News & Events in Belarus

MINSK, 2 July (BelTA) – The State Flag Square of Belarus was inaugurated in a solemn ceremony on 2 July. Taking part in the inauguration ceremony was President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, BelTA has learnt.

The 14x7 meter flag was hoisted on a 70 meter flagstaff mounted in the center of the square. The national anthem was performed against the background of a gun salute. After that, fireworks and 10,000 air balls colored into the national flag colors were released into the evening sky.

A new patriotic tradition to take the oath of allegiance to the State Flag of the Republic of Belarus was started at the inauguration ceremony. The ceremony featured the most merited representatives of the Belarusian society whose courage, hard work and talent glorified the Fatherland, as well as the younger generation that will come to take their place. Taking the oath of allegiance was veteran of the Great Patriotic War, liberator of Minsk Major General Alexander Fen, student of the Minsk Suvorov Military School Viktor Ageyev, two-time world champion and Olympic Games bronze medalist Darya Domracheva, winner of the Belarus rhythmic gymnastics championship Darya Yakutovich, designer of the world-famous BelAZ trucks, Hero of Belarus Pavel Mariyev, laureate of the Special Fund of the Belarusian President to Provide Social Support to Talented Students, winner of international math Olympiads Denis Pirshtuk, world opera star, soloist of the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater, Merited Artist of Belarus Oksana Volkova and laureate of the Special Fund of the Belarusian President to Support Talented Youth, laureate of international contests Alexandra Nekhai.

The inauguration ceremony was preceded by a Flourishing Belarus concert. The solemn ceremony was broadcast by major Belarusian TV channels.

Taking part in the ceremony were Belarusian political establishment, government officials, local authorities, delegations of Belarusian regions, representatives of Minsk-based educational institutions, labor collectives, trade unions, NGOs, religious communities, artistic unions, diplomatic missions, international organizations and veterans of the Armed Forces. Attending the ceremony was President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Choummaly Sayasone who is in Belarus on an official visit.

The State Flag Square is located on Pobeditelei Avenue and adjoins a 24-meter wide stairway that connects it with the BelExpo exhibition center. The square is 50 meters in radius. Seven granite steles with coats of arms of Belarusian regions and the city of Minsk were erected along the pedestrian area. Steles with the text of the National Anthem and a map of Belarus were mounted symmetrically along the stairway.

The State Flag Square will be used to mark the State Flag and Coat of Arms Day, patriotic events, and take foreign delegations to. The square will be included in the list of tourist attractions of the capital city.