Press releases

MINSK, 8 January (BelTA) – Over 1,500 children from Gomel Oblast, Mogilev Oblast, Minsk Oblast of Belarus, Bryansk Oblast and Smolensk Oblast of Russia, Chernigov Oblast of Ukraine which were hit by the Chernobyl accident will take part in the festive events as part of the 21^st nationwide charity campaign Christmas Tree – Our Children on 8 January, BelTA learned from Andrei Belyakov, second secretary of the BRSM Youth Union. The BRSM Youth Union is one of the organizers of the event.

On 8 January Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl Pavel, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus will wish Merry Christmas to the boys and girls at the Holy Spirit Cathedral. Metropolitan Pavel will bless children from Vetka District, Dobrush District, Chechersk District of Gomel Oblast, Kostyukovichi District, Krasnopolye District, Klimovichi District, Cherikov District of Mogilev Oblast, children brought up in the Ivenets boarding house for disabled children (Volozhin District, Minsk Oblast), students of the Sunday school at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Seeking of the Lost” (Minsk), etc.

The Christmas service will include chants performed by the children’s choir of the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Angelina Mozhar, a student of the Belarusian State Music Academy and a participant of numerous charity events of the BRSM Youth Union, winner of the first-degree diploma at the 9^th festival Youth for the Union State Anastasiya Kupriyantseva. Children from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine will also show their performances.

On 8 January the guests of the Belarusian capital will visit the Belarusian State Circus. Young participants of the charity campaign will enjoy a performance of Teo, Belarus’ entry at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest.

The charity campaign aims to support children and youth living in distant and Chernobyl-hit regions of Belarus. The event is traditionally organized by the BRSM Youth Union, the department for the mitigation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident of the Belarusian Interior Ministry, the Diocesan Administration of the Belarusian Orthodox Church.