Press releases

1 Jul 2026

Beacon of spirituality and kindness. What made 21st Slavianski Bazaar memorable

An archive photo

MINSK, 1 July (BelTA) – The countdown is on: just 15 days left until the 35th anniversary edition of Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk. To mark the occasion, BelTA is launching a daily retrospective series. Every day, we look through our archival materials to relive the brightest highlights from each year of the festival. Today’s feature takes us back to 2012.

At the official opening of the 21st International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, held on 12-18 July, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that it was Vitebsk that shaped the unique character of Slavianski Bazaar, giving it such defining traits as sincerity, openness, refinement, and the aspiration to uphold aesthetic ideals. “The entire festival is imbued with respect for the creative uniqueness of every nation and contributes to the birth of new artistic ideas. In the modern world, Slavianski Bazaar serves as a beacon of spirituality and kindness,” the head of state emphasized. He also explained that, having entered its third decade, the festival has not frozen in its development: it constantly reveals new facets of the world of contemporary art. In terms of the number of participants and the diversity of its programs, Slavianski Bazaar claims the title of a summer cultural Olympics.

For the first time, before the start of the festival, national selection rounds were held for participation in the 21st International Pop Song Performers Contest in Belarus, Latvia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Estonia. Over two days, 14 and 15 July, performances of adult contestants took place in the Summer Amphitheater, and the Grand Prix went to a performer from Macedonia. In 2012, the children’s music contest celebrated its 10th anniversary in the Vitebsk Concert Hall, where the main prize among young talents was awarded to a Georgian singer.

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.

A vivid highlight of the festival was the benefit concert of People’s Artist of Russia Lev Leshchenko. The Summer Amphitheater, accommodating 6,000 spectators, was packed, and those who could not find seats stood along the walls. The concert program was dedicated to the artist’s 70th anniversary, and on 12 July a star for Lev Leshchenko was installed on the Alley of Laureates. He was awarded a special prize Through Art Toward Peace and Mutual Understanding by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

In addition, solo programs were presented by artists such as Valeriya, Alexander Rosenbaum, Irina Allegrova, Pelageya, Leonid Serebrennikov, Alexander Novikov, and Sergey Penkin, who performed on the Slavianski Bazaar stage for the first time. “Belarus is my homeland, and Vitebsk is that place, that air, that Mecca where I also want to soar like Chagall, only during my lifetime,” shared Boris Moiseev, who arrived with the presentation of his new album Dance in White. His vibrant numbers and unique charisma turned every performance into a true spectacle.

As part of Youth Day, a rich program was organized on Victory Square. The international youth festival Fire of Dance 2012 and the competition performances of participants from Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, and Ukraine took place brightly and colorfully. The street program was more diverse than ever, filled with young dancers, musicians, artists, and craftsmen. Sports and entertainment events, master classes of youth subcultures, parties, fire shows, and a DJ battle remained long in the memory of Vitebsk’s residents and guests. This time, the City of Craftsmen was located in the Winners’ Park. The festival concluded with the concert program Chanson TV.

The main lineup of the 35th edition of the Slavianski Bazaar International Festival of Arts will run on 16-19 July, while the very first concerts will kick off on 14 July.