Events

27 Dec 2016

Heads of regional associations of Belarusians in Russia receive state awards

MOSCOW, 28 December (BelTA) – The ceremony to present the Medals of Francysk Skaryna to heads of regional associations of Belarusians in Russia took place at the Business and Culture Complex of the Belarusian embassy in Moscow on 27 December, BelTA learned from the press service of the diplomatic mission.

The awards were presented to chairperson of the National and Cultural Autonomy of Belarusians in Tomsk Oblast Lyubov Adaskevich and chairperson of the National and Cultural Autonomy of Belarusians in Moscow Oxana Solopova.

In accordance with the decree of the Belarusian President, Oxana Solopova and Lyubov Adaskevich were honored with the awards for a big personal contribution to the promotion of the Belarusian national art, enhancement of the cultural and scientific ties between Belarus and Russia.

The awards were presented by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia Igor Petrishenko. “There are more than 500,000 Belarusians in Russia,” the diplomat said. This is a huge power which can and should support Belarus in Russia, strengthen friendship between the two nations, he added.

Igor Petrishenko said that Oxana Solopova and Lyubov Adaskevich are the members of the consultative council for the affairs of Belarusians abroad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus. “The council led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs is doing its best to preserve and promote the ties with Belarusians living abroad. It is good that the Belarusians living in Russia make a big contribution to its work,” the Ambassador said.

Oxana Solopova is the head of the diasporas history lab and the deputy dean of the History Department at Moscow State University. She is the author of over 50 research works, chapters about the ethnic and cultural history of Belarusian people in three books for school and university students. Under her leadership, the lab has turned into a unique science and innovation center. In 2016, the lab organized the first Russian-Belarusian school for young historians with the assistance of the National and Cultural Autonomy of Belarusians in Moscow.

Lyubov Adaskevich has been the leader of the Tomsk city center for children and youth Torch for more than 30 years. She is the founder of the international festival of Belarusian culture My Homeland – Belarus. This large-scale event attracts the representatives of public associations of Belarusians in Tomsk Oblast, Novosibirsk Oblast, Omsk Oblast, Kurgan Oblast, Irkutsk Oblast, Altai Krai, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.