Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 2 November (BelTA) – Public diplomacy promotes friendship between countries, Belarus’ Consul General to Shanghai Valery Matsel said at a press conference that was held at the Center of Belarus in East China Normal University on 2 November, BelTA has learned.

Attending the press conference were three Belarusians who are planning a round-the-world trip. Participants of the Begoonok project are the Begun family, mother Yekaterina and daughters Alisa and Elizabeth. In mid October they left Minsk for Moscow and have already got familiar with a number of cities in Russia and Mongolia. The Belarusian travelers then arrived in Beijing, and later went to Shanghai. After a visit to the Chinese provinces of Hunan and Yunnan, they intend to go to Vietnam. The Belarusian family plans to visit five continents and cover 40,000 kilometers during their journey around the globe. If they succeed, they will be the first female team to make the trip of the kind.

During the trip around China the participants of the project meet with locals, name the purpose of their trip, tell them about Belarus, and share their impressions of the country of stay. The Begun family plan to make a film about their journey.

Valery Matsel stressed that the project merits approval and support as it is aimed at strengthening friendship between countries.

Attending the conference were Chinese mass media, members of the Belarusian Consulate General in Shanghai, heads of some Chinese travel agencies, academic staff of East China Normal University, Belarusian and Chinese students.

The event was organized by the Belarusian Consulate General in Shanghai and the Center of Belarus at East China Normal University.