Opinions & Interviews

VITEBSK, 14 July (BelTA) – Slavonic Bazaar has become a calling card of Belarus, Belarusian Information Minister Lilia Ananich said at the opening of the international press center of the 25th international festival of arts Slavonic Bazaar in Vitebsk on 14 July, BelTA has learned.

“Slavonic Bazaar is a calling card of Vitebsk and our country. For 25 years, the Republic of Belarus has been fulfilling the honorable mission “Through art – to peace and understanding”. The media provide their readers, listeners and viewers, millions of internet users with an opportunity to get first-hand news about major events that take place in Vitebsk during the festival. It is important that the media representatives catch the mood of Vitebsk residents and visitors. The creative mood. The main thing in this world is to do and promote good deeds,” Lilia Ananich said as she welcomed the journalists.

She noted that over 500 reporters from ten countries, including Belarus, have been accredited to cover Slavonic Bazaar this year, which will ensure a broad media exposure of the festival and contribute to the promotion of culture.

Lilia Ananich believes that the unique feature of the festival is that it uncovers new talents. “It is enough to be gifted to come to participate in Slavonic Bazaar and get a pass to a new life. It was such a pleasure for us to hear when in Alexandriya, singer Taisia Povaliy said that it was at Slavonic Bazaar that her talent was first discovered. This is big. Another special feature is that the number of participant countries is constantly growing. Performers from the countries of the CIS and non-CIS states come to Vitebsk to share their talent and take in a bit of the Belarusian culture. It is noteworthy that it is in the Year of Culture in Belarus that we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the festival presenting our country,” Lilia Ananich stressed.

She awarded a number of certificates of merit from the Information Ministry to representatives of the news agency BelTA, Second National TV Channel, and the newspapers Vitebskiye Vesti and Zvyazda in recognition of their contribution to the coverage of Slavonic Bazaar 2015. Lilia Ananich noted that other awards will also be presented during this year’s forum.