Opinions & Interviews

VITEBSK, 22 August (BelTA) – Participants of the Conference of European Rabbis hailed interfaith accord in Belarus, Belarus’ Commissioner for Religious and Ethnic Affairs Leonid Gulyako told BelTA after his meeting with Jewish religious figures in Liozno on 22 August.

“We have welcomed nearly 500 rabbis from 30 countries. It is an important event for Belarus. We have discussed various areas of cooperation. In particular, we talked about the erection of monuments,” Leonid Gulyako said. He stressed that the guests were happy to visit Liozno and Belarus in general. “Some of them have already been to Belarus. Others have come to the country for the first time. All of them, however, were charmed with the Belarusian nature and hospitality,” Leonid Gulyako said.

Leonid Gulyako said that the President’s welcome address, which was read out in Liozno, was saluted with cheers. “These words warmed the hearts of the guests. Belarus’ stability, calmness, mutual respect, peace and interfaith concord appeal to them,” Leonid Gulyako said.

The participants of the Conference of European Rabbis arrived in Liozno on 2 August. The rabbis visited the Adamenskaya Gorka Memorial where they took part in a collective prayer in memory of the Jews, who died in Liozno during World War Two.

A Jewish ghetto was established by the Nazi in Liozno as part of the Nazi’s program on eradicating the Jews. One of the largest mass executions of civilians took place in February 1942 when the Nazi invaders shot dead about 1,500 people. Relatives of the famous painter Marc Chagall also died in Liozno during the war.

Several Liozno residents have been awarded the honorary title Righteous Among the Nations for saving Jews while risking their lives.