Press releases

MINSK, 10 January (BelTA) – The international Christmas festival of batleika and puppet theaters Nyabyosy will take place in Minsk on 14-17 January. Nineteen leading theaters of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine will take part in the contest, BelTA learned from the organizers of the event.

“It is symbolic that one of the first events of 2016, the Year of Culture in Belarus, will be the Nyabyosy festival which will be held upon the blessing of Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl Pavel, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus,” the organizers remarked.

The winners will be determined in several nominations by a professional jury. Apart from the contest program, the forum will include round tables and master classes.

The event aims to develop the traditional Belarusian batleika and puppet theaters, create conditions for the professional interaction and the exchange of creative ideas between theater groups, enhance international ties, strengthen Orthodox traditions and spiritual values.

The festival will also include the charity campaign The Light of Soul Is Virtue. As part of this campaign, theater groups will perform at the national research center of children’s oncology, hematology and immunology, the psychoneurological care home for disabled children and elderly people (Ostroshitsky Gorodok), the children’s psychoneurological boarding school (Novinky), Minsk boarding school No. 7, etc.

The Minsk diocese and St. Elisabeth Convent are the organizers of the festival. It will be held under the auspices of the Culture Ministry and the Minsk City Hall. Actor of the Maxim Gorky National Academic Drama Theater Alexander Zhdanovich will be the chairman of the festival.