500 Years of Belarusian Book Printing

MINSK, 3 August (BelTA) – Belarusian book publishing will be presented at exhibitions in China, Serbia, and Germany in 2017, Belarusian Information Minister Lilia Ananich noted during the presentation of the book the World Heritage of Francysk Skaryna at the National Art Museum of Belarus, BelTA has learned.

This year the Belarusian book was presented in Lithuania, Czechia, and France. “We are going to showcase Belarus’ book publishing in China on the occasion of the 500^th anniversary of the Belarusian book printing. This year we will also visit exhibitions in Serbia and Germany,” Lilia Ananich said. Belarus maintains its positions in book publishing despite the rapid development of information technologies. Printed books have strong positions in the country, the minister highlighted.

“We are proud that we have made one of the best books of the national and, I believe, world book publishing in the run-up to the 500^th anniversary of the Belarusian book printing,” she underlined speaking about The World Heritage of Francysk Skaryna project.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Belarus Peter Dettmar stressed Francysk Skaryna’s essential educational work. His revolutionary contribution to book printing goes beyond the translation of Bible and involves the effort to spread the ideas of education and enlightenment among grassroots, the diplomat pointed out. “We should feel deep gratitude to your great compatriot for this,” Ambassador Peter Dettmar added.

The first Belarusian printed book, Francysk Skaryna’s Psalter, was issued five centuries ago on 6 August 1517. The World Heritage of Francysk Skaryna, a unique book issued by the publishing house Petrus Brovka Belarusian Encyclopedia at the request of the Belarusian Information Ministry, marks the 500th anniversary of Belarusian book printing. The book is part of the series The Encyclopedia of Rarities available in three languages, namely Belarusian, Russian, and English. This is the first book to contain all the 25 books of the first Belarusian book printer. It presents Francysk Skaryna's book legacy parts of which are now held in various book and museum collections in many countries including Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and the United States.

The book The World Heritage of Francysk Skaryna won the main prize of the CIS international contest The Art of Book 2017, and the main prize of Eurasian Book Fair 2017.

The book presentation was attended by public figures, foreign diplomats, and members of the media on 3 August.