News & Events in Belarus

Partaking in the event were local authorities and general public, diplomats accredited in Brest. Among the honorary guests was a delegation from Grodno, the Capital of Culture in 2014, led by Mayor Mechislav Goi. Culture Minister Boris Svetlov congratulated Brest residents with the new status. He presented Brest Mayor Alexander Rogachuk with the corresponding certificate and a symbolic glass statuette with the image of a stork and Brest’ emblem on it.

Brest has become Belarus’ sixth Capital of Culture. The Capital of Culture status was also held by Polotsk, Gomel, Nesvizh, Mogilev. The national campaign was held at a high organizational and artistic level in Grodno, the minister said. “It is symbolic that Brest takes over on the year marking the 70^th anniversary of the Victory over the Nazis. The deed of the Brest fortress defenders entered the history of the Great Patriotic War in golden letters. Thus, one of the main events will be the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of awarding the Hero Fortress title to the Brest fortress,” Boris Svetlov noted.

The minister congratulated the staff of the memorial with the President’s special award to cultural and art figures. He thanked the personnel of the memorial for the patriotic education of the youth and the preservation of the historical memory. Boris Svetlov expressed hope for united efforts of all cultural organizations of the city and the oblast this year as well as for creative youth initiatives, taking into account the 2015 is the Year of the Youth. “I am confident that the main goals of the campaign, which is the development of the creative initiative and artistic life, the presentation of cultural identity and the enhancement of the region’s tourist attractiveness, will be successfully performed,” the minister said.

The Brest Mayor, for his part, noted that thanks to this great initiative of the Culture Ministry every Belarusian city has a chance of being the capital, at least for one year. “We anticipate not only many events but also hard work. We will do our best to hold the level showed by Grodno and we will try to make it even better. I want Brest to become not only cultural but also an investment, construction, industrial and sport capital. The main thing, however, is that every Brest resident should feel a cultural person, a patriot,” Alexander Rogachuk stressed.

Brest is planning to hold 150 original national and regional art projects, campaigns, and forums in 2015. The events will mostly celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory.