-metamorphosis’. Kazimierz Padzerski is at the centre, surrounded by his staff. Workers stand

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Winners’ FestiVal

some distance from him, including my father — as a young man, with twirled moustache, wearing a rough tarpaulin apron’.

apart from these recollections and the building itself, no memorial to Padzerski existed until the museum opened an exhibi-tion to the perfumer recently — including his unique recipes for fragrances, dating from the 19th century. These were found by workers in the attic (inside the house lagging) during restoration for the Dozhinki Festival. another new exhibition is devoted to local photogra-pher ariel, who once made Gorki famous by claiming gold at the World expo in Paris. His early 20th century shots are also on display.

another late 19th-early 20th century building was quickly restored for the republican festival, from old photos; it once housed a post office and is now a contempo-rary dentist’s surgery. The Belarusian state agricultural academy is another of the town’s gems, training around 15,000 students - including those from russia. it was founded in 1836, when the Tsarist Government decided to open an agronomic school in the Mogilev Province’s Gorki. at that time, agro-tech-nicians and those destined to run state and private estates trained there, with the school quickly gaining a reputation across russia. in 1848, it became an agronomic institute: russia’s first agricultural higher educational establishment with university status. after the 1863 rebellion, in which teachers and students took part, the institute was moved to st. Petersburg. later, it returned to Gorki and became an academy. Now, it boasts 16 buildings, 14 hostels and a library containing over 1m editions, including rare books.

T h e t ow n t r ans -formed magnificently for Dozhinki, with a new hostel (accom-modating 860) built, accommodat ing guests. a luxurious cultural and enter-tainment centre also appeared, with an amphitheatre seating 2,500: the festival’s

major venue. a capsule was laid in the foun-dations of the future media-centre, containing a message for our descendants.

The ancient building of the academy is wonderfully preserved, including its luxurious botanical garden - founded in the times of the Gory-Goretskaya agronomic school, in 1849, by italian architect Kampioni. at his instruc-tion, plants were delivered from various corners of Belarus and the russian empire, as well as from foreign botanical collections. Today, it’s a scientific research laboratory known for its tree nursery and was declared a republican natural monument in 1963.

The President of Belarus received his second higher education there and, since his student days, it has been updated to meet all contemporary requirements. its students receive practical experience, as well as theo-retical knowledge, and the site hosts Belarus’ largest fish breeding facilities; up to 3m rainbow trout are to be bred there.

a scientific and practical centre on aqua-culture is to be established there, teaching students from the ichthyology and Fish Culture Department. Moreover, a super-farm for 280 cows is being currently constructed at the academy — unrivalled within the post-soviet space. its training and production facilities will have the latest automated equipment, a wind generator and solar panels, educational lab-classrooms, and dairy and veterinary units.

Over 250 sites have been built and reconstructed within an extremely short

time in Gorki — a record for the republican festival. The

town has received a new look, as has the district, with two new signs being installed at the entrance to Gorki. Ten contem-porary new dairy farms have also appeared.

The President under-lined at the holiday that the Gorki District should become an example to others, with executives studying such ‘models’. He hopes that residents will carefully preserve and value their new facilities.

By Olga kislyak

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every day, MaZ produces several dozen dump trucks, each taking a whole month to assemble, since components are many and sourced from all over the globe before the finished article is sent to mine copper, coal or salt. russia, ukraine, Venezuela and Chile are among existing customers for 50-100 tonne BelaZ trucks. The 360 tonne exposition vehicle is, of course, even larger.

“it’s taken over two months for the truck to reach its destination,” explains the General Director of Western Technologies (specialising in the promotion of BelaZ trucks to North america), Dmitry Tikhomolov, who helped organise the Belarusian stand at MiNexpo. He notes that the truck travelled for almost 45 days by sea from Klaipeda port and by train, needing 16 platforms to transport it in disassembled form. assembly at its desti-nation was the most complicated task, since it’s tricky even in the home workshop — despite being routine. assembly in the ‘field’ presents a massive challenge — especially taking into account the

t he international exhi-

bition is an Olympiad for all mining enterprises every four years, in american las Vegas. it gathers the largest producers of quarry machinery from around the world, who demonstrate their latest developments, competing to be known as strongest in this narrow but prestig-ious market. This year, the Belarusian 360 tonne BelaZ-75603 took part, creating a real stir among such giants as Caterpillar, Komatsu and liebherr. every day, hundreds of visitors attended its stand, allowing several contracts to be concluded with global mining leaders. as ever, the most interesting facts failed to be photographed or covered by official press releases.

This was the first time that BelaZ had demonstrated its impressive dump truck in Vegas, since thousands of kilo-metres separate Belarusian Zhodino from the desert location. it would be a challenge to send a small passenger car so, naturally, delivery of monster-size trucks is a unique challenge.

weight of a single wheel (more than that of a small truck).

a joint group of Belarusian and american designers — headed by deputy chief designer leonid semenov — oversaw this complicated task in las Vegas. He notes, “Partners from american Jas company provided the cranes without which it would have been impossible to unload the BelaZ compo-nents. Moreover, we were assisted by a group of highly qualified mechanics who helped with assembly. Conducted in the open air, under the hot sun, the task was even harder. it’s really quite unpleasant to be outside when the temperature is over 40 degrees and we had to assemble the giant mechanisms with great accuracy.” Mr. semenov adds, “Taking into consid-eration these conditions, we decided to start as early in the day as possible. By 6 a.m., our team was ready, achieving as

Belarusian dump trucks arouse huge interest among

mining companies

belaz conquers las vegas

�0 беларусь.belarus 2012

transatlantiC VoYaGe

much by lunchtime as is usually seen in an eight-hour working day.”

The assembly of the giant truck took a team of eleven two weeks, with the last days seeing the lifting of a platform by two 150 tonne cranes, for placement on bridge stands (each weighing over 100 tonnes). However, as Mr. semenov admits, painting was the most chal-lenging element, as the truck had lost its lustre after the long sea journey; of course, a show like MiNexpo relies on each truck looking impressive! “it’s a difficult job to paint a BelaZ truck but, in the usa, we faced the additional diffi-culty of local legislation. You can’t paint vehicles in the open air but electro-static paint spraying is impossible at a certain temperature. so, we had to paint the truck in the evening and, even, at night; it surprised the americans greatly. They could hardly believe that such compli-

cated work could be done under artificial lighting and that we completed it in time. They even came to take photos next to the truck,” muses Mr. semenov.

The gigantic truck was driven the last few kilometres of its route, arousing huge interest among las Vegas drivers and passers-by. it also caused a stir among professionals, easily rivalling other such mining vehicles at the exhibition.

a network of dealers (already opera-tional in america) has agreed to provide after-sales service for the Zhodino trucks, explains the General Director of the Belarusian automobile Works, Piotr Parkhomchik. He notes that the recent MiNexpo was a milestone for his company, saying, “everyone was impressed by us transporting a 360 tonne dump truck to the exhibition. From the first day of opening, our stand attracted the greatest number of spectators. We conducted numerous talks with the largest companies, who expressed interest in purchasing Belarusian machinery. The exhibition is organised every four years exclusively for professionals so i have no doubt that — even against the existing competition — we’ll conclude new contracts and find new buyers in south and Central america.”

By Dmitry komarov

thiSyearthe360tonne

belaz-75603createdarealStiramongtheworld-

famouSautomobilegiantS

�� 2012 беларусь.belarus

eConoMiC FaCtor

Vitaly Busko:

‘those who don’t love people, can’t be happy’For thirty years, he has been working in Lyakhovichi, in the brest region, running Zherebkovichi Large agricuLturaL production co-operative. he is a ‘reaL’ Farmer

Al l anniversaries a r e d i f f e r e n t , although they all mark the passing of time. You may have a posit ive attitude, seeing the occasion as one on

which to take stock of your successes, saying, “i’m only 30 but i already have everything i desire: home, family and a job i enjoy. Meanwhile, so much more lies ahead!” alternatively, you could find yourself with a bitter taste in your mouth, musing that your best days are behind you and wondering how long you still have to live.

s o m e a n n i v e r s a r i e s a r e a source of pride and joy or surprise. The Chairman of Zherebkovichi agricultural Production Co-operative, Vitaly Busko, has headed the farm for 30 years — half of his life! it is known not only for its consistently good harvests but for its significance to the whole lyakhovichi District; it was responsible for 20 percent of grain harvested in the district this year.

so… how has Vitaly kept the chairman’s seat for so many years —

surviving the notorious ‘perestroika’ and the collapse of the soviet union? it was a test of strength and an act of extreme dedication. each farm has faced a similar struggle...

He is stockily built yet athletic, being light and swift of step. His energy literally spills over, despite his greying short hair. His penetrating eyes clearly question our reasons for being here, although he’s used to chatting with visitors; they take half of his working day. However, i can feel that he views journalists differently. i tell him that i’ve interviewed other heads of agricultural production co-operatives and he recognises many of their names; some are his personal acquaintances and friends. He studied on the same course with the Chairman of Progress-Vertelishki Co-operative, Hero of Belarus Vasily revyako, at the Grodno agricultural institute.

if i want him to speak frankly, i need him to trust me. i’m not sure how to tackle the task. However, he soon begins to tell me details from his life:

“Do you want to know how to become a chairman? i’d say it has nothing to do with orders from above.

Gifted people always arise but they are a rare phenomenon. Hundreds may train but it doesn’t mean they can do the work efficiently, since you either have the right personality or you don’t. You need to face unexpected challenges while staying true to yourself. You could say that Fate plays its part but you also need personal desire and, perhaps, ambition. it’s as if a beacon lights up inside you, urging you to ‘Go for it!’

as a schoolboy, i remember asking my father’s permission to go out walking with classmates. He made a sarcastic comment about my wasting time and having no money in my pocket so, a lthough most young men dream of becoming a pilot or astronaut, i replied to my father’s cynical taunt about me never amounting to anything by saying i’d become a chairman one day. “Time will show,” he replied wisely. it wasn’t childish stubbornness which incited me to utter those words; there was something deep in my soul. Only God knows how that golden grain came to be inside me but it began to grow.

as a student, my two friends and i stayed with our friend in the

�� беларусь.belarus 2012

Berestovitsa District for a weekend, helping gather beets from the field. Our faces became red but we felt cheerful and were teasing one another. Our friend’s father, who was driving the tractor, smiled while watching us, asking which specialisations we were studying. i replied that i was planning to be a chairman, as if i’d decided long ago. seven years later, i really became a chairman! Of course, proving yourself in that role is another thing...

i came to Belarus Farm from the lyakhovichi District’s Progress Farm. i was assigned there to the post of Deputy Chairman. it was good expe-rience for me, which continued in Belarus Farm, headed by alexander Bokach — a strong leader and a really good man. He later became the Deputy Chairman of the Brest regional executive Committee and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Bssr. such a person worked at our farm!

at 29, i became the youngest chairman in the district, managing a huge farm. savetskaya Belarus Farm joined with us, so we had to make the best of the situation, developing

in order to avoid collapse. Without exaggeration, i couldn’t bear to fail the legacy i’d inherited; it would have been my fault. responsibility is less frightening than loss of hope though. There was funding and a contractor

but we weren’t included on the devel-opment plan. rather than keeping quiet, i spoke up and people believed in me. One of the officials we were relying upon asked me, “What car do you drive, Chairman?” i replied, “a Volga left by my predecessor. i’ll sell it and transfer the value to your account.” i gathered together my farm management staff and explained the s ituat ion. some understood my actions at once while others were reproachful, wondering how i’d cope without a car. i replied that i’d happily walk everywhere if it ensured our modernisation.

as a result of selling the Volga, we soon had four new calf-houses, a granary, ten-storied residential buildings, a dairy farm and other facilities. To be honest, i never once thought of leaving, saying to myself that i could just stay a year or so, to avoid any shame from departing.

The past 30 years have flashed by like 30 days. Probably, i could have become quite a successful entrepre-neur, taking the profession of animal husbandry to new heights. However, i know that, if i were offered another job, i’d die of boredom. some in our profession see only the dark side: endless work, the huge burden of responsibility, the lack of a private life, unfair treatment by local author-ities, and chronic, mind-numbing fatigue - which saps your health, regardless of your fitness. This is all true but there is a bright side. Nothing happens independently in farming. You’d only have weeds to harvest if you left a field unattended for a single summer. everything from the soil is gained by hard work and tremendous effort. Gold, coal and oil are ripe for mining, to be turned into products. reaping the fruits of the soil gives similar satisfaction. You might stand admiring the new shoots bursting forth, feeling the very air turning green from them — or stand at the edge of a rye field covered in mist. at harvest time, when you breathe the

‘nothinghappenSindependentlyin

farming.you’donlyhaVeweedStoharVeStifyouleftafieldunattended

foraSingleSummer.

eVerythingfromtheSoiliSgained

byhardworkandtremendouS

effort.likegold,coalandoil’.

eConoMiC FaCtor

In productive labor Vitaly Busko considers a person to be of primary importance


eConoMiC FaCtor

last year, this district of the Gomel region was acknowledged best in the country (among settlements with up to 50,000 residents) for small business devel-opment — despite

being located far from the regional centre. Moreover, it is one of the Gomel region’s three areas most affected by the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe, feeling the full brunt of the 20th century’s largest ecolog-ical catastrophe. What

moderate taxes, several times lower rent; and a favourable attitude on the part of local authorities. We were offered a choice of premises. Where else would the head of a district executive committee’s economic department call personally to see how you are doing? Moreover, the tax inspectors offer us

a cup of coffee when we come to report on income and payments. it

might seem insignificant but these details show the attitude towards entrepreneurs who run businesses here,” stresses Boris.

The Gel lers brought their own team of furniture making

incomparable smell of bread wafting from a combine, you can’t help but feel happy. You’re at the centre of this whirl of activity, always part of it, focusing all your efforts and drawing power from the sense of achievement. You reap what you sow.

in the end, everything depends on people: their abilities, diligence, p at i e nc e and d e d i c at i on . su ch qualities can be easily erased if you are careless with others’ well-being. They are not so easy to nurture. During the hard times of the 1990s, many farms, including those which were strong, went down, as they ran out of money. We decided to pay staff in grain in lieu of wages. To the last, i was determined that we’d give, rather than take from people. i remember a machine operator coming into my off ice almost in tears, as he was losing his sight, needing surger y in Moscow. He begged for a loan, saying he’d work for it but we had no money to give. We found an unusual solution in advancing him six cows against his future salary. He sold them, raising money for the surgery. We saved his eyes and, perhaps, his very life...

Our machine operators receive hot meals throughout the year at nominal cost as you work better when you’ve eaten well. We don’t have housing problems since we buy empty homes and repair them. We give blocks and lumber, allowing the owner to complete the work himself. if you build something, it binds you firmly to the land. You should never divide people into good and bad. if someone makes a slip, stealing or doing something wrong, they should be punished but never lose their dignity! if you don’t love people, you can’t be happy.”

it’s said that happiness involves choosing the right saddle to suit your circumstances: too big and you’ll fall off; too small and it will rub painfully. Vitaly ivanovich Busko has chosen his well… and has no plans to retire.

By Leonid Semyonov

tHe secret of lidership

are the secrets of its business attractiveness?

coFFEE From tAx iNSPEctor

Boris Geller and his son stanislav founded the Poles ie Furniture C o mp a ny i n Po l e s i e , shifting their hard and soft furniture production from Mozyr. “The decision was made after we found out about the programme of small business support in towns. it ensures serious advantages to private initi-ative in such settlements:

specialists from Mozyr and their staff has been gradually growing, supple-mented by new local employees. More jobs are planned for the future, as the

narovLya district — most aFFected by the chernobyL disaster — occupies Leading position For smaLL business deveLopment


business

family has huge plans. The company’s move from a large industrial centre to a small town has not affected demand for its goods; in fact, it has more customers than ever. “it’s vital to create a good reputation and image in our business,” explains Boris. “We already boast this, as i’m extremely attentive to quality, giving us a good reputation with our customers — irrespective of our factory’s location.”

Narovlya residents are showing increasing interest in buying furniture which seems to indicate that they have disposable income. The entrepreneur’s buyers tend to be young families from the neighbouring agro-town who are keen to make their homes more comfortable. “if someone wants to live well, they’ll succeed; if they aren’t driven, they’ll find a dozen excuses,” asserts Boris, who has a great deal of life experience. He previously emigrated to israel, spending a year there before returning to Belarus, believing that a new page had turned, with greater opportunities for success — espe-

cially for business. “i’m not yet close to becoming a us Dollar billionaire but i’m convinced i could be within a decade. The opportunities are there, so hard work is the key,” he is convinced.

LoANS For BuSiNESSPavel Yelizarov set up Krolshtad

Farm three years ago, specialising in breeding rabbits; he produces about 2 tonnes of meat monthly, which he stresses is free of radionuclides. recently, the farm has begun breeding quails, which enjoy demand in Belarus and russia, fetching a good price. in a picturesque spot, on the site of a former sanatorium, the farm has plenty of outbuildings, in one of which Pavel, his wife and two children live.

The entrepreneur used an interest free loan from the state to set up the farm and create 23 jobs. in fact, he’s already repaid the loan and is applying for another — to revive the soviet tradition of purchasing rabbits from individual breeders. in the past, Narovlya residents were known as

professional rabbit farmers, although few continue today, lacking buyers. a centralised system of purchase would once again inspire the development of rabbit breeding in the district.

Besides buying rabbit meat and fur, the farm would help breeders wishing to buy good quality rabbit feed and could offer advice and veterinary services. such support is likely to attract local residents.

“The loan will allow my business to develop further,” he emphasises. “rabbits breed quickly so, in a year or two, every villager could have their own cages of animals.”

such businessmen are impressive in their optimism and confidence. They realise that profits and success don’t come from thin air, requiring initia-tive and a desire to improve oneself. This is probably the key to successful business development in the region. Moreover, Narovlya residents have preserved their town 26 years on from the Chernobyl tragedy.

By Larisa Velyaminova

Valery Shlyaga, Chairman of the naroVlya DiStriCt

exeCutiVe Committee:

When I took on the post of head of the district, I gave priority to the idea that both private and state owned enterprises should have equal rights. Clearly, we already had plenty of state run businesses but wanted to encourage private ownership. Red tape is the usual barrier in this respect so, to overcome it, we set up our Council for Small Business Development. It unites the heads of services, and me; we’ve established a system whereby anyone can seek advice on running a business. If a project needs more time for co-ordination, an entrepreneur can be assisted by a curator (from the District Executive Committee and the Council) who helps solve all related problems.At present, some spheres — such as trade and construction — are seeing more activity from private companies than from state run. They are undergoing modernisation and exporting abroad. Our small businesses are doing so well that we actually lack enough local workers.I truly believe that both sectors need to work hard to ensure good results. District heads should assist … as we are doing.


ProJeCt

sincere Hospitality is a true brandFrom our hearts, we say ‘Welcome to Belarus!’ and meet them with sincere joy

the Welcome to Belarus project — run by one of our leading TV channels — chose its name with good reason. six families from China, Germany, south Korea, spain,

France and the usa arrived in Belarus for the first time, eager to learn more about our nation, its traditions and culture. They spent five days touring accompanied by ONT’s film crew.

alexander lukashenko met the project participants at the National library, enjoying a friendly atmosphere from the very first. Naturally, the foreign guests were full of impressions as they saw the sights, visited leading enterprises, tasted our national cuisine and enjoyed the beauties of the countryside. Their smiles proved their true pleasure at the trip and, really, could it have been otherwise? Belarusians have always been known for their hospitality and spirituality.

“Belarus is an o p e n c o u n t r y,” Mr. lukashenko told the group. “We are a

peaceful, sincere nation, keen to make friends with anyone — through trade, tourism and meeting freely. We have no alien attitude towards anyone. We wish only kindness, happiness and prosperity to all.” He stressed that the guests’ fresh impressions are of special value, saying, “We live in Belarus and love it. However, over time, we become accustomed to its beauty, no longer being amazed.”

The guests were of various ages and occupations, including teachers, busi-nessmen, musicians and housewives. Mr. lukashenko invited them to chat

freely, saying “Tell us of any ‘failures’ if you notice them; believe me, your opinion is very important to us and to me

as the President. You have a fresh eye, enjoying new, objective impressions. importantly, you are all sincere and open people who — as i hope — wish the best for our land and nation.

On hearing your opinions, we’ll consider how to make our Belarus even better.”

German businessman Gerd sommer was first to share his views. accompanied by his wife sabina and son Christian, travelling through the Mogilev region, their trip was a true revelation, as Mr. sommer admitted. He noted, “We’ve visited many countries but have never been welcomed with such hospitality as in Belarus. sadly, we have little infor-mation on Belarus in Germany. We’re impressed by your people, your cultural sites, your wonderful landscapes, good roads and tasty cuisine. Belarus has only been developing as an independent state for twenty years but your infrastructure development is worthy of respect. There are many construction sites in the country and you can construct well; however, we’re ready to propose new technologies and would like to offer constructive co-operation after this trip.”

Mr. lukashenko thanked the German for his invitation to hunt on his own estate, adding that a lack of informa-tion on Belarus in Germany is bemusing, since thousands of Germans cross through Belarus annually -- all with good impressions, even when only transiting. such ‘public diplomacy’ stands high.

There’s no doubt that the trip will remain in the guests’ memories. edgar

The couple from South Korea Kim Don Von and Kyung Seok Om visited

the Brest region — they were in Brest, Pinsk, Kamenets and

also visited the preserve of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the ostrich

farm as well as the company “Savushkin

Product”


ProJeCt

romeo Gadea, elena iskerdo Puebla and their four-year-old daughter Paula, from the Canary islands, love our Belarusian lakes and forests, so will surely be dreaming of them on their return home. as edgar admits, they had never seen anything of the kind before. Chinese Weiwei lan, his wife and ten-year-old son are now keen to publish a book about Belarus in China, to familiarise as many people as possible with its beauty. During his trip, Weiwei sent dozens of photos to friends by email; the Vitebsk region’s landscapes inspired his family to artistic endeavours: they drew a picture, presenting it to the President.

The tr ip coincided with the honeymoon of French erve Giyo and his wife lerans, who loved the Grodno region for its architecture, culture of industrial production and, naturally, its hospitable and generous people. lerans

Boba Giyo believes the Belarusians and French share many values: ‘family, work ethics, culture and pride in our country’.

The guests from south Korea were impressed by Brest Fortress and the Belovezhskaya Pushcha. “it seems that i’ve travelled back to my childhood for a while,” smiled Kyung seok Om, after meeting Father Frost in the Pushcha. They also shared a love for some of our tradi-tional dishes, enjoying draniki (served with soya sauce rather than sour cream).

robert James Brennan, from the usa, will certainly recollect Belarusian Polesie’s natural beauty on returning home. He saw first-hand Belarusian diligence, industry and ambition. “less than twenty years ago, you experienced a complicated period of transformation. it’s hard to believe this on seeing how you live and are developing now,” he said. robert’s musician son John, 22, promises

to compose a song about Belarus which may inspire thousands of his coun-trymen (knowing nothing of Belarus) to see it with their own eyes.

Of course, such opinions are valuable since they can be used to help us assess our homeland more objectively, realising that we have much of which to be proud. Finally, the President told the foreign guests, “Your impressions are important to me, as i can tell our people: look at what a wonderful country you live in. it’s not just me saying this but all those who visit. Our forests, lakes and rivers are Belarus’ fortune and they belong to everyone, including you.”

The eight programmes following the guests’ travels are to be broadcast by ONT, once a week. all those who took part are also receiving the full series to take home on DVD.

By Vladimir khromov

The German family. Gerd and Sabina Sommer with their son Christian Pfeiffer delighted with Belarus

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PoWer enGineerinG

energy efficient variants

Wind park planned For novogrudok district WHile ivye testing solar poWer

the Grodno Region is seeking to launch alter-native energy sources to complement its existing hydro-electric station (located on t h e Ni e m a n ) a n d

the Ostrovets nuclear power station ( c u r r e n t l y b e i n g constructed).

lighting. solar panels are even being fitted. a significant share of the cost (768,000 euros) has been funded by the european union as part of an annual programme to improve Belarus’ energy policy. Meanwhile, the local budget has so far injected over Br 3bn.

“Once the project is realised, a completely new school will be opera-tional: warm, light and comfortable. We plan to finish work in time for the winter heating season,” explains Grigory arshinov, of arDi — which won the tender for contractor works. Only qualified builders are conducting the renovations, as the school’s director, Yelena Timoshenko, tells us. However, teachers are helping out, to help save money. “it’s not surprising that our school was chosen by the Department for energy efficiency as the venue for the pilot project, since c h i l d r e n

SALVAtioN oF SciENcEat present, ivye school-Orphanage

— built half a century ago — resembles a huge construction site, having been

chosen as the venue for a pilot energy

e f f i c i e n c y project. With help from the eu and local

a u t h o r i t i e s , the 2,800 sq.m old building is

being completely modernised to b e c o m e e c o -friendly. Major works include the provision of insu-lat ion and the replacement of windows, doors

and pipes, as w e l l a s t h e

systems for v e n t i l a -

tion and


PoWer enGineerinG

Mikhail Volchetsky, the Chairman of ivye District executive Committee.

The site is one of two vital projects being launched in the ivye

District this year. On september 1st, a teacher training complex

opened: the first for the district and the third

countrywide. The eco-building has its own

boiler (using local fuels) and imple-

ments the latest technologies.

ALtErNAtiVE APProAch

ac c o r d i n g t o eduard sobol, the Head of the Department for energy and Fuel at Grodno regional executive Committee, in the first half of the year, the Grodno region met its target for energy saving, with the ivye District

dominating. “in fulfilling Presidential Directive #3, our district has been annually saving around 10 percent of its energy — against a target of 5 percent. We’ve achieved this by imple-menting energy efficient projects and have managed to shift to the use of local fuels. These days, the ivye District uses little gas yet manages to meet its social responsibilities,” notes the Deputy Chairman of the ivye District executive Committee, Vladimir Kuzmich.

“last year, we reconstructed the hydro-electric station — built over 50 years ago — in Zhemyslavl. The effects are evident at large local farms, which rely on electricity for their power. We’re doing our best to use advanced energy efficient tech-nologies, including solar panels, and already have experience in this field. Of course, the installation of these at ivye school-orphanage is at a new level,” he adds.

The Novogr udok Dist r ic t i s another area in the Grodno region which actively supports alternative energy development. This autumn, Novogrudok plans to join the Covenant of Mayors — a large european movement aiming to develop sustain-able energy at a local level. so far, around 4,000 cities have pledged to reduce hydrocarbon emissions by 20 percent, while increasing their share of renewable energy use by 20 percent. Novogrudok is to become the second Belarusian city in the organisation.

The Novogrudok District already boasts experience of wind turbines, having a facility near the district centre. it now seeks an investor to build a wind park on Novogrudok Height (323m above the level of the Baltic sea). solar energy projects are also being realised, as part of the eco

policy. The Grodno region is the first in Belarus to build an energy

saving house and a new genera-tion hydro-electric station. By

combining energy sources, it hopes to leave behind

energy wastefulness.

f r o m all over

Belarus live and study here.

They’ l l benefit hugely f rom the

changes. We are grateful for all the attention and

support,” adds Ms. Timoshenko.The school can cater for 800

pupils but only 50 children are there at present. Once it reopens fully, the

building will include a social-pedagog-ical centre and a centre for correctional training. Two floors will house a kinder-garten, as the Head of the Department for education at ivye District executive Committee, alexander romanyuk, explains. The school will teach the children how to save energy in their everyday lives, with lessons commencing even for those in kindergarten.

“it’s our first time working on a project to introduce energy efficient technolo-gies, so it’s a big responsibility. However, we have a firm plan which should allow us to successfully realise all works and learn more about saving energy,” says

thegrodnoregioniSthe

firStinbelaruStobuildanenergySaVinghouSeanda

newgenerationhydro-electric

Station.bycombiningenergySourceS,it

hopeStoleaVebehindenergywaStefulneSS


MarVelous MiCroCliMate

salty cure for asthma

treatments at a depth of 420 metres help alleviate asthma, neurodermatitis and hay fever, at Soligorsk-based republican hospital of Speleotherapy — run by Belaruskali

the air is a bio-active cocktail of sodium, potassium and magnesium ions, helping those with respiratory problems. Known across the Cis, huge numbers are keen to attend,

while the facility, of course, has limita-tions. However, an extra 440 square metre underground ward has been added,

raising the number of children treated annually from 400 to around 1400.

Following the President’s working visit to soligorsk this summer, two instructions were given: to expand the speleo-hospital’s recuperative premises and to ensure their full use. recently, large numbers of children have begun to arrive.

it takes just a minute to descend and pass through the long tunnels to reach the site. The interior of the salt mine is impressive, with grand arc-shaped

domes and salt layers which resemble those of a cake. a group of 25 children arrive and it takes them just 20 minutes to adapt before they can begin dancing, or playing chess, volleyball or table tennis. Those wishing to sleep for a while can take a nap in a comfortable sling-chair in special rooms, while others can take a run in the salt cave.

alisa Tarnavskaya, from Gomel, has been suffering from asthma for nine years, with attacks becoming more violent of late. she keeps her inhalator

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neWs

with her at all times, as well as taking strong medication. However, after six sessions in the soligorsk cave, doctors stress that this young patient has become more light-hearted, having put her asthma attacks behind her. alisa admits that she was afraid to descend into the cave at first but now smiles, “it’s like a delightful walk. We love to dance and can play tennis here. sometimes i just sleep.”

H e a d D o c t o r Pavel levchenko takes us on a tour of the hospital, explaining, “The allergic form of spasmodic asthma is that best treated here, with 99 percent of patients experiencing fewer attacks. in half of our cases, symptoms fully disappear. The salt cave normal-ises people’s level of histamine (causing inflammation).” Just 12 sessions (of 3 hours each) are enough to treat painful coughs, neurosis and, even, depression.

The special microclimate is the key, with its constant temperature of around 16 degrees and its gas compo-sition, alongside low air humidity and

its saturation

with negative ions. Moreover, the site is free from electro-magnetic emissions and the air is much cleaner than that in the usual operating room. There are

no dangerous micro-organisms, as they can’t exist in the salt cave; nor is there any dust or other substance which might cause hypersen-sitivity. Fine airborne particles of salt help the lungs release phlegm, aiding the functioning of the respiratory system while strengthening the nervous system; a spell in the underground salt ‘baths’ is both relaxing and an effective form of recuperation.

according to special-ists , around 37,000 B e l ar u s i ans wou l d benefit from immediate s a l t t r e a t m e n t —

including 10,000 children. The soligorsk caves attract patients from Kazakhstan, russia, ukraine and the Baltic states, with demand greatly exceeding capacity until the new ward was constructed. Now, the situation is changing drasti-cally, enabling 250 people to be accommodated at any one time (against 127 in the past).

By Alla martinkevich

an extra 440 square metre underground

Ward Has been added, raising tHe number oF cHildren treated

annually From 400 to

around 1400

ecological pathUnusual constructions appear on Lepel Lake’s island

three wooden bridges have been installed along a walking route

found near an all-seasons tourist resort, which welcomes guests from Belarus and russia.

These allow ant colonies to migrate below the bridges, mimicking the idea used near the Belovezhskaya Pushcha for frogs in 2009; three pipes were laid under a road often crossed by the amphibians. a similar tunnel has been laid in the Berezinsky Biosphere reserve this year, saving up to 1,500 frogs annually (their bodies were previously found on the road).

underground tunnels and bridges for various species of animals are found worldwide, helping preserve the eco-diversity of the environment. These allow amphibians, hoofed animals and small mammals to more easily cross roads and pedestrian footpaths.

Museum in the tunnel

Silicon mines in Volkovysk District to become tourist attraction

the tunnels of the silicon mine, dating from Neolithic times, could

become an attractive tourist desti-nation, housing an underground museum. Funding may come from the regional budget, as well as from trans-boundary cooperation grants. Plans are to be implemented from 2013-2014.

The Governor of the Grodno region, semen shapiro, is keen to see his area use all its industrial and social resources. He explains, “We need to breathe new life into Volkovysk. Workers have already been employed and promising projects have been developed, with the district centre being improved at a cost of Br 10.5bn this year alone. in 5-6 years, the Volkovysk District will become a leader in the region.”

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programming facts without difficulties of translationyanka kupaLa state university oF grodno speciaLists trained in the engLish Language For it

th e F a c u l t y o f M a t h e m a t i c s and information science, which is traditionally at the forefront of intro-ducing mo der n trends into the educational process,

is conducting a bold experiment. Combining innovative technologies with classical education, the Faculty is considered to be the leading educational and research centre in the sphere of basic and applied research in mathematics, computer science and programming.

second and third year students specialising in ‘software supply of information Technologies’ are taking english classes, with particular focus on iT vocabulary. This reflects the desire of students while aiming to equip them for the modern world. any student failing to keep up is asked to leave the english course however.

The following subjects are being taught in english: ‘Higher Mathematics’, ‘information Theory’, ‘Programming languages’, ‘Document Mark-up

languages’, ‘Foundations Computer Networks Theory’ and ‘Development of Platform-independent applications’. lectures are also planned on ‘Methods of Computer information Protection’ via the Belarusian-indian Training Centre, with workshops held ‘live’ online.

To make it easier for students to understand difficult mathematical and programming facts, they are invited to attend the same courses simultane-ously in russian language — which has

proven popular. Third-year students are able to undertake internships at foreign enterprise ePaM systems, with classes in english held there, conducted by company special-

ists. emphasis is placed on practice-oriented teaching, with the university

working closely with many iT-companies across the Grodno region, including intexsoft llC and soft-service llC. The Faculty has been co-operating

with Cisco inc. (the world’s

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largest manufacturer of networking hardware) since 2007, with its special-ists training in designing and operating modern computer networks. One training programme is also conducted in english there.

Many professors of the state university of Grodno have been able to teach in english after passing foreign internships in india. Today, their high level of qualification is confirmed by international certification.

“Programmers, mathematicians and iT specialists should know english perfectly, showing easy familiarity with specialised vocabulary, to allow them to help develop computer tech-nology,” asserts the dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer science at the state university of Grodno, Yelena livak. “The whole world speaks english, while the Belarusian iT industry is becoming more attractive to foreign investors. Our professional staff are in demand in Belarus and abroad as our

innovative development is declared at the highest level".

in order to ease access to higher education, students are being allowed more flexibility in their schedules, while passing internships in Poland, india and Macedonia. Non-resident students working with iT companies over the summer are being given hostel accom-modation. The Faculty is particularly pleased with its training methods, which are oriented towards practical skills.

last year, the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer science worked with the Hi-Tech Park and the largest iT-companies to hold a regional Olympiad for cryptography and information security. The event now has national status. in 2011, the sW Group students’ academic research and practical centre opened, serving tomorrow’s iT-profes-sionals. The students even have their own e-magazine, which is a worthy alter-native to Faculty printed newsletters.

By Dmitry Anikee

Serious winBelarusian schoolchildren win four medals at International Olympiad in Informatics

Belarusian pupils have claimed two gold, one silver and one bronze

medals at the 24th international Olympiad in informatics, held in italy. The gold medals were earned by Gennady Korotkevich, a graduate of Gomel gymnasium #56 (588 points out of 600 possible) and adam Bardashevich (a graduate of Mozyr gymnasium, named after Yanka Kupala).

silver went to Vladislav Podtelkin (Gomel) while bronze was awarded to sergey Kulik (Mozyr). This was the second Olympiad for Gennady Korotkevich, a past vice-champion; he entered st. Petersburg’s National research university of information Technolog ies , Mechanics and Optics this year.

T h i s y e a r, t h e O l y m p i a d brought together 313 pupils from 80 countries, awarding 26 gold, 52 silver and 77 bronze medals. i n t e r n a t i o n a l O l y m p i a d s i n informatics have been held since 1989. Between 2002 and 2011, 40 Belarusian schoolchildren have taken part in these international events, with 37 earning medals: 8 gold, 15 silver and 14 bronze.


biosPHere

West polesie included in World network

UN e s C O m a k e s T r a n s b o u n d a r y Bi o sphe re r e s e r ve of West Polesie part of World Network of Biosphere reserves

The Transboundary Biosphere reserve comprises Pribuzhskoye Polesie (Belarus), West Polesie (Poland)

and shatsky (ukraine). its certificate was presented at the conference on protecting and ensuring the sustainable development of Polesie region, hosted by Poland. a delegation from the Ministry of the Natural resources and environmental Protection of Belarus took part, alongside environmental authorities from Poland and ukraine

and the secretariat of the uNesCO Man and the Biosphere Programme.

a n a g re e m e nt b e t w e e n t h e governments of Belarus, Poland and ukraine to establish a trilateral biosphere reserve of West Polesie was signed in 2011. at the 24th session of the international Co-ordinating Council of the uNesCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, held in July in Paris, a nominating application was presented on its inclusion in the World Network of Biosphere reserves and was approved.

Tatiana Trafimovich, of the land and landscape Department of the Ministry of Natural resources and environmental Protection, tells us that certification shows a desire to implement uNesCO policy regarding the conservation of natural areas. it also recognises Belarus’ efforts to promote the World Network of Biosphere reserves.

T h e We s t Po l e s i e t r i l a te r a l biosphere is the largest in Central and eastern europe, protecting forests covering 200,000 hectares. Most are upland Polesie forests, which have experienced anthropogenic transfor-mation over the years. Forest ecosys-tems are seeing a high degree of natural recovery, with high potential for biological diversity; some species are found only in this region, which is a transboundary ecological corridor for european ecology.

The World Network of Biosphere reserves is part of the uNesCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, protecting areas which have a delicate balance between man and nature, while promoting sustainable envi-ronmental development. The interna-tional network aims to drive forward the exchange of knowledge and expe-rience, via educational and research programmes, whi le monitor ing and implementing joint decisions. Currently, there are 598 biosphere reserves across 117 countries, including many international or cross-border reserves — such as the West Polesie tripartite biosphere reserve.

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Always rememberNear Smolensk, in the village of Krasny, there stands a restored monument to the war heroes of 1812

A replica of that built in 1847 by architect antonio adamini. sadly,

the original was blown up by Bolsheviks in the 1930s. The union state funded the restoration, contributing over 60 million russian roubles on the eve of the 200th anniversary of victory in the Patriotic War. The 20m monument is decorated on all sides with gold swords and topped with a golden dome and

Orthodox cross, being unveiled at a solemn ceremony attended by union state secretary Grigory rapota. in his speech, he noted that it is the second monument to be restored by joint Belarus-russia efforts, via the union state. The first is found in Polotsk.

City film locationVitebsk has been hosting filming for Miracle of Chagall (aka Commissioner Chagall and Citizen Malevich)

to reproduce the atmosphere of the early 20th century, director

alexander Mitta and his team have completely ‘decorated’ the two main streets. The bombardments of WW2 almost completely destroyed the city, so the crew had a true challenge to create an historically accurate picture. While modern signs on main streets were replaced with older ones, an entire Jewish quarter was actually built on the bank of the Western Dvina. after filming in Vitebsk, the crew move on to st. Petersburg this autumn, with the premiere scheduled for spring.

Challenge for threeParliamentarians from Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia met in Moscow recently for the first single parliamentary Eurasian Economic Union session

the speakers of the three parliaments agreed the idea in st. Petersburg in May, with a working group created in trilateral format to tackle issues relating to

eurasian economic integration. state Duma speaker sergei Naryshkin (voted in to supervise the work) aims to see a parliamentary assembly created, followed by a fully-fledged eurasian parliament, using supranational legislature.

excellent markTRO TV Channel is entirely devoted to Russian-Belarusian relations and the construction of the Union State

it is celebrating its fifth anniversary of creating

a unique information bridge between russia and Belarus, promoting understanding through a common information space, under the slogan ‘TrO 5 +’. it broadcasts to an audience of 35 million and enjoys a mark of excellence for refraining from showing violence or vulgarity.

SoyuzBelarus —russia

At the centre of the earth

The scientific and educational space of the Union State is ever widening

the rector of the Belarusian state university, sergei

ablameiko, has been joined by Vasily lisov, the rector of the russian state Geo-logical Prospecting university (named after sergo Ordzho-nikidzе), in signing an agreement to open a Centre of

earth sciences. leading universities and research organisations across Belarus and russia operating in this sphere will share their experience, while furthering their existing partnerships to mutual benefit, in the spheres of research and training.

The mining universities of Moscow and st. Petersburg will join that of

Perm, alongside the National academy of sciences of

Belarus, the Belarusian state Technological university

and the National T e c h n i c a l u n i v e r s i t y

i n s h a r i n g t h e i r e x p e r t i s e .


Doubling opportunitiesunion StatE SciEntiStS kEEn to crEatE SinglE innovation SpacE

Minsk has hosted an offsite meeting of the scientif ic advisory Council of the russian skolkovo Foundation,

whose major goal is to commercialise the latest scientific developments in the sphere of biotechnologies, electronics and nuclear power engineering, as well as information and space technologies. The session involved around 500 leading Belarusian and russian researchers and three Nobel Prize laureates.

among them was the Co-chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, the Vice-President of the russian academy of sciences, Belarus-born russian physicist Zhores alferov. He noted that similar meetings have been held in Berlin and Novosibirsk, enabling the scientific community to gain closer acquaintance with the opportunities of the largest scientific centres. He underlines that, in this respect, Belarus has much to offer the world, while benefitting itself. unlike other post-soviet republics, we have preserved our scientific-industrial potential, which is of interest to the skolkovo Foundat ion, russ ia and the whole world. according to Mr. alferov, the most vital element is that innovat ions are in demand by the

national economy. Clearly, this is the case, as proven by the russia — Belarus — skolkovo: single innovation space conference, held as part of the forum.

a range of sci-tech programmes in informatics and space exploration, financed from the union state budget, were widely represented at the event, followed by plenary and thematic sessions. Belarusian and russian researchers found many points of coin-cidence, ripe for inspiring agreements and contracts.

“i have a very friendly relationship with my Belarusian colleagues, feeling that we are part of a unified body,” notes sergey Zhukov, a research cosmonaut and Head of skolkovo’s space tech-nology cluster. “The joint session of

the cosmonautics section was quite fruitful. it’s evident that Belarus is active in its remote earth sensing. We’re very pleased that Belarus has launched

its f irst satellite, e q u i p p e d b y Minsk’s Peleng J s C . We’ v e

a g r e e d t o s h a r e sci-tech informa-t ion and

co-operate as part of a joint programme, including projects being implemented in skolkovo. i believe that Belarus can produce space equipment and platforms for its placement, exporting this tech-nology to russia and beyond.”

The state secretary of the union state, Grigory rapota, also took an active role at the forum, meeting Zhores alferov and anatoly rusetsky, the Chairman of the Presidium of the National academy of sciences of Belarus. He is keen to ensure maximum assistance, developing business contacts between Belarus and skolkovo.

“Our task is to apply the results of union state sci-tech programmes effec-tively,’ notes Mr. rapota. “This is especially true of new technologies and intellec-

tual products. skolkovo’s structure boasts huge, useful potential, so our meeting was extremely relevant; we have much in common.”

a branch of the skolkovo Foundation — to be set up in Minsk - will promote the development of new paths of collabora-tion, as noted during a meeting between the scientific advisory Council and Belarus’

P r i m e M i n i s t e r , Mikhail Myasnikovich.

He bel ieves that such interaction, conducted on equal conditions, has great prospects. He promises to

ensure the most comfort-able conditions for skolkovo’s branch in Belarus.

By Vladimir Fiodorov

The State Secretary of the Union State

Grigory Rapota and the Chairman of the

Presidium of the National Academy

of Science of Belarus Anatoly RusetskyA

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Right on target

the TOr air defence system shoots without missing, as Belarusian military special-ists are assured. Having been tested for the first

time under combat conditions — at the ashuluk firing range — it came into service at the end of last year. The latest anti-aircraft missile systems are being produced in russia and tested at Belarusian Domanovo. Belarusian Defence Minister, lieutenant-General Yuri Zhadobin, tells us more...

“in order to complicate the task of anti-aircraft gunners, missile targets are the conventional air enemy, simulating the movements of modern and future

aircraft, cruise missiles, helicopters and other craft and missiles at various heights, under conditions of intensive jamming. Despite all difficulties, the Belarusian armed forces successfully completed their mission,” notes the Ministry of Defence.

in pre-strategic training, the Belarusian military were testing some systems for the first time, including the BuK air defence system. The Chief of the air Defence Forces, igor Bystry, who heads the air Force and air Defence Forces of the Ministry of Defence, tells us, “We took these air defence systems to the limit of their technical features. For this, we were offered targets appro-

priate in speed, size and efficiency, with reflective surfaces. Moreover, we conducted our operations at night, performed by the 56th and the 120th air defence missile brigades and students of the Military academy. This year, we halved the number of echelons, with two brigades using each piece of machinery, changing places.”

This was only the f irst stage of training. less than a week after returning from ashuluk, the Belarusian military travelled to the Telemba site in Transbaikal for the first time: the largest training site in russia for aerospace defence and aviation crews.

The Belarusian Defence Ministry notes, “The air defence missile units of the 1st and 115th air defence missile regiments conducted field tests of the s-300 air defence missile system, hitting Korshun and strizh-2 targets (small-sized, high-speed, high-altitude ballistic and cruise missiles). Our anti-aircraft gunners coped well, hitting all the targets perfectly. Moreover, at Buryatia, fifth-year students from the Military academy of Belarus also shot down targets efficiently.”

according to the military, the training was of the highest degree of difficulty. Previously, targets were launched at intervals of 30-40 seconds to a minute; this time, the maximum interval was 15 seconds and the minimum just 5-6. Moreover, all targets would arrive simul-taneously, at varying speeds. against these conditions, the Belarusian anti-aircraft gunners fulfilled their task brilliantly.

By Dmitry umpirovich

As for the further develop-ment of advanced air defence systems, mr. Bystry empha-sises that tor-m2 training is to be conducted at the military Academy of Belarus, while Domanovo training ground is to be used for battle exercises.

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Space tandemviEw from BElaruSian cEntrE for flight managEmEnt

satellite, Oleg semyonov, tells us. in his office, a laser screen on the wall tracks the Belarusian satellite’s orbit as a red point, alongside its trajectory (a curving line) and zone of connection (an oval).

Mr. semyonov explains, “We’re tracking the state of the satellite and its

on-board systems. it’s orbiting at 510km but, due to the earth’s gravity, is gradually losing height. We need to ‘raise’ it, using special engines. The Belarusian space complex (including the satellite, terres-trial hub and mode of connection) are part of a complicated system. The satel-lite’s task is to photograph the earth and send back data.”

Colleagues from the russian space agency are working jointly in helping the Belarusian satellite achieve its mission, including liaison with the russian Centre for Flight Management. Mr. semyonov shows photos taken from space of a Minsk residential suburb being constructed. i recognise the

this July, a russian rocket took twin-satellites into space from the Baikonur launch site: Belarusian BKa (Belarusian spacecraft) and

russian Kanopus-B. it was a landmark event for Belarus, giving us our first spacecraft in orbit. Much interest is being shown, as Geoinformation systems scientific-e n g i n e e r i n g republican unitary enter pr i s e’s ch ie f e n g i n e e r , t h e d e put y ch i e f designer of the B e l a r u s i a n

In the Minsk Centre for Flight Management

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and russia with remote earth sensing, rapidly sending information on the earth to consumers (processed by super-computers or other equipment).

The new five year programme would guide intense joint work by dozens of scientific establishments, organisa-tions and enterprises from Belarus and russia. sergey Korenyako, the Head of the Department for Joint Programmes of space and information Technologies at the Belarusian National academy of sciences’ Joint institute of informatics Problems, tells us, “The programme primarily aims to enhance the dura-bility and workability of satellites and spacecraft, while developing new tech-nologies to ensure efficiency for orbiting craft collecting data. This is vital to the rational use of natural resources, and to allow us to prevent or tackle natural and man-made disasters. We can develop and apply iT to various spheres of science, education and the economy.”

To allow maximum use of data from the two satellites, including sharing with other agencies and organisa-

tions, new technical and mathematical solutions need to be found. luckily, Belarus has the necessary facilities to model space conditions, using these to teach the satellite to see objects on the earth through clouds. Traditional optic-electronic equipment is inadequate, so microwave radar is planned, allowing the satellite to see through any weather. in addition, optical equipment is to be given higher resolution, using infra-red light waves. research, testing and design work is in the pipeline for Belarusian-russian micro-satellites and small space craft, rivalling and improving upon the best foreign analogues.

The new Monitoring-sG programme presupposes close joint work between Belarus and russia. Data gathered will find application in many spheres and will also be used to inform and train specialists — including by correspond-ence. interestingly, the current satellites both use equipment produced by Minsk’s Peleng JsC; via union state programmes, a Belarusian system of remote earth sensing was created and the Centre for space information receiving was modernised. if all goes to plan, another russian Kanopus-B will be launched, giving us more ‘eyes’ on the earth. Mr. Korenyako explains, “The cluster method makes the launch of satellites much cheaper while using equipment from a single company ensures reliability and greater co-ordination. We can also more easily unify our centres of space information receiving, allowing data to be double checked. it’s economically and organisationally beneficial for the union state, Belarus and russia.”

as the union state covers huge territory, the application of earth remote sensing is of great importance: to communication, education and energy. Our multifunctional space system is co-ordinated by the Belarusian National academy of sciences and russia’s Federal space agency.

By Vladimir Bibikov

existing road and houses but also notice the recently constructed buildings, clearly visible. it’s as if a space photo has been placed over an official blueprint with digital help. The data can be used for map drawing, including updating GPs and other systems of space posi-tioning, helping drivers navigate city streets. Naturally, it’s vital to update the system regularly, adding new buildings, transport and roundabouts. land regis-trars also need this information, to be convinced that a building has been constructed within a permitted land lot. Meanwhile, farms will benefit from the Belarusian satellite ‘reading’ the spectrum of grains’ electro-magnetic emission; this can reveal the best time for harvesting and can be used to detect possible problems. Many other branches will also be able to use data from the Belarusian satellite.

“The efficiency of BKa will rise several fold once it starts working jointly with the russian satellite. Both complement each other, travelling on opposite sides of the earth. as a result, observance frequency over Belarusian territory can be doubled. Moreover, the satellites pass over other countries, producing wonderful photos of Dubai’s artificial islands. We plan to offer remote earth sensing data for export,” notes Mr. semyonov.

The possibilities for the satellites are developing dynamically and, to preserve competitiveness, Belarusian specialists are already working on the next genera-tion. With the same size and weight, even sharper focus is possible. sci-tech experience garnered by russian and Belarusian scientists over the last three space programmes would be used.

in July 212, the session of the union state’s Council of Ministers — hosted by Minsk — approved a concept for the next sci-tech programme of cosmos mastering: Monitoring sG. it aims to create more advanced cosmos and land-based means to provide Belarus

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Achieving recordsno loSErS at union StatE Junior StartakiadE

Belarusian-russian sports projects are ‘a major path to promoting fitness across the union state’. He notes, “The movement aims to strengthen friend-ship and co-operation between our two states’ youngsters while promoting patriotism among the younger genera-tion. This is a holiday of youth, beauty and sporting gusto, which creates an atmosphere of friendship, camaraderie and mutual understanding among young athletes, supporting collaboration between Belarus and russia.”

Valery Malashko, the Deputy Chairman of Mogi lev regional executive Committee, agrees, adding, “Our two countries share a desire to raise coming generations to be physi-cally and morally healthy. such projects

as Junior spartakiade promote a good attitude towards a healthy lifestyle while developing interest in our shared union state.”

The team from st. Petersburg won the

event but those t a k i n g p a r t were interested

in more than j u s t

medals and prizes. Olga Gvozdikova, a volleyball coach from ryazan, believes that such events promote Belarusians and russians as a ‘single family’. Meanwhile, sports teacher svetlana Novikova, from Moscow boarding school #24, admired the wonderful sports halls which hosted the competitions. she noted, “it may seem difficult to surprise us Muskovites but the children we brought here were seeing a world class track-and-field arena for the first time. i’m confident that they’ll now connect their lives with track-and-field.”

Marianna Pukhovskaya, in charge of russia’s sport, Tourism and Youth Policy at the Department for Physical Culture, is delighted by the competition. she emphasises, “everything was organised at the highest level: accommodation and menus, as well as sports venues. Of course, the most vital part is that the direct communication of children can’t be replaced by any social network.”

This year, Mogilev was hosting the Junior spartakiade for the second time (previously in 2010). The Belarusian sports and Tourism Ministry hopes to

see Mogilev host again in 2014. The organisers of the spartakiade believe that our two states’ young-sters gain valuable experience for their future sporting careers,

although their names naturally mean nothing to sports fans yet. some may one day become Olympic champions

and record holders and we may then say that their desire for victory and sporting excellence began in their junior days.

By Pavel minchenko

recently, Mogilev held the honour of being a union state sporting capital, hosting over 200 boys and girls from Belarus and russia for a

week-long Junior Olympic spartakiade. The youngsters competed in volleyball, table tennis and track-and-field events, at the city’s top venues: the House of sports and Olimpic sports Complex. The President of Belarus, alexander lukashenko, and the state secretary of the union state, Grigory rapota, sent their greetings.

The traditional startakiade is organised by the standing Committee of the union state, which is headed by sergey Zabolotets in Minsk. He is

convinced that s u c h j o i n t

During bestowal of Spartakiade winners

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Over three weeks, 360 Belarusian and russian boys and girls aged 14-16 gathered at the Zubrenok Na t i o n a l C h i l d r e n’s

educational and Health-improving Centre, which is located in one of the most picturesque places in Belarus: the lake Naroch area. Traditional civil-patriotic cadet classes were held for those from schools and corps in

the union state, under the motto ‘in Honour of the Fatherland!’

The union state is keen to promote patriotism and a healthy lifestyle among young people, using the Black sea resort of anapa to host events for cadets and students from suvorov military schools. The venue is also used for Belarusian-russian Olympiads. The sixth gathering at Zubrenok National Children’s educational and Health-improving Centre event saw greater funding than ever before this year. in all, 15 russian regions were represented (up from two originally); even the remote Khabarovsk Krai region participated. Belarus sent teenagers from 15 regions.

One of the highlights of the gathering was the Day of the union state, which launched with a solemn parade, to the accompaniment of the military orchestra. Cadets and students marched before

veterans - including anatoly Novikov: a member of the Parliamentary assembly of the union of Belarus and russia, and the Chairman of the National Council of the Belarusian Public association of Veterans. He and his colleagues from the Parliamentary assembly, antonina Morova and Vladimir Zdanovich, repre-senting the union state Permanent Committee, were honoured under the slogan ‘Be Glorious the union, We are

Proud of You’. They took part in an educational forum entitled Vector to the Future, telling the children about our people’s achievements over the centuries. The teenagers listened attentively, while discovering the opportunities open to them via union agreements in the educa-tional, social, migration and military-technical spheres.

For three weeks, the cadets took part in exciting competitions and excur-sions, making new acquaintances with interesting people. The programme included a mini-football contest and pyrotechnic show, singing around a campfire and, of course, meetings with veterans. Curator svetlana Krasovskaya notes, “We’ve established close contacts with the Belarusian Ministr y of Defence; alongside an officer and co-ordinator, fifth-year students from the Belarusian Military academy spent ten

days commanding cadet companies. The remaining ten days they lived following the principles of cadet self-governance. One of the military units has provided equipment for weapons assembly and disassembly competi-tions and shooting. They learnt how to assemble and disassemble weapons and gained some target practise, as well as taking part in military and sporting activities. There was even a competition

for the best marching song, performed to a full house.”

in addition, the youngsters continued with their usual school subjects in class-rooms fitted with computers and other modern equipment — as at any contempo-rary school in the capital. The permanent teaching staff at the venue work there all year round. in fact, for the three weeks, there was hardly a spare minute, since lessons were followed by sports or a disco, an excursion or rehearsal. To help them cope with such an intense schedule, the teenagers enjoyed six meals daily, with everyone able to choose their favourite dishes from an extensive menu.

The Belarusian and russian young-sters took home prizes and gifts, as well as their memories of new experiences and high spirits. Most importantly, they have the addresses of some true friends.

By Vladimir yakovlev

ZuBrENok’S Sixth cADEt gAthEriNg

Instilling sense of honour from young age


The Grand Prix was awarded to russian aidana Zhakupova (Kazakh by nationality but studying in russia) while first place was shared by anastasia sheverenko and rostov singer Oksana simon. Belarusian Yevgeny slutsky and Darya Kudritskaya shared second place while third went to Belarusian Natalia Gloris (Kirienko) and Batyrkhan Malikov from Kazakhstan. in 2009, the latter came third at the Pearl of Berlin Contest, held in Germany.

Two special prizes were awarded by the union state Parliamentary assembly: ‘Best performer of the republ ic of B elar us’ and ‘B est Performer of the russian Federation’. These went to anastasia sheverenko and aidana Zhakupova respectively.

“Our decision was unanimous, with no split in the jury. From the beginning, it was clear which singers had performed best but all are talented. The jury attended rehearsals, giving advice day and night. Of course, they have experience of taking part in festival concerts and tours. The atmosphere was very friendly and close, with performers feeling free to ask the judges anything. We’ve really become friends, being a team of like-minded people.”

This year, 9m russian roubles were allocated from the union state budget for the event, on top of 2m allocated by Vasily Golubev, the Governor of the rostov region. The Youth for the union state Festival distinguishes itself in having an intensive cultural programme, while allowing leaders of youth organisations and creative youngsters to meet deputies from the national parliaments from Belarus and russia. seminars are attended by those involved in law and social policy making, alongside scientists, cultural and educational figures from our two states, allowing a wide range of issues to be discussed.

By Valentin Pepelyayev

All facets of talent

On september 21st, the 7th Youth for the union state Fest iva l ended i n r o s t o v - o n - D o n , initiated and founded

by the Parliamentary assembly of the union state of Belarus and russia. The programme included creative meetings, thematic evenings and concerts, with events hosted by the regional centre, as well as neigh-bouring Taganrog and shachty. Over 300 people took part, with 15,000 spectators in attendance.

The festival’s central event was a two day song contest, gathering the best voices of the union state. its jury was chaired by Honoured Worker of Culture of russia Vitaly Osohnik, who also holds the award of the President of the russian Federation. as head of Geroi (Heroes) youth band and Volshebniki Dvora (Magicians of the Yard) children’s group, he was well-qualified. He was accompanied by famous Belarusian performers anastasia Tikhanovich and Georgy Koldun, as well as Konstantin legostaev —a participant in TV programme star Factory-5.

BESt young voicES of BElaruS and ruSSia pErform in roStov-on-don


olYMPiad oF arts

On their return, the team of winners was met not only by friends and family, but by TV journalists keen to learn more about the young

talents. Theirs is a positive and captivating story. Having watched on Belarusian ONT TV channel, i was delighted to see their smiles and enthusiastic speeches at the airport, despite the four-hour flight from Kazakhstan. The time differ-ence hadn’t spoilt their good mood, as was evident from their sparkling eyes

Belarusian team performs well at 7th CiS Open Youth Delphic Games — energy of Youth — in Astana: known for its unique architectural style, which blends Western high-tech with the soft curves of the east

sunny greetings From apollo

and overwhelmed emotions. Their words ran one over another with excitement, as you might expect from 18 year olds! it was their first trip to such a large forum, where they

The contest in the nomination “Fine Arts”


olYMPiad oF arts

met new friends from across the Cis. Moreover, they returned home with a gold medal!

They don’t yet know how to answer questions as smoothly and skilfully as, for example, their team leader, Vladimir Nekhaenko — a professor within the special Piano Department of the academy of Music. However, their openness and sincerity is charming, effused with positivity. it’s easy to excuse their youthful use of slang...

Who are the winners, who brought gold, silver and bronze to Belarus from astana? The eldest is poet Maxim Kishchenko, who was awarded a diploma ‘For Professionalism’. aged 21, he is a fourth year student at the academy of Public administration under the aegis of the President of the republic of Belarus. accordionist sergey Butor, 21, a third-year student at the academy of Music, claimed a bronze medal, while alexander Danilov, 17 and a third-year student at the Gymnasium-College under the academy of Music, won ‘Piano’ silver. Valeria Grudina, also 17 and a third-year student at the Choreographic Gymnasium-College, took ‘Classical Dance’ gold. Yekaterina, who graduated from the Gymnasium-College of arts (named after akhremchik) this year, aged 18, has entered the art Department of the academy of arts, specialising in ‘Theatrical and Decorative Painting’. she won ‘Decorative art’, exploring the theme of ‘legends of our Native land’. all are from Minsk.

The youngest team members attend the Circus art studio, in Mozyr (Mogilev region): trapeze artists stefania Turmovich, Nikita Nagornov and stanislav Plotnikov — aged 9, 13 and 12. all took gold in ‘Circus on stage’.

Victoria ignatenko and Olga Massalova, of the Department for supporting and Developing Cultural and educational

wires. We heard from volunteers that the Kazakhs don’t usually stand to applaud but they did this time...”

Both experts in the sphere of performing and fine arts, theatre historian Victoria acted with the rukh Pantomime Theatre while Olga is an artist by training. On seeing the children receive their gold medals, to the accom-paniment of the national anthem of Belarus, they could not hold back their tears of pride and joy.

“i understand the phrase ‘the country stands behind you’ — as used for Olympic athletes,” says Victoria. “i told the children this too but it’s quite something to feel it yourself; only through such a deeply emotional event can you appre-ciate that Belarus is behind you.” Olga adds, “i experienced such a great feeling of pride for my homeland — previously unknown to me. Moreover, the victorious performance of Mozyr residents gave me hope that others would do their best in other nominations, as we had with our three young circus performers.”

Victoria continues, “The Delphic Games opening ceremony took place at the Palace of Peace and accord, while

contests were held at the Kazakh shabyt National university of arts and at the Metropolitan Circus. Our talents were honoured at the closing gala concert but we learnt

the fine arts results only in the evening. We were quite anxious,

waiting for Katya in our hotel lobby after dinner. We agreed that her powerful genes wouldn’t let her down, as she is a great grand niece of the first director of the National art Museum, Yelena

aladova, and a great-great-granddaughter of Nikolay

Churkin — a composer and People’s artist of Belarus. she is developing gradually. Our pianists sasha and Davit, from Yerevan, arrived carrying her paints and canvas stretchers. i exchanged glances with Olga but couldn’t guess

initiatives at the institute of Culture of Belarus, oversee the electronic ‘data bank’ of talented young people. They can’t hide their excitement, knowing that the young circus performers did their best. They tell us, “The audience clapped a lot when the children took their bow at the end of their performance. They received standing ovations, with the audience refusing to let them leave the circus arena. Just imagine — the children performed complex tricks without safety

organisers and Fans oF tHe

delpHic games believe tHat it

Has tHe ability to raise tHe Human

spirit, Just as tHe olympics upliFt

tHe Human body

The youngest participants of the Delphic Games Nikita Nagorny,

Stephany Turmovich, and Stanislav Plotnikov


olYMPiad oF arts

at the result; finally, Katya told us that she had received gold and began crying. We joined in her tears, hugging and congrat-ulating ourselves and her.”

she adds, “later, we learnt from the chairman of the ‘visual arts’ jury, alexander Prokhorov, who is Dean of the Fine arts Faculty at the academy of arts, that Katya was the undisputed winner for her composition The Prayer: there was no votes ‘against’ her.”

The all-knowing internet provides much of interest on the Delphic Games, which only began anew in 2000, launched in Moscow; 27 countries participated, with preparations conducted through the 1990s. They originally hailed from Greek Delphi, dating from 582BC, called the Pythian Games, honouring the sun god apollo, as the mythology of ancient Greece tells us.

since their revival, Belarus has taken an active part (as detailed on the website of the Belarusian association of Bayan Players and accordionists: http://www.abbia.by/). Organisers and fans of this movement believe that it has the ability to raise the human spirit, just as the Olympics uplift the human body and our desire to reach new physical heights. last year, Belarusians claimed eight awards in Yerevan; now, astana has shown favour to our young talents. apollo himself sent them a sunny hello.

Olga says, “astana has a stunning mixture of architecture ; there’s something cosmic and ethereal about it. With the blinding sun and crazy wind, it seems as if the towers might topple at any moment. Of a thousand people or more scurrying below its monuments,

perhaps 800 were entrants — from Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, armenia, Georgia, Moldova, ukraine, romania, Turkey, italy, austria and other countries, besides Kazakhstan. They performed in 19 categories but the ‘fine arts’ was one of the most representative. i, as a painter, was pleased by this.”

Of course, Olga and Victoria are also delighted with the success of ballerina Valeria, pianist sasha and accordionist sergey. it was pleasant that the poet, Maxim, also received acclaim. as to what they enjoyed most, they cannot decide. The Delphic Games — an Olympics of arts — is more than a competition. it unites talents from all over the world, while encouraging friendship, which knows no boundaries.

By Valentina Zhdanovich

They are proud of their win (on the photo: Ekaterina Shimonovich, Alexander Danilov, Valeria Grudina, Sergey Butor and Maxim Kischenko)


Culture

rarity enriches museum expositionmuSEum of mogilEv hiStory gainS original 1588 Edition of StatutE of grand duchy of lithuania

t he rar i t y i s p ar t of t he Magdeburg Mogilev display, shown under climate control and alarmed for security. a

photocopy of the most valuable publi-cation is being prepared, soon to be posted on the official website of the museum. The original edition, in Old Belarusian, dates from 1588 and was bought from a private collector in Moscow for $45,000 this June. Private donations of $15,000 were raised but alpari Group (Moscow) was stil l seeking the final $30,000 until the National Bank of Belarus stepped in to finance the purchase. The solemn transfer of the statute to the Museum of Mogilev History was held in June, at the National History and Culture Museum in Minsk.

The original statute is the highest achievement of Old Belarusian legal thought, impacting on the cultural, historical and legal traditions of europe and symbolising the highest cultural values. Only a few dozen copies remain, with none held in Belarus until now. Mogilev residents’ efforts have returned the treasure to its roots, showing their dedication and patriotism.

The statute of 1588 was designed by the Court Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of lithuania and Governor of Mogilev, lev sapega. He paid to have it printed by Piotr Mstislavets in Vilno, using revenue from Mogilev Mamonichi merchants. Three editions of the statute exist, from 1588, 1592-1593 and 1594-1595.

Modern, practical and convenientNesvizh Palace and Park to gain audio guides

Audio guides are to help visitors find out about the history of the

building, while providing informa-tion on family photos, the archive and library: in russian and Belarusian, each lasts 30 minutes.

Currently, 35 audio guides are available at Nesvizh Palace and Park but more are needed, with visitor numbers growing. a new batch is planned by the end of the year, including coverage of the large Fireplace room, the small Dining room, the Ballroom, the Golden Hall and Theatre. in addition, the audio guides will become available in Polish and english.


Culture

Waiting for continuationNational Film Studio working on sequel to famous Belarusian comedy

According to Oleg silvanovich, the Director General of Belarusfilm, the sequel to Belye

rosy will be a lyrical comedy, like the original. Of course, a good script needs to be written and approved. “if the artistic value is low, we won’t simply bother,” Mr. silvanovich explains.

The script is drawn from the novel by famous playwright alexey Dudarev, Honoured Figure of arts of Belarus and artistic leader of the Belarusian army Drama Theatre. Mr. silvanovich explains that Mr. Dudarev is

considering cinema and theatre actor Nikolay Karachentsov (a People’s artist of the rsFsr) for the leading role, even being willing to adapt the script to suit the russian actor. “We understand that the characters seen in the original need to reappear — at least indirectly via photos. some of the old cast may be invited to participate but we want to make a new film of our own rather than ‘remaking’ a successful russian film,” adds Mr. silvanovich.

B elye rosy by igor Dobrolubov was f irst screened in 1983.

learning more about a little-known visitMikola Trus’ monograph Yanka Kupala and Slovakіa is presented at Yanka Kupala’s State Literary Museum

Candidate of philolog-ical sciences Mikola

Trus’ book sheds light on little-known aspects of the life of the Belarusian literary genius, including a description of several days travel by Kupala with a delegation of soviet journalists and writers, through slovakia, in October 1935. The narration is set against the sociocultural life and international co-operation of the 1930s.

“i had the idea of writing a book about Yanka Kupala while travelling to slovakia for my internship there. The delegation’s visit was widely reported in the soviet press of the time but, for some reason, a few days failed to be covered,” explains Mr. Trus.

He notes that the press reported on the delegation visiting several industrial sites,

meeting leaders; however, little was said of the cultural element of the visit. Mr. Trus’ research was thorough, as he explains, saying, “i followed Yanka Kupala’s route,

gathering information on the hotels in which he stayed, the

people he met and where he signed autographs. i analysed local newspaper archives, collecting a great number of pictures, and learning which sites the soviet writers visited,

including what was found there at the time. i’ve described

all in the book.” The foreword is written by the

ambassador extraordinar y and Plenipotentiary of slovakia to Belarus, Mr. Marian servatka, who tells us, “Mr. Trus conducted great research, playing the role of detective. When i saw the material for the first time, i was very surprised that he had found so many previously unknown details and was delighted that people will be able to learn about this thanks to him. it would be wonderful to see this book published in slovakia, too.” The launch of the book coincides with the 130th anniversary of the birth of the first national poet of Belarus.

to be in time for the jubileeDostoevsky’s family home to be restored in village of Dostoyevo

At the end of last year, Belarus and russia agreed the restoration of

Dostoevsky’s estate, funded by the union state. experts are negotiating levels of funding and, by late 2012, necessary documents should have been signed. in 2021, the world will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky.


нннPersPeCtiVe

beautiFul city

Minsk’s Chief a rc h i t e c t , a l e x and e r Petrov, has an office which

looks onto independence square, in all its beauty. Below are tourists with cameras, youngsters on benches and an endless flow of traffic. The façade of the Pedagogical university is now graced with a huge panel depicting the city’s emblem and the date of Minsk’s first mention in the Tale of Bygone Years: 1067. Mr. Petrov chats with me from this office, starting with his recollection of the city from 1973.

i remember wooden single storey buildings in surganov

street, with roosters crowing in the sheds and dogs barking in the courtyards. Goats and

cows used to graze near the upper Town, near the river

svisloch. There was no metro, and the suburbs of today, alongside our new stations, Town Hall, hotels, library and many other sites were not even thought of. Of course, we can hardly imagine our contempo-rary city without them now.

i rememb er pr ivate homes standing on the site of today’s Philharmonic society and on Yakub Kolas square. My family have lived in Minsk for a while and i can tell you that those who lived in the centre viewed those places as suburbs.

Mr. Petrov, do you feel regret at the old town disap-pearing?

each generation prefers things to remain as they are, seeing new develop-ments as ‘destroying’

what they h a v e

loved. Of course, we do adjust, despite not wanting anything to change. Many are concerned about saving the current appearance of Nezavisimosti avenue. However, in my professional capacity, i know that the avenue replaced the city’s old structure. Minsk wasn’t always radial, as it is now; it developed chaotically, district by district. some aspects of this remain, so we have to work with this post-war planning, accom-modating the parameters of that time. if we don’t build anew, the city will stagnate. some old buildings need to be demolished or Minsk’s layout will become disorgan-ised. laws of nature exist, as do the laws of economics;

we can’t ignore them.Fifty years ago, could

you imagine that Minsk would look as it does

today?

at that time, i had no idea. i loved my city as it was, having seen it constructed before my eyes. We had stove heating in our flat in Volodarsky street, in which we burnt f irewood and briquettes. We had only cold water at home; the advent of hot water was like a miracle — something fantastic.

As a professional, how do you assess our achieve-ments?

i understand that it’s difficult for the city. We’ve used all the vacant land lots inside the ring road, with Kamennaya Gorka and loshitsa being the last available. Development can continue only by using green spaces or by creating high rise buildings.

Do you want our children and grandchildren to live in a completely different Minsk?

as a young architect, i used to work with a group

involved in developing the city’s skyline. locations were selected for high

r ise bui ldings. We now lack any more free land. Our city is

just 18km across,


inspires positive moodso it can be traversed within twenty minutes if you drive at 60 km/h. it’s very convenient. Minsk is unique, being the only city in the world to have been built using socialistic laws from beginning to end. unlike western cities, our town planning and construction are strictly regulated. By the start of perestroika, the general plan for Minsk’s construc-tion was almost complete, unexpectedly allowing two million people to be housed in a relatively small area while avoiding feeling over-crowded. all those visiting Minsk comment on its open feel and green spaces.

at present, we boast 20 sq.m of living space per capita in our city. it’s not bad, although most european cities offer 35 sq.m per head.

Gradually, those with m o r e

money will move to larger homes, leaving more flats for young people.

How will Minsk look in another twenty years?

W h a t e v e r changes or is reconstructed, M i n s k w i l l a lways re tain its identity, like Paris and london. The core structure will be preserved. Development will occur but place names are sure to remain. Often, n a m e s a r e n’ t assigned by commis-sions; rather, they are handed down through the generations: Komarovka market, Zolotaya Gorka, the upper Town, Troitsky suburbs and Nemiga shape the image of the city.

Cows used to graze near Minsk’s monument-obelisk until recently. Foreign tourists were astonished! recently,

s o m e Jap a n e s e people returned here af ter an absence of seven y e a r s . T h e y noticed a change for the better, saying the city was cleaner and more modern!

M i n s k i s a well-cared-for city. i worked for two years in rome, which is known for its pageantry and its historical sites. it

has another face though, away from the tourist routes. some areas are so dilapidated that you can’t imagine living there. Our city’s suburbs are quite

different and are never far from the modern, european style centre. all offer conven-ience and employment, which immediately inspires a positive mood. Minsk is also cleaned very thoroughly and its residents don’t tend to litter; it’s just our habit, like crossing the street only at a green light. Visitors always note this.

i have no doubt that Minsk will only improve, as it boasts a particular aura which guides us to be disci-plined and remain spot-lessly clean.

What does our city lack?if Minsk lacks anything,

it’s sun! We can’t do anything about this, of course, since we can’t change our geographical location…

By Vladimir Stepanovich

МіnSk

945

PersPeCtiVe


art WorKsHoP

A co-ordinator of the seminar, Mexico’s selma ancira, explains, “We are involved in literary translation, preparing bright and appealing material rather than meagre text. in this respect, literature and art have

much in common: thoughts are expressed either in word or paint. early 20th century Vitebsk artists hugely influenced global culture so it’s no surprise that a trip to Vitebsk was accepted by the seminar’s participants with enthusiasm.”

The first translations of Tolstoy’s sevastopol Tales and Cossacks into english and French were made in the late 19th century; naturally, those who worked on the texts are now dead. However, a new wave of interest is rising in Tolstoy’s works, with youngsters keen to translate his novels. The seminar aimed to help people learn more about literary russian works and russian culture, including trips to museums dedicated to Turgenev,

what can unitE thE author of anna karEnina and marc chagall? in fact, thE organiSErS of thE intErnational SEminar of tranSlatorS — hEld at yaSnaya polyana for thE SEvEnth timE — BEliEvE that participantS from Spain, italy, turkEy, gErmany, Japan, SErBia and ruSSia havE vEry much EnJoyEd lEarning aBout thE gloBally known paintEr’S work and writingS

leo tolstoy leads to Marc Chagall

Prishvin, Chekhov, Pasternak, Chukovsky, lermontov and sholokhov. Many were in Belarus for the first time, learning much new to them. sabri Gürses, from Turkey, was surprised to hear that Chagall illustrated Gogol’s Dead souls, while Japanese Yoko ueda — studying russian theatre and the avant-garde — has been inspired by the atmosphere of the city which so inspired this trend in art.

as another co-ordinator of the event, Galina alexeeva (who heads the Department for scientific-research at Krasnaya Polyana), admits, the foreign guests have definitely left Vitebsk with bright impressions and ideas for their future projects. she notes, “repin’s Zdravnevo museum-mansion — which we visited — was a true revelation for me. We share many common topics with our Belarusian colleagues and i hope our co-operation will become even more active. apart from other activities, we’re organising an international conference in Yasnaya Polyana, entitled leo Tolstoy and Global literature. We’d be happy to welcome participants of the present seminar: for example, Prof. Maria Candida Ghidini, from the university of Parma.”

Prof. Maria Candida Ghidini told those present at the event that Marc and Bella Chagall had good friends in Paris: Jacque and raissa Maritain. Jacque was a philosopher and raisa a poetess who assisted him; she left russia with her parents before 1917. she wrote a poem devoted to Chagall’s mysterious images, and the Jewish wandering life — initially in French. However, italian participants of the seminar prepared a russian word-for-word translation and Moscow poetess Natalia Vankhanen turned it into blank verse, creating a true work of art. it was so expressive and touching that the Marc Chagall Museum Director, lyudmila Khmelnitskaya, has asked the author to leave the poem in Vitebsk, as an exhibit. “it’s a wonderful present!” notes lyudmila with admiration. “i hope that our new acquaintances will attract more participants to the traditional Chagall readings event.”

in fact, many participants of the seminar have been surprised to learn that, apart from painting pictures, Chagall wrote poetry in French — as this has never been

translated into russian. it’s quite possible that russian versions of h is p o ems may soon

appear.By Sergey

gomanov


excellent scHool for future champions

the opening coincided with the 75th birthday of the famous Belarusian wrestler, alexander Medved, as noted by Minsk City

executive Committee Chairman Nikolay ladutko. The launch of the complex pays tribute to alexander Medved’s contribu-tion to Belarusian sport. as the Chairman of the Belarusian Wrestling Federation, Yuri Chizh, noted, the new sports facility will greatly inspire the development of Belarusian wrestling. “avoiding a repeti-tion of the mistakes of the 2012 london Olympics is vital,” he said; during the Games, Belarusian wrestlers lost five fights for bronze.

Mr. Medved personally thanked all those present, saying, “This sports facility is unique for our city, allowing us to host competitions and training at all levels. i hope future champions will be nurtured here.” The sportsman solemnly received the key to the door and, afterwards, the ribbon was cut — as is traditional.

Mr. Chizh stressed that training of young wrestlers will begin in about a

month’s time. He dispelled rumours that Belarus’ national team is to train at the venue, explaining, “They won’t train here, as we are designing another House of Wrestling in Minsk, which will become the major base for the national team. rather, youngsters are to train at this facility.”

“The school is yet to open,” explained Mr. Medved, adding, “We’re now seeking coaches and children.”

The facility has several gyms for training, in addition to two rooms with floor mats where young sportsmen can demon-strate their mastery. shower rooms, cloak-rooms, a sauna and a café ensure comfort while the Hall of Wrestling Glory is sure to inspire all who view it. it features the original a w a r d s

sPorts CoMPleX

minsk’s oLympic reserve (named aFter three time oLympic champion aLexander medved) soLemnLy opens — where cinema was previousLy situated

of the most famous Belarusian wrestlers: Olympic champions Oleg Karavayev, Kamandar Madzhidov and alexander Medved. it also showcases two unusual sculptures: one of two fighting wrestlers and the other of a bear standing at the top of a podium, wearing three Olympic medals.

By Ilya gurinovich

BEL

TA


neW aPPearanCe

tinevicHi comes out of the shadowSmall village of Tinevichi in Korelichi District left without residents several years ago. Houses stood empty and it was decided to demolish them with a bulldozer. Then, a couple of years ago, a visitor found the neglected village surrounded by forest and bought three houses, alongside a few land lots for development. The village is now truly reviving, with nine more houses added and further construction in full swing. Soon, an unusual tourist site will open in Tinevichi, recreating early 20th century village life

km separate Tinevichi from Korelichi, with a newly asphalted road replacing the old gravel track. Driving under the hanging boughs of oak trees, ashes, maples and alders, with hardly a ray of sun penetrating the

canopy, i almost became quite lost on the unfamiliar path. Final ly, i saw the village and certainly couldn’t call it ‘neglected’. The roar of tractors and mowing machines and ratt le of hammers was heard every-

where. Builders are working every day to help Minsker Pavel radyukevich breathe new life into Tinevichi.

He a d m i t s t h a t h e found the village quite by chance and was immedi-ately drawn to the beauty of 25

IOSI

F P

OP

KO


neW aPPearanCe

the surrounding country-side. lake svityaz is located within 5km and it’s only 35km to Mir Castle, while being one hour by car from Minsk. Mr. radyukevich’s plan to transform Tinevichi into an attractive tourist site is based not on the latest innovations but on recre-ating a simple village atmos-phere, as reigned a hundred years ago.

Of course, his grand plan requires more than just money; huge determina-tion and desire are essential. He visited dozens of empty homes before choosing three — for himself and his daughter anna. He also registered Belye luga farm in Tinevichi and purchased land for it, which is now occupied by homes brought from similar neglected villages.

it’s a great pleasure to walk through the village, with its cobbled street; it looks magnificent, despite being overgrown with grass.

Homes have appeared on several empty sites, each furnished inside to show a near-forgotten way of life from the past. each home has electricity (with metres installed outside to allow easy reading) and water pipes are being laid.

Fortunately, visitors will have plenty to amuse them in the evenings. a large wooden tavern is being built and a pond has been created, stocked with fish. Keen hunters are being catered for and feeding stations have been installed for wild animals beyond the village. There’s even a bee yard at Belye luga farm and fruit and vegetable plots for growing fresh produce.

sadly, i missed out on meeting Mr. radyukevich, as he was on holiday, but his son ivan (who also owns a site in the village) was happy to chat. He explained, “We’re awaiting our first tourists this autumn; they’ll be staying in

four cottages. Within 18-24 months, the whole site will be open, including three more saunas. Our farm will be at full strength, growing wheat and potatoes, as well as breeding pigs and rabbits.”

ruslan abramchik, the Deputy Chairman of the Korelichi District executive Committee, is convinced that empty buildings deserve to receive attention. “in this way, we can expand the local budget. Moreover, if rural tourism takes off, it’ll bring in additional revenue. We have a lot of work to do, naturally. Five years ago, 98 houses were considered ‘empty’ in our district, with 36 becoming the property of the rural council by court order. some have since been demolished while others have been either inherited or sold. There are now just 43 empty houses on the register; we’re still deciding what to do with them.”

Vadim Karmazin, director of the SportS and touriSm miniStry’S touriSm department:The example of the Korelichi District’s Tinevichi — previously neglected — is worthy of study and emulation. Just 5-6 years ago, one house was bought as an agro-estate; now, people wish to inject money into several empty village houses. The same situation is being seen in the Lelchitsy, Volozhin and other districts. We have an interesting proposal: a private investor wants to build a farmstead from scratch, registering it officially with a name. Our task is to help such endeavours, to revive villages, while earning money from rural tourism. To achieve this, we’ll be creating a databank.

Felt boots made by hand

High time to register felt-making with UNESCO

this November, the int e r g ov e r n m e nt a l

C o m m i t t e e f o r t h e safeguarding of intangible Cultural Heritage will consider Belarus’ applica-tion to include traditional hand-made production of felt boots on the uNesCO list of intangible Cultural Heritage.

The seventh session of the intergovernmental C o m m i t t e e f o r t h e safeguarding of intangible Cultural Heritage is being hosted in November by Grenada — an is land state in the Caribbean. at present, 232 sites across 70 countries are listed.

The tradition of felt-making is widespread in the Mogilev region’s Dribin District, with skills passed through the genera-tions. Felt boots are made by hand and there is even a workshop at the Dribin History and Folk Museum, where felt-making is learnt from childhood.


GenealoGiCal disCoVeries

ecHoes from the past

i t sometimes seems that complex family branches

lack logic, having their own hidden laws — like human DNa. Geneticists can now detect ‘weak links’ in our bodies, using DNa-analysis and other methods, predicting our propensity to inherited illness.

Genealogists are yet to master the art of prediction, like plant breeders who can forecast the fruit of two trees from different families. interestingly, some parents are already asking expe-rienced specialists to ‘engineer’ their children, to help them achieve better results in life. Families are being studied to detect talent and illness, strengths and weaknesses. Where the latter can be avoided, it surely makes sense to do so…

important pages in our life history often remain hidden until researched, as genealogist stanislav Dumin is convinced. His internet page reads that he is a member of ‘many foreign heraldic, genealogical and historical societies and academies’, while being ‘an acting member of the academy of russian literature, the assembly of russian Nobility and many other associations’. He clearly belongs to the heraldic-genealogical elite of the post-soviet and european-asian space. since 1999, he has been President of the russian Genealogical society and has written over 800 papers in all — including a study of russian and foreign royal families. He wrote four volumes of a book entitled Noble Families of the russian empire (1993—1998), and has written novels for children (about ryleev and Kulibin) and The romanovs. The emperor’s Family in exile. Family Chronicles book (1998). His website also mentions his talents as a poet.

i’d like to look at his Belarusian family tree, pondering whether spouses, children and friends are attracted into our families as a result of Fate or something more fundamental and measureable — as some people believe. Do our genes and blood determine similarities or does our intangible spirituality draw others to us unconsciously? it remains one of the unan-swered questions of eternity...

While working for Golas radzimy (Voice of the Motherland) newspaper — which details the lives of our countrymen abroad — i heard of many joining Belarusian ex-pat associa-tions, greeting each other like long lost friends, guided by a desire to band together. some spent years unaware of common Belarusian genes, having grown up far from the homeland of their forefathers, finding new friends and a spouse before discovering their shared family tree.

interestingly, Mr. Dumin was inspired by his lecturer at the Moscow state university in the 1970s: Nikolay ulashchik — a prominent Belarusian historian, doctor of sciences and expert in the history of the Grand Duchy of lithuania. Did they meet by accident or design? The Muscovite son of a flight lieutenant and colonel, Mr. Dumin expressed interest in his past while studying. it was then that he discovered his Belarusian roots as ‘a Tartar on horseback’. asked what connects him to Belarus, he answers, “My mother’s father — alexander Mukhlya (1884—1962) - died when i was about nine; i didn’t have the chance to ask him much but a photo of him wearing a military coat remains, taken in Kovno (now known as Kaunas, lithuania). it was where he served before WW1. i discovered it in an album

Famous russian historian and genealogist Stanislav Dumin has

strong Belarusian roots


shown to me by my distant cousin in 1987. We lacked such a photo in Moscow, as it wasn’t safe to keep photos of that kind in the past. However, we had his birth certificate — issued by the lyakhovichi cathedral mosque. it reads: ‘a son was born to lawfully wedded parents — noble Mustafa (stefan) and Fatma (of the Voronovichy) Mukhlya; in line with the islamic faith, he was named alexander’. i knew that my grandfather was born in Byten (now known as the Brest region’s ivatsevichi District) so, naturally, i was interested in how my forefathers came to Belarus, and in how they gained a noble title.”

Having devoted his life to his search for his family roots, Mr. Dumin worked on penetrating the past, entering Moscow state university’s History Department in 1970. He dreamt of studying the history of the Grand Duchy of lithuania, specialising in the history of southern and Western slavs. in 1975, he defended his diploma about lithuanian Tartars (in the service of the Grand Duchy of lithuania). “My colleague then joked saying that ‘i took lithuanian Tartars into the circle of slavs’,” Mr. Dumin adds. “He was right, as they lost the Turkish language in the late 16th century, due to the spread of slavonisation. That paper was the

basis of my joint work with Minsk colleague ibrahim Kanapatsky; we published Belarusian Tartars: Past and Present. i sent my texts to ibrahim in russian, while he translated them into Belarusian — also writing several chapters on ethnographic issues.”

as Mr. Dumin admits, during his post-graduate studies at the university, he ‘was lucky to be taught by Nikolay ulashchik’. Moreover, he began to study primary sources — lithuanian metric in particular. in 1981, he defended his candidate of sciences paper about smolensk as part of the Grand Duchy of lithuania (1611-1654). He now has many publications about the Grand Duchy of lithuania, remaining involved in the study of the heraldry, genealogy and history of his forefathers and other Tartar families across the Grand Duchy of lithuania. among them are russian, Polish and Georgian nobility.

until recently, the genealogy of Mr. Dumin himself was vague. However, knowing that ‘birds of a feather flock together’ and that his mother came from Belarus, he assumed that his father was from the vicinity. such are the mysteries of family trees. “Quite an interesting, second, chapter of my family history was revealed just a year ago,” he wrote in a letter addressed to me, recently, from the Netherlands (where he was attending the international Congress of Genealogy and Heraldry). “Baltic haplogroup N1c1 detected in my blood indicated that i was connected with this region. later, a document on my father’s origin made it clear: his family (and that of my mother) came from the west of Belarus. My father’s ancestors lived in the village of Nekrashi, near skidel, originally being called Dauhun. Over the course of time, this transformed into Dulin, then Dumin-Dulin and, eventually, Dumin. i have grounds to suspect that the forefathers of my mother’s grandmother — Yevgenia Olkovich — were called Olkovichi (or Olkhovichi): ‘domestic’ Poles. On being asked what connects me to Belarus, i can answer: everything!”

Not long ago, a researcher of old Belarusian families, writer and patron anatoly stetskevich-Cheboganov, presented dozens of volumes of his unique i’m Your son (part of the Chronicles of Belarusian Nobility series, which he launched) to the National library of Belarus.

On the same day, he fulfilled the request of our coun-tryman, also presenting lithuanian Tartars in History and Culture (written by stanislav Dumin, Galim sitdykov and adas Yakubauskas). “With anatoly, i plan to add to this series, publishing stories about some Tartar and local families, in addition to stories about those who came from Poland (whom i’ve studied before),” Mr. Dumin tells us. “a second edition of Dombrov’s Ciechanowiecki Coat of arms — which i helped write — is to be released in Warsaw in Polish (a language i speak and write fluently). it tells of a prominent magnate family connected with eastern Belarus whose last representative is Duke andrzej Ciechanowiecki; he now lives in london and is known as a patron. We plan to translate and publish it as part of the same series. really, our plans are huge.”

By Ivan Zhdanovich

Stanislav Dumin in one of the Paris archives

GenealoGiCal disCoVeries


georgy skripnicHenko’s space and time associations

ArT personality


among those artists whose creative work was shaped by beLarusian Fine art in the second haLF oF the 20th century, georgy skripnichenko is weLL known For his extraordinary view oF reaLity and unique surreaLism. his compLex web oF images is inspired by the subconscious — rich in FantasticaL paradoxes

Mr. skripnichenko has a personal exhibit ion in N o v e m b e r , hosted by the Nat iona l ar t Museum. it is a

rare opportunity of which few can boast: having a permanent exhibition at the country’s main museum. Clearly, Mr. skripnichenko’s talent and skills have been recognised.

The large exhibition now being prepared is the result of much effort, so how important is it to you?

i’ve only had a few personal exhibi-tions — although not because i’ve ever been prevented from doing so. it’s true that my art was not deemed suitable by the authorities at one point, so i couldn’t think about personal exhibitions then. However, since 1985, everything has changed. i’ve taken part in several group exhibitions in Minsk and Moscow, and far abroad. i’ve also had a few small personal exhibitions dedicated to the capital, hosted by Minsk’s Museum of Modern Fine art, in the Zhilbel Gallery.

since a young age, i’ve been sketching the city, like the famous Georgian primi-tivistic artist Pirosmani. This is how my drawings and sketches have appeared. i was quite surprised that they impressed anyone…. but the present exhibition is the result. i wouldn’t have bothered,

since it’s very tiresome and cumbersome to organise, but Natalia sharangovich — the Director of the Museum of Modern Fine arts — insisted. at the exhibition in November, a printed edition of my works is to be presented, alongside a graphic exhibition of about 200 sketches. i hope everything will be well-received.

Are you an adherent of informal painting?

Probably, yes. However, i like realism in art. is not Caravaggio a realist and el Greco? i’ve never consciously formulated my relationship with art.

What motivates you when painting? What is most significant?

i like to paint from life. i like to think and dream while standing at the easel. The canvas is a game: a theatre of deceit, lies and laughter...

Are you a philosopher?i’ve never considered myself to be

so, since philosophy is something ‘high’; intuition was given to me by nature, i think. i’m a bad philosopher and thinker but work hard.

aren’t you afraid that audiences may not understand your works?

You should always think before you speak.

What is your attitude to fame?if it is deserved, you should take it in

your stride. i haven’t had such an experi-ence, so i know nothing about this, but it’s pleasant when, at an exhibition, your

personality ArT


work is remarked upon and you agree that it is worthy. everyone is pleased when they receive external approval.

What are your creative plans?Work, work and work!Mr. skripnichenko doesn’t sell his

works and presents them only rarely. it’s difficult to part with something drawn from your soul. every one of his works has meaning for him, possessed with his personal energy and inner thoughts.

Mr. skripnichenko considers himself to be a realist but his formal paintings don’t always confirm this, since his style can be so various — even when creating landscapes and still-life works. His figures and objects may be realistic but they are only details in his larger plot. He likes to interpret space and time, exploring them sometimes in a way only he fully under-stands. He uses irony, creating juxtaposi-tion between the serious and comedic. accordingly, he gives complicated names to his paintings, with some sense of fantasy, combining elements which are not natural companions. However, he always strives to ensure a certain logic, for those with time to ponder.

“My philosophy is simple,” says Mr. skripnichenko. “it comes from the soul:

expressive emotions, feelings and my own vision of the world.”

What inspired you to become an artist?

apparently, my genes; my father tried to enter art school before the war and was unsuccessful, despite his great desire and passion for painting. My grandfather also liked painting.

i lived in slutsk, which has a strong creative environment and an art studio run by Vladimir stepanovich sadin — a great enthusiast. Nikolay Korsov also had huge influence over me, with his real passion for painting. We became friends and he managed to direct me in this

path. art school saw me painting from morning until evening, to the point of exhaustion.

Do you think that time has helped you to develop as an artist?

art is my life; i know nothing else. i believe this has made me move in one direction. During my youth, when i felt everything to the max, my only goal was to be like leonardo da Vinci.

undoubtedly, all Mr. skripnichenko’s works are recognisable. His great life experience from over 70 years, dating from his post-war childhood, includes difficult times when there was little to celebrate. He worked on a building site and attended night school, painting in his free time and sometimes making up to 300 sketches a week...

He stil l has many incomplete works, some begun over a decade ago, which he likes to return to, sometimes finding an unexpected artistic solution. However, he can also suddenly lose interest in a work. so, canvases are left incomplete until he feels inspired again. New discoveries are applied to old themes, further developing plots. He never guarantees that a work is ulti-mately complete.

ArT personality


Perhaps, this is a feature of Mr. skripnichenko as a creative person. He is always pushing his borders and finds new limits through life experience. When his impressions are united, an idea is formed, which can be expressed.

How would you describe your style of painting and do you reflect that which resides in your soul?

i can’t give a simple answer. each artist works according to their talent. i was very surprised when Finnish gallery owners were interested in my early works, as i thought they were irrelevant.

Nevertheless, how would you define your creative credo?

i’m a realist, so i can’t create abstract works. Probably, my love of rembrandt, el Greco and Velazquez inspires me to make most of my images appear real. However, i also change them from reality, as is the fashion. My creativity starts with a clean sheet and i have no idea where each day will lead me, relying on my intuition. sometimes, it’s enough to touch a stretched canvas and inspiration comes. at other times, i already know what i want to achieve. i usually start as a realist, making lots of sketches, but i can also be inspired

to mix realistic images with elements of surrealism.

His original views began early in his days at art school; even then, he was confident in his style. Without the support of his teachers, among whom was People’s artist of Belarus leonid shchemelev, he might have been asked to leave. leonid emphasised to the director of the school that, if they excluded skripnichenko, whom could they ask to stay? it may have been the most authori-tative assessment of his talent.

in the studio, some works from those days remain — simple in composi-tion. However, his still life works show a desire for something beyond reality. His paintings are even more detached from the everyday, influenced by Picasso’s Cubism. They lack detail, rather using symbolism.

Are your works based on life?Certainly, what else can inspire them?

everything comes from reality and all that is associated with my own life, my home town of slutsk, and the city of Minsk. regardless of my travels abroad, i’ve always wanted to return home. We have a great national school for graphics, painting and sculpture. We rival anything

personality ArT

“i’m a realist, so i can’t create abstract

Works. probably, my love oF rembrandt, el greco and velazquez

inspires me to make most oF my images

appear real. HoWever, i also

cHange tHem From reality, as is tHe

FasHion”


happening abroad and may even have higher skills.

What is this Belarusian art school?We have a wonderful school of

graphics, boasting such names as savich, Yakovenko alimov, slavuk, Vishnevsky and Vladimir and andrei Basalyga. it’s a very good school, with high profession-alism. at the academy of arts, young-sters receive a serious education from great teachers. Many years pass but they continue to work there, with great love. in short, the school is rich in painting traditions and, particularly, in graphics. its sculpture is also admirable.

Do you consider yourself to be a Belarusian artist or an international artist?

Of course, i am a Belarusian artist — a real one. However, i don’t like the distinction between Belarusian and international. if i’m a high level Belarusian artist, it means i am inter-national. i won’t deny the influence of Picasso, Dali or Van Gogh, or that of world contemporary art. all impresses and inspires me. We are each indi-vidual, yet are inspired by what’s around us. it would be impossible for me to move to another planet, since this is my world. i perceive everything in it and make it my own. The more able you are as an artist, the more international you become. exhibitions abroad bring you into the interna-tional realm. Perhaps the national and international shouldn’t be separated, at least in art. i think so.

What nourishes your creative work? What drives you? After all, you have been doing the same thing for years. Aren’t you tired?

ArT personality

undoubtedly all georgy skripcHenko’s pictorial canvases bear tHe stamp oF

autHorial reFlections. and tHe artist Has large liFe experience


i can’t do anything else so i can’t be bored. You can tire physically but you make your own choices. i don’t want to do anything else so i live with it. There may be ups and downs, as is natural in life.

How many works have you created?Thousands: drawings, paintings,

watercolours, graphics, lithographs, etchings and sketches. My ‘Minsk of the 1960s’ exhibition caused quite a media stir: in the press and on the radio.

is today a good time for creativity?Certainly, you rarely leave exhibi-

tions feeling indifferent. something always touches you. i’m seeing works of a good level.

You combine reality, associations and thoughts, showing us your soul. Is

this essential to the creative process?in my case, it is, and it may be the

same for most artists. i used to illustrate books, drawing futuristic cities with flying cars from my imagination. Where did those images come from? Nothing comes from nothing. You need to be open minded. Probably, my knowledge is intuitive, as no one directs me. i read Pushkin, who was interested in avant-garde art, but it’s hard to say for sure where ideas come from.

Is it important for you to be recog-nised as an artist?

ever yone is vain and i’m no except ion. My vanity is a l itt le parochial, as i’m rather insecure, having been turned away from an exhi-bition at the Tretyakov Gallery on one occasion. i think it’s most important to have exhibitions at home.

actually, vanity is one of the things which drives forward any profession, especially creative work. Nobody lacks vanity. i’m satisfied that my works reside in the National art Museum and the Museum of Modern Fine art . it’s great . Of course, they’re also found in private collections around the world and

have been seen at dozens of interna-tional exhibitions. Once, i received a magazine from the usa by mail, in which there was an article about Georgy skripnichenko of Belarus; they printed one of my works, which was pleasing.

What is the idea behind your paintings?

They reveal my inner world.Do you think that art should be

beautiful, always pleasing?

i remember a poem by Pushkin, which read: ‘are you pleased with it, exacting artist? satisfied? let the crowd scold you’. as ‘geniuses’, we work hard and can’t help feeling that those who don’t like our works should simply look elsewhere. The main thing is for us to be satisfied and happy with our own works. Of course, we want favourable reviews and, like any artist — whether realist or abstractionist — need an audience. The natural scheme of things is: artist — painting — viewer.

We can assume that every artist strives for harmony, regardless of declarations to the contrary. Georgy skripnichenko approaches harmony via life’s conflicts, as we see from his along

life’s Path, created twenty years ago. He likes texture in painting, alongside loud, colourful bursts and elements of collage. He loves painting with precise detail as well as using complex associa-tive, imaginative structures, which are fantastically diverse and attractive.

all are sides of one style. Perhaps, this helps him keep his integrity and a panoramic view of the world. He forms a new dimension in Belarusian art.

By Victor mikhailov

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Writers

this year, we ceLebrate the 100th anniversary oF the

birth oF peopLe’s poet oF beLarus

maxim tank

generous soul hidden under powerful penname

A military tank’s most important feature is probably its armour and there’s no doubt that the young poet and Komsomol member certainly needed

powerful armour in his struggle for high ideals. He dreamt of uniting his native Western Belarus with its eastern part - divided through historical circumstances.

He first called himself Maxim Tank, before the age of 20, in Vilnya (now lithuanian Vilnius, which was once a Belarusian town). in October 1932, he used the pen name to sign his poem dedicated to the Polish miners’ strike. He had already been a member of the under-ground movement for three years and was co-operating with Communist editions, for which he had been sent to prison three times, spending almost two years incar-cerated (with small breaks). By september 17th, 1939, on his 27th birthday, he saw the release of three collections of his poetry. Moreover, that day also saw the reuniting of Belarus.

The youngster selected Belarusian verses as his armour in struggling for Belarusian unity, native language and Communist ideals. However, he always highly appreciated and respected Polish and russian culture, admitting that some of his first verses and a ‘young poem’ were written under the influence of Mikhail lermontov. From his recollections, we know that he read books in Polish as a small boy in Pilkovshchina village (now the Minsk region’s Myadel District, not far from lake Naroch) rather than in his native language. it is understandable as, at that time, this was a Polish territory. He began to study at home and continued at a Polish primary school, where it was forbidden to speak Belarusian or russian. Books by Mickiewicz, słowacki, sienkiewicz, Kraszewski, Orzeszkowa and Konopnicka opened his eyes to the world of literature.

as to his penname, in an interview, he recollected: ‘Maxim comes from Gorky, under whose influence we all were at that time. as far as Tank is concerned, i can’t explain it. like many young poets, it seemed to me that literary success depended on a


Writers

high-sounding penname. The world of ‘plant’ names had been exhausted: Kolas, Charot, Pushcha and Vasilek… i wanted something strong and found Tank…’

unfortunately, soviet society favoured ‘fighting’ and patriotic verse, much to his disappointment. He wrote: ‘Our poetry is heavy, like a stone taken from a cobbled pavement during a street fight. it is discordant, like a groan and a shout, and red, like shed blood.’ He spent many years also struggling against fascism but was always keen to unlock the soul’s secrets: his own and those of others — near and far. Many of his poems are dedicated to women and love. in his famous earrings (put to Vladimir Mulyavin’s music), he wrote: ‘Oh, how many times did i ask for a date’. like others, it lives on through song even today.

at 36, he became editor-in-chief of Polymya — the most important literary magazine of the Bssr. as a member of various delegations, he visited Western europe, the usa, Chile, China and Japan. Three times, he represented the country’s interests at the uN. Moreover, he was a participant of the 1st World Congress of the supporters of Peace (his Parisian Diary poem is dedicated to the forum); he took part in several similar.

He drew on the traditions of various cultures in his poems: in Paris, Flight over icebergs, Bridge of eternal Calm, Wind of the Homeland, Cosmology, Near the Bottom of the Ojos del salado, at Hiroshima Museum and splinter from shakespeare’s House… according to Tank’s son, during foreign trips, his father would always try to go to the local market, to watch local people and feel their routines.

He would bring back unusual souvenirs, such as a piece of copper ore from Chile and a splinter of wood from the house where shakespeare lived in england. in 1991, at the end of his life (he died in 1994) a book of his translations appeared: On starry roads. His Fatherland was always close to his heart and it was probably there that he wrote his best verse: ‘as a travelling artist, i always bring with me the landscapes of my homeland…’

For almost a quarter of a century, from 1966 to 1990, Maxim Tank headed the union of Writers of Belarus, strength-ening inter-literary ties. He translated into Belarusian the works of an impressive 160 poets and had his own works released in russian, ukrainian, lithuania, latvian, uzbek, Tajik, Kazakh, Polish, Bulgarian, Korean and other languages. Translators clearly returned his favour.

He rarely used rhyme or rhythm, focusing on thoughts, images and impulses of the soul: ‘a porch taken from recollec-

tions/ stays with me/ Doors on hinges/ of the cricket’s song/ stay with me/ Windows glazed with eyes of my relatives/ stay with me/ How can i not look back even if i freeze like a pillar of salt?’

Maxim Tank released dozens of collec-tions of verse, allowing fans to enter a wonderful world of delicate poetry, light yet deeply meaningful.

On september 15th, on the eve of the anniversary, Myadel hosted a republican holiday of poetry and song dedicated to Maxim Tank: i Wrote each song with My Heart. it was widely covered by various media. The institute of language and literature (named after Yakub Kolas and Yanka Kupala) at the National academy of sciences, prepared a collection of Tank’s works in 13 volumes — released by the Belaruskaya Navuka Publishing House. During the presentation of the edition at the state Museum of Belarusian literary History, it was noted that researchers had worked hard on the edition for over 15 years. The volumes contain verse and poetry by the classical writer, as well as

his stories, essays, satirical articles, notes, articles, reviews, speeches and many other materials. Many archive documents have been published for the first time.

The Mastatskaya litaratura Publishing House has released Maxim Tank: stone, iron and Gold — containing recollec-tions, essays and dedications. it continues The life of Outstanding People of Belarus series. During its presentation at the literary Museum, much was spoken of the People’s Poet of Belarus, who was an academician of the National academy of sciences, a Hero of socialist labour and a laureate of numerous awards and prizes. Those present warmly recollected the man they called uncle Maxim, Grandfather Maxim and generous friend Yevgeny ivanovich. reading the recollections of his friends and fellow writers, we come to understand him as a person in whom philosophical magnificence and earthly beauty harmoniously co-existed. all those who knew him noted his charm and kindness, his talent and his philosophical nature. He continues to live in the hearts of his descendants.

Maxim Tank: stone, iron and Gold was launched with the attendance of writers and researchers; many spoke, including those connected with the release of the book. Famous literary expert Vyacheslav rogoisha expressed his desire to see the book expanded, adding his family tree and other items of interest. For those potentially involved, i refer to my article: ears Harvesting: Maxim Tank in his Home interior — published by rodnae slova magazine (#9/1992).

i met and spoke with Yevgeny ivanovich, claiming his autograph on the eve of his 80th birthday, just as inde-pendent Belarus was appearing on the map. i carefully kept his signed book and Tank’s ‘legacy’ to literary society. During our leisurely chat, he told me that, once, his younger colleagues came to him for his ‘blessing’ for their participation in an election campaign. The former under-grounder advised them ‘not to become engaged in politics’, rather writing, if they had the talent.

By Ivan Zhdanovich

hewaSalwaySkeentounlocktheSoul’SSecretS:hiSownandthoSeofotherS—nearandfar.manyofhiSpoemSarededicatedtowomenandloVe


tHeatre

We can only imagine how wonderful, stylish and creative the premiere will be, since Nikolay Pinigin, artistic leader of the Yanka Kupala National academic Theatre, is known for his rich imagination. His performances to date may not

be to everyone’s taste but no one can deny the quality of his direction, his original interpretations and that he brings out the best in actors. He is a true professional.

i have an idea of what to expect from Pinigin’s local Cabaret, which he wrote himself, sharing the libretto with igor skripka, who heads the literary section of the Yanka Kupala Theatre. according to the Pr Department, the creative experiment is inspired by the works of Marian Hemar, a Polish author of cabaret perform-ances and ballads, and those of Julian Tuwim, a Polish poet. Music by italian composers luigi Denza and Gioachino rossini has also influenced the performance, as has the folk music of Belarusian bard, poet, showman and composer Victor shalkevich.

Of course, the theatre’s leading actors and singers anna Khitrik, Yulia shpilevskaya, svetlana Zelenkovskaya, Vic tor i a C hav ly t ka and Pave l Kharlanchuk are taking part, alongside People’s artists of Belarus Victor Manaev and sergey Zhuravel and Honoured artiste of Belarus Zoya Belokhvostik. up-and-coming alexey Yarovenko and Marta Golubeva join the cast,

supported by set designer alena igrusha, choreographer Natalia Korchevskaya and vocal coach lusine Nalbandyan. Natalia rusetskaya has translated songs from Polish into Belarusian, while composer Vladimir Kurian has arranged the music.

it’s easy to understand Pinigin’s choice, since ‘cabaret’ immediately arouses so many

bright associations. i think of my childhood love of such cinema classics as sparkling

l i z a M i n n e l l i ’ s Cabaret and Barbara

streisand in Funny Girl. Of course,

i m p r e s s i o n s from childhood remain with us

premiere coming soonyanka kupaLa nationaL academic theatre rehearsing LocaL cabaret

always. The films of Marlene Dietrich are also of note, since she encapsulated the very best of German cabaret, enjoying

thrilling intimacy with the audience, on stage and screen.

Cabaret creates a unique atmosphere in which the audience is transported from every

day care into a bohemian world of relaxation and

Nikolay Pinigin — author of the idea and performance “Local Cabaret” and producer

One of the place's scenes depicted by artist Oleg Karpovich

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festivity. it is perfumed by the beauty and glamour of women in expensive furs and sparkling jewels, and by glossy men in tail coats. Many artists, poets and actors first made their name on stage through this medium. if you ever visit the contemporary Moulin rouge in Paris’ Montmartre (as i have) you’ll be a fan of cabaret forever.

During an interview with our magazine (#12/2011) Mr. Pinigin shared his future plans, speaking of local Cabaret as an attempt to present the bourgeois culture which once existed harmoniously in Western Belarus last century - in Baranovichi, slonim and in larger Grodno.

The 1930s were a difficult time, full of contradictions, but the entertainments organised at small cafes and restaurants allowed people to feel free and happy. These venues attracted free-spirited local and foreign bohemians, as well as bourgeois middle classes seeking amusement. The genre, so popular across europe, brought forth songs in Polish, Belarusian and Yiddish in Belarus, interspersed with witty anecdotes.

My imagination sketches a Cancan, the boiling over of passion and something even more magical. i cannot wait for the premiere, which is sure to reveal more than i can hope for.

By Valentina Zhdanovich


cHarming girl from bobruiskbeLarusian yekaterina buraya, 23, wins ‘miss supranationaL-2012’ internationaL pageant, heLd in warsaw (poLand)

Of the 20 girls in the semi-final, Nanthawan Wannachutha from Thailand came second, M i c h a e l a D i h l ov á f r o m t h e C z e c h

republic came third, elaine Kay Moll from the Philippines came fourth, and sulay Castillo from ecuador came fifth, competing against representa-tives from spain, Puerto rico, south africa, england, Honduras, Denmark, D o m i n i c a n r e p u b l i c , C a n a d a , Panama, Poland, Costa rica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, island, France and suriname.

special awards went to rwanda (Miss Personality), Canada (Top Model), Portugal (elegance), Namibia ( F r i e n d s h i p ) , C u b a ( Na t i o n a l Costume), Denmark (Talent) and the Czech republic (Photogenic).

‘Miss supranational africa’ went to Michelle Giden-Huys, from south africa, while the most beautiful girl in the americas is elissa estrada from Panama; for asia, lại Hương Thảo from Vietnam was chosen and europe’s top beauty is from Denmark.

Yekaterina Buraya is from Bobruisk and graduated from Minsk state linguistic university this year, as a specialist in inter-cultural relations in the travel industry. she loves reading

Gabriel Garcia Marquez and is keen on sport; recently, she has taken up boxing. TV viewers know her from ‘Miss Belarus-2008’, where she reached the final. she is often compared to famous fashion model Claudia schiffer for her looks.

‘Miss supranational’ is one of the most famous pageants in the world. For quite some time, it was held exclusively in latin america but, since 2009, has moved to europe. it is now among the top three most popular pageants, perhaps due to its very strict selection methods. Only the very best are honoured with the right to represent their country. The organi-sers of the show studied portfolios of Miss Belarus contestants from previous years, with blue-eyed blonde Yekaterina Buraya catching their eye. Their choice has proven wise, as she now has inter-national recognition via the prestigious beauty contest.

This year, only 54 girls took part rather than the usual 70; ‘Miss slovakia’ dropped out of the tough rehearsal schedule, leaving 53 girls to continue. in 2011, Poland’s Monika lewczuk won but, in the past, Belarusians have twice been first runners up: Marina lepesha (2009) and lyudmila Yakimovich (2011).

By Tatiana Pastukhova

Contest oF beauties


Documents

BELARUS #10/2012