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International Online Conference «Slavic Festivals: A Path of Friendship and Unity»
- Details
- Created on Monday, 29 June 2026 11:44
The international online conference «Slavic Festivals: A Path of Friendship and Unity» took place on June 25, celebrated as the Day of Friendship and Unity of Slavs. This date honors the largest historical and linguistic community of peoples, around 350 million Slavs worldwide, who are connected through shared historical and linguistic roots, cultural traditions, and customs.
The event was organized through the collaboration of the Vitebsk Regional Library named after V. Lenin and the Pskov Regional Universal Scientific Library named after V. Kurbatov, with support from the Culture Center «Vitebsk» – the Directorate of the International Arts Festival «Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk», and the Mogilev Regional Library.
This conference was one of the «35 Events in the Run-Up to the Jubilee XXXV International Arts Festival «Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk»» and focused on the traditions and cultural heritage of the Vitebsk arts forum, the historical and poetic festival «Slovenskoye Pole» held in the Pskov region, as well as other related themes.
In their opening remarks, Tatyana Adamyan, Director of the Vitebsk Regional Library, and Larisa Egorova, General Director of the Pskov Regional Library, highlighted the extensive experience both countries have in organizing cultural projects.
Yulia Vailunova-Shinkevich, Head of the Marketing Department at the Vitebsk Regional Library, emphasized the importance of printed books as recorded historical facts that preserve unique materials not available online. The library serves as a guardian of documentary heritage for future researchers.
Key resources include a bibliographic index, a guide to the festival's museum – the exhibition hall «Dukhovsky Kruglik», a catalog of the festival's corporate identity and scenography, and collections titled «The First Decade», «The Second Decade», and «The Third Decade», which document the festival's development and its impact on the cultural life of the region and the country.
These publications highlight both the growing prominence of the event and its recognition as a significant cultural phenomenon.
Anastasia Astashchenko, Head of the Advertising Sector at the Culture Center «Vitebsk», reminded attendees of the festival's unique nature: for thirty-five years, it has brought together dozens of nations and cultures, staying true to its motto, «Through Art – to Peace and Mutual Understanding». Throughout its history, representatives from all Slavic countries have successfully showcased their talents across vocal competitions, theater and choreography projects, classical music, and visual arts.
Poet Andrey Beniaminov spoke about the historical poetry festival «Slovenskoye Pole», which has been included in Russia's National Calendar of Cultural Events since 2015. Over the years, poets from more than thirty regions across Russia, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, and Finland have participated. Many Belarusian poets, including Elena Kriklivets, Oleg Seshko, Natalia Sovetnaya, and Viktoria Sokolovskaya, have won awards at various competitions multiple times.
Viktoria Streltsova, Leading Librarian of the General Reading Room at the Mogilev Regional Library, shared the story of the longtime friendship between poets Arkady Kuleshov and Alexander Tvardovsky, emphasizing the importance of cultural exchange among peoples.
