Press releases

VITEBSK, 13 January (BelTA) – The 25^th edition of the Slavonic Bazaar in Vitebsk will celebrate the 75^th birthday of USSR and Belarus People’s Artist Vladimir Mulyavin, director of the forum and head of the World Association of Festivals Alexander Sidorenko told BelTA.

“The festival will dedicate a number of events to this remarkable date. Among them will be a theater play, a special concert and a themed exhibition. Vladimir Mulyavin’s anniversary will also make part of the official opening ceremony of the forum,” said Alexander Sidorenko.

Speaking about the program in general, he stressed that the national culture would be a leit-motif of the forum because of the announcement of the Year of Culture in Belarus in 2016. At the same time the festival will leave much room for other countries as well. “I have just returned from Georgia. The two countries are gearing up to sign a memorandum of cooperation in culture, and the first step in this direction can be a Georgian concert at the Slavonic Bazaar,” he said. Kazakhstan and a number of other countries also show interest in holding their Days of Culture in Vitebsk.

"In connection with the 25th anniversary of the Slavonic Bazaar in Vitebsk we suggested inviting the heads of state of different countries. There are the countries, without which it is impossible to imagine our festival. These are Russia and Kazakhstan. Maybe, the leadership of Ukraine will think over resuming the practice of broad participation in the festival because no conflicts and negative processes should affect cultural relations,” Alexander Sidorenko is convinced.

Now different countries are holding qualifying rounds of vocalists who would like to take part in the song contests of the Slavonic Bazaar festival. "In Cuba, the selection round already finished. It featured singers from Cuba and some other countries. This year we will have competitors from the countries which have never participated in the festival,” Alexander Sidorenko said.