Press releases

4 Jul 2019

Packed program for Union State Day at Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk

MOSCOW, 4 July (BelTA) – The Union State Day (or Friendship Day) at the International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk will be held on 12 July, Margarita Levchenko, the head of the social policy and information support department of the Union State Standing Committee, said at a press conference in Minsk on 4 July, BelTA has learned.

The Union State of Belarus and Russia has been involved in the organization of the festival since 2003. All in all, the Union State has earmarked some RUB500 million for the festival, with RUB25 million to go this year.

The Union State State will consist of two blocks: official events and cultural projects. The first one will open with a flower ceremony at the Eternal Flame of the memorial in honor of the Soviet soldiers-liberators, veterans and underground movement members of Vitebsk Oblast. “During the day we will hold several different activities. For example, the Arts Museum has scheduled several interesting exhibitions. On 12 July the exhibition “Rostov Enamel” will open with a catwalk show. A one-day exhibition will feature the replica of the Great Imperial Crown. We are preparing an exhibition dedicated to the image of Alexander Nevsky in arts,” Margarita Levchenko noted.

The Zdravnevo Museum-Estate will host a media sesison “The Union State: ways to convey the cultural code to the youth”. This year marks 175 years since the birth of Ilya Repin. The session will discuss extensively the ways to preserve the cultural heritage of the artist and the common cultural space of Belarus and Russia.

The concert “Union State Invites” will highlight the 50th anniversary of the Pesnyary band.

“The Union State continues to participate in the festival. The Union State Standing Committee will present wonderful awards to the participants of contests and to amazing singer Taisia Povaliy as well as special diplomas and prizes “For creative embodiment of the ideas of friendship of the peoples of Belarus and Russia”. I will not disclose the names of the winners for the time being,” Margarita Levchenko noted.a

In 2019, the International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk will be held on 8-17 July. An opening ceremony and a gala concert will take place in the Summer Amphitheater on 11 July, and a closing ceremony on 15 July. Additional events are scheduled for 8-10 and 16-17 July.The major events of the festival will be the 28th International Song Contest Vitebsk 2019 and the 17th International Children's Song Contest Vitebsk 2019.