Press releases

MINSK, 10 August (BelTA) - Begum Sahiba, the wife of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, visited the National Art Museum of Belarus, BelTA has learned.

Begum Sahiba got acquainted with the ancient Belarusian art: a collection of icons and sacred painting, a decorative art collection. She also saw a portrait collection which mainly includes the portraits from the former Radziwill collection from the Nesvizh palace. Pakistan’s first lady was also shown a fragment of a Slutsk belt of the late 18th -early 19th centuries. She also saw a collection of the Russian art of the 18th-early 20th centuries.

“We shared our plans to develop the museum, the museum quarter project with our distinguished guest,” Director of the National Art Museum Vladimir Prokoptsov told reporters. "Begum Sahiba showed interest in the works which are part of our permanent exhibition. These are Belarusian icons, and the works of Belarusian artists of the 20th century. She really liked the portraits and still life paintings by Ivan Khrutsky and winter landscapes by Vitold Byalynitsky-Birulya,” the director of the museum said.

According to Vladimir Prokoptsov, the development of cultural cooperation in terms of exchange of exhibitions was also discussed during the meeting. "I suggested that next year we hold an exhibition of decorative and applied art of Pakistan which is famous around the world. We suggested certain exhibition halls for future expositions. I hope that we will have joint projects already next year,” he said.

As was reported, the Prime Minister of Pakistan arrived in Belarus on an official visit on 10 August. It is expected that the Prime Minister will hold a series of meetings, visit some machine-building enterprises, and hold talks with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

The Belarus-Pakistan Business Forum will be held as part of the program of the official visit of the Pakistan Prime Minister to Minsk. Nawaz Sharif will also give a brief lecture to students and professors of the Belarusian State University.