More than a thousand works were presented in Vitebsk at the regional competition in honor of Kolas and Kupala
Winners of the regional literary competition in honor of Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas have been determined in Vitebsk; over 1,000 entries were submitted. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by Galina Danilova, director of the Vitebsk Central City Library named after M. Gorky.
The competition "Kupala and Kolas, You Raised Us," dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the birth of the classics of Belarusian literature, started at the beginning of the year as a city-wide event. However, the attention of readers of the city's libraries and the interest of residents from other regions of the oblast who wished to participate unexpectedly gave the event regional status for the organizers.
Over 100 residents of the Vitebsk region aged 10 to 19 took part in the competition, competing in the age categories: students of grades 5-8 (10-14 years old), students of grades 9-11, and students of secondary vocational and higher education institutions aged 15-19. The entries (80% in Belarusian, 20% in Russian) were submitted in the nominations "Best Poem" and "Best Prose Work."
The most active participants were from the Orsha, Polotsk, Miory, Chashniki, Postavy, Senno, and Dokshytsy districts, Novopolotsk, and the Oktyabrsky and Pervomaysky districts of Vitebsk. In addition, representatives of the older generation also submitted their works, and their activity was also encouraged by the jury.
"Many entries from young participants received high marks from the jury members, so the jury decided to increase the number of awards. The children deserved it," emphasized Galina Danilova, noting that the first places were awarded to representatives from the Miory, Postavy, Rossony, and Polotsk districts, as well as Polotsk and Vitebsk.
The competition, held as part of the Year of Books events, is designed to increase youth interest in the works of the two most significant poets of Belarus and to support their aspirations for literary creativity.
The organizers of the event were the Central City Library named after M. Gorky and the Vitebsk regional branch of the Union of Writers of Belarus.