Press releases

Two Grand Prix for Kazakhstan, a street art debut: Slavianski Bazaar 2015 highlights
In 2015, a record was set for the number of participating countries, 41, for the first time. The main themes of the 24th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk were the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory and the Year of Youth...

Sabalenka books Wimbledon last-16 clash with Osaka
In the third round, the world number one Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia (No.31) 6-4, 6-4...

BelTA opens exhibition dedicated to 35th anniversary of Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk
The exhibition features 35 posters with photographs taken by BelTA’s leading photojournalist Aleksandr Khitrov. The exhibition is located on the bridge dedicated to Vitebsk’s 1,000th anniversary. The photos capture the most vivid moments of the massive art festival. Rising stars and famous performers, emotions of spectators and participants – every photo is like a page in the chronicle of Slavianski Bazaar since 1992. Particularly valuable and touching photos are related to cultural figures, who are no longer alive but remain with us in our memory...

Moscow hosts wreath-laying ceremony to mark Belarus’ Independence Day
Participants of the ceremony also laid flowers at the memorial signs Hero City Minsk and Brest Fortress Hero, installed on the Alley of Hero Cities in Alexander Garden...

Sabalenka claims her second victory at Wimbledon
During the second-round encounter, the world number one defeated McCartney Kessler of the USA (world No.57) in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6 (11-9)...

Mir Castle: Preserving history and preparing for its quincentenary
The Mir Castle Complex Museum is preparing for the anniversary, which will be celebrated in 2027. Work is in progress to recreate a fragment of an Italian garden on the grounds of 5.7 hectares. It will be opened to visitors as early as this summer. In July of this year, the museum will host an international art plein air, with the works created there to be presented at the anniversary celebration...

Beacon of spirituality and kindness. What made 21st Slavianski Bazaar memorable
An unchanging attribute of the celebration, the souvenir festival coin with the denomination 21 Bazaar, was issued in 2012 with a circulation of 500 pieces. Special attention was drawn to the debut participation of the Buranovskiye Babushki within Slavianski Bazaar, as well as the expansion of the Union State Day, which for the first time extended beyond a single day...

Belarus proposes visa waiver, direct flight to Indonesia
According to Maxim Ryzhenkov, the Indonesian side intends to open its diplomatic mission in Minsk. “Having diplomatic presence is a very good instrument for developing the entire range of relations,” the minister noted...

ISSF clears Belarusian juniors for international events
Belarusian U21 shooters will be able to represent their country and compete with national symbols in all upcoming ISSF U21 tournaments...

Belarus Events Calendar: JULY 2026
Holidays, festivals, exhibitions...

How Vitebsk welcomed anniversary Slavianski Bazaar in 2011
To mark the festival’s 20th anniversary, organizers decided to go beyond the usual standards and created a new logo: the cornflower appeared in all colors of the rainbow. This solution reflected the festival’s multifunctionality and vibrant mood...

Toto Cutugno’s Belarusian song, organ premieres: 19th Slavianski Bazaar revisited
There are just 17 days left until the 35th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk. BELTA invites you to take a look back: every day we explore archival materials to highlight the most memorable moments of each festival, year by year. Let’s reminisce about the 2010 festival...

Amber pendants, stone maces found during excavations in Lepel District
The finds mostly date to the Usvyat archaeological culture, the culture of Middle Neolithic tribes that populated the Belarusian Poozerye region from the end of the 4th millennium to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC...

Belarus’ Zalaty wins silver at 2026 World Rowing Cup III in Switzerland
In the men’s single sculls final Yauheni Zalaty came in second with a time of 6:48.16, finishing less than two seconds behind the Paris Olympic champion Oliver Zeidler of Germany...

Belarus’ Hureyeva clinches silver at UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Cup Final
Accumulating a total of 1,488 points, Viyaleta claimed the runner-up spot, crossing the finish line a mere five seconds after Anna Jurt of Switzerland...

From walk of fame to Father Frost in July: Looking back at 2009 Slavianski Bazaar
Hitting its 18th anniversary “coming-of-age” landmark, the festival’s all-time track record reached nearly 1,800 concerts, plays, exhibitions, presentations, and shows, drawing more than 3.1 million visitors. The 2009 event alone saw 4,800 accredited participants and guests...

Ten medals for Belarus at 2026 Kazakhstan Open taekwondo tournament
In the senior division, Raman Turavinau clinched victory in the -80kg category. Yulia Vitko claimed silver in the -57kg category, while Maksim Bandarevich (-63kg) and Artsiom Plonis (+87kg) both earned bronze...

Lebedeva and Yarshova take silver and bronze at Trampoline World Cup stage in Switzerland
Earlier in the tournament in Switzerland, Iana Lebedeva posted the best score in qualification, while Katsiaryna Yarshova topped the semifinals. In the current World Cup season, Iana Lebedeva has already claimed victories at the stops in Azerbaijan and the Netherlands...

New sculpture appears in Vitebsk to mark 35th Slavianski Bazaar
The tiny figure, only about 35 cm tall, has taken up residence at the entrance to the Vitebsk Cultural Center, where the festival’s directorate is located. This is not the first such art object in the city...

What surprised guests at 2008 Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk
For the first time, the festival hosted a book exhibition-fair featuring Belarusian and Russian publishers. Visitors could browse new releases, purchase books, and get authors’ autographs...