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MINSK, 17 August (BelTA) - The monument to People's Artist of the USSR, founder of the Pesnyary group Vladimir Mulyavin was unveiled in Minsk on 17 August, BelTA has learned.

The musician is depicted sitting with a guitar in his hands. The event was attended by representatives of the Minsk Vity Hall, the government of Belarus, and the administration of Sverdlovsk Oblast of Russia. The opening ceremony was timed to the 950^th anniversary of Minsk.

“This is a monument to the great son of Russia and Belarus, a man who set up the legendary Pesnyary band,” Belarus Culture Minister Boris Svetlov said during the ceremony. “Vladimir Mulyavin made an invaluable contribution to the enrichment of Belarusian culture. The musician's art has stood the test of time. Today it serves as a benchmark of professional excellence, sincerity of execution and soulfulness. The successes achieved by the master, who had a fine sense of music, will long serve as an incentive of professional and personal development,” he stressed.

Acting Governor of Russia's Sverdlovsk Oblast Evgeny Kuivashev also extended the greetings to Minsk residents. “Vladimir Georgievich Mulyavin was an Ural native by character and a Belarusian by heart. Vladimir Mulyavin used to say that he had two mother tongues as a bird has two wings, and this is indeed so. By this event and this monument, we say to each other the words of appreciation, pay tribute to the unique person who did a lot for our countries, thanks to whom the world has learned about Belarusian songs,” Evgeny Kuivashev said.

The monument has been installed in the Mulyavin Boulevard in Minsk. The image was chosen by the musician’s family. In 2014 the monument to Vladimir Mulyavin was opened in his hometown of Yekaterinburg.

The author of the sculpture is Alexander Kostryukov, who personally knew Vladimir Mulyavin.