Large photo report: The celebration for Vitebsk City Day took place in the Summer Amphitheater
– The chronicle of Vitebsk is an example of the resilience and heroic labor of its people. At the cost of immense human sacrifices and material losses, our city withstood the years of the Great Patriotic War. The selflessness and diligence of the older generation helped to revive it from the ruins and breathe new life into it. Today's Vitebsk is a modern, beautiful city, a major industrial and cultural center of the region. While multiplying the traditions of past centuries, it preserves its originality and uniqueness. But its main wealth and pride are its people. Open, generous in soul and heart, hardworking and responsible Vitebsk residents know how to think innovatively, combine experience and skill with the desire for constant improvement, – noted, opening the celebration dedicated to the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Vitebsk from the Nazi invaders and City Day, the chairman of the regional executive committee Alexander Subbotin.
The head of the region is convinced that Vitebsk is a place for the implementation of unique initiatives and a center of attraction for events crucial for the republic. The city with a thousand-year history is today more than ever focused on the future. Plans are being implemented for the creation of modern innovative production facilities, the development of science, education, healthcare, and sports. The regional center has enormous potential and broad prospects. A solid foundation has been laid for moving forward. Vitebsk is actively being updated, growing with new social facilities, modernizing the appearance of familiar buildings, streets, squares, and public spaces. The scale of housing construction is pleasing. New microdistricts are appearing on the city map.
– Today’s well-being and confidence in the future depend on our unity and cohesion, our readiness to work with full dedication for the benefit of our native land, – emphasized Alexander Subbotin and presented letters of appreciation from the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee to a number of Vitebsk residents who have achieved great success in their work and are actively involved in public life.
The birthday city also received gifts. Alexander Subbotin handed over the keys to a minibus for transporting people with disabilities to the Chairman of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee, Alexey Geroev.
Guests from other regions of Belarus, Russian twin cities of Vitebsk, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, and Roscosmos were present in the amphitheater hall.
By the way, there is an asteroid in the universe named "Vitebsk". But the brightest stars on this festive evening were the recipients of the honorary title "Vitebsk Resident of the Year". These are people of different professions who have made a significant contribution to the prosperity of their native Vitebsk.
The badge of honor reads – "For Merits to the City". Among its recipients is Eduard Avetisyan, Chairman of the Vitebsk City Organization of the Belarusian Association of the Disabled, who is engaged in important work – helping people with disabilities feel like full citizens of society.
In the "Public Recognition" nomination, the honorary title was also awarded to the renowned choirmaster and teacher at the I. Sollertinsky Vitebsk State Musical College, Alexander Rauzo.In the "Event of the Year" nomination, Svetlana Avdeeva, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the "Vitebsk" Cultural Center, and Alexander Shugol, a mathematics teacher at Gymnasium No. 2, were recognized. The "Project of the Year" award was presented to Tatyana Buyevich, Deputy Director of the State Archive of the Vitebsk Region, Alexander Sergeev, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Design of VSU named after P. Masherov, and Ilya Kurganov, Director of the enterprise "VIK – Animal Health". Andrey Sidorov, General Director of the private production and trade unitary enterprise "Vitstroytekhmash", became the "Patron of the Year".
The laureate title in the "Debut of the Year" nomination was awarded to Ivan Korshunov, a student of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, studying under a targeted program of the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Belarus, and Nikolay Mokhnatchev, a traumatologist-orthopedist at the Vitebsk Regional Clinical Hospital.
The title of "Honorary Citizen of the City of Vitebsk" was awarded to Alexander Kogan, a labor veteran, participant of the Great Patriotic War, Doctor of Technical Sciences, and professor, who trained a galaxy of highly qualified specialists for the light industry of Belarus and made a significant contribution to fostering citizenship, patriotism, and morality among modern youth.
The list of honorary citizens of the city on the Dvina River was also joined by Viktor Nikolaykin, former mayor of Vitebsk, chairman of the Standing Commission on Economic Policy, and deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus.
After the solemn part, the best performers and creative groups of Vitebsk took to the stage. Anatoly Yarmolenko and the ensemble "Syabry," as well as the Minsk music group Cosa-Nostra, also came to congratulate the northern capital on its birthday. The concert was a declaration of love for the ancient and eternally young Vitebsk.
