Brands of the native land: what is Novopolotsk famous for
From a small youth settlement, thanks to the meticulous, conscientious work of its residents, the city has turned into a large, prosperous, vibrant settlement. Today, its modern new buildings and courtyards are immersed in greenery, adorned with new architectural and decorative forms. The city with a population of about 99 thousand is also known for its achievements in education and science, culture and sports.
Museums, libraries, recreation parks and palaces of culture, stadiums, swimming pools, sports complexes, volleyball and basketball courts – all this makes leisure time interesting for citizens. Novopolotsk residents love their city very much and strive daily to make the oil city even more beautiful.
It is no coincidence that the coat of arms of Novopolotsk is adorned with a white water lily – it symbolizes beauty and renewal. According to legend, the flower has magical properties and gives strength to the person who finds it with good intentions.
The Firstborn of the Country's Oil Refining
The primary organizations of Naftan OJSC were among the winners of the regional and industry-wide republican reviews and competitions for the best organization of labor protection for 2021.
At the largest petrochemical complex in Belarus, due to its specifics, the issue of labor safety is approached with special responsibility, and all requirements are met – both factory specialists and trade union organizations are actively working in this direction, the enterprise explained.
JSC Naftan, which stood at the origins of the avant-garde sector of the country's national economy, is the largest brand of Novopolotsk, a city-forming enterprise, thanks to which the city appeared on the map of Belarus. The construction of the plant began in the summer of 1958, and on February 9, 1963, the first Belarusian gasoline was produced here – this day is considered the birthday of Naftan.
Initially, the enterprise processed 2 million tons of oil per year. Over the years, it increased its capacity and improved. For its achievements in 1971, the refinery was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. In 1980, JSC Naftan reached its peak oil processing capacity of 25 million tons. In 2008, JSC Polimir was merged with it, which today successfully operates in the market of chemical products in demand in many countries in various fields of industry: cable production, plastics processing, packaging materials, carpet manufacturing, textiles, knitwear, artificial fur, and household chemicals production.
JSC Naftan occupies an area of about 1500 hectares and houses about 50 main and auxiliary workshops and production facilities. In more than 60 years, about 700 million tons of oil have been processed here, and part of the products is exported. The joint-stock company produces various types of fuels, lubricating oils and bitumens, aromatic hydrocarbons, and petrochemical products.
The production of high-quality products, which serve as raw materials for many sectors of domestic and foreign industry, is ensured by the coordinated work of the team. The destinies of tens of thousands of employees and their families, the selfless work of three generations of oil refiners, fitters, and builders are connected with Naftan.
The management cares about the health of its employees during the work process and strives to support and make their lives interesting. The enterprise's infrastructure includes a sanatorium, a medical service, the Yakavtsy tourist base, the Kometa children's health camp, a Palace of Culture, and a sports complex.
– The efforts of our multi-thousand team are aimed at increasing competitiveness, improving efficiency, technical level, reliability, and safety of production. We are aware of our responsibility to the plant workers, product consumers, as well as the population living in the region, for preserving a favorable environment, rational use of natural resources, and the ecological safety of the facility, – assured Andrey Soyko, General Director of Naftan OJSC.
Preserving Historical Heritage
The Museum of History and Culture, one of the leading cultural institutions in the city, plays a significant role in preserving the historical and cultural heritage of the region. For the 77th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the thematic exhibition "The Last and the First" has been opened here.
The exhibition includes biographical documents, letters from front-line soldiers whose lives after Victory were connected with the young city, awards, and other authentic items that convey the spirit of the era.
Visitors to the official website of the museum can view the rare virtual exhibition "Liberation of Europe," provided by the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 on Poklonnaya Hill within the framework of a cooperation agreement.
The branch in the Borovukha microdistrict features the exhibition "History of Military Glory."
The museum was opened in 1968 as the city museum of labor glory. Today, its halls tell about the history of the oil city's origin, its enterprises and institutions, and the sports achievements of Novopolotsk residents. A unique exhibition is dedicated to the birth and development of the petrochemical industry in Belarus. Among the rare exhibits are a flask with the first Belarusian gasoline and the first polyethylene produced in the country. The pride of the museum is a large-scale model of modern Novopolotsk. Here, you can also see an installation of a Soviet-era school classroom – with desks, inkwells, globes, and abacuses, sports uniform of the first Olympic medalist in the history of Belarus, biathlete Svetlana Paramigina, and much more.
Employees pay great attention to civic-patriotic education, based on the specifics of their region. They conduct excursions through the exposition "The City of My Youth", meetings with famous and interesting people, interactive games on patriotic and ecological themes, and museum-pedagogical classes.
The Bastion of Student Life
Polotsk State University, with three buildings located in Novopolotsk, ranks eighth among 50 universities in the republic. The university, which harmoniously combines technical and socio-humanitarian education, science and business, learning and upbringing, attracts youth from different parts of Belarus and other countries. From May 16 to 19, PSU widely and solemnly celebrated the 54th anniversary of its modern history.
An important event of the celebration was the awarding of the special university prize "Krynitsa Vedau" (Source of Knowledge). Laureates – the best representatives of various fields of activity of the university: leaders, teachers, young scientists, students, athletes – walked the red carpet. As part of the celebration, events, concerts, a university bike ride, the opening of educational and scientific laboratories, and a staff tourism festival were held.
Today, over 6,000 students study at PSU, including more than a thousand from 19 countries. The university offers training under 14 joint educational programs with foreign partner universities from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Portugal, and Latvia, including unique specialties for Belarus: "Chemical Technology of Natural Energy Carriers and Carbon Materials" and "Design, Construction, and Operation of Oil and Gas Pipelines and Storage Facilities." Specialists in petrochemical, civil engineering, energy, mechanical engineering, and economics profiles study in the Novopolotsk buildings. In the Mezhdurechye microdistrict, future lawyers and customs officers study, while in the forest park area, where a high-tech sports and fitness complex is located, classes are held for future physical education specialists.
PSU, along with the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee and OJSC Naftan, is among the founders of an innovative industrial petrochemical cluster. Within the framework of cluster interaction with the Chinese company Citic Construction and other entities, PSU scientists conduct research.
The university's archaeological team has made thousands of discoveries on the territory of the Upper Castle and the Savior-Transfiguration Church in Polotsk. Support for this work from the special fund of the President made it possible to purchase unique equipment for scientific research.
The university prepares students for participation in the real economic life of the country. The student construction brigade named after Hero of the Soviet Union V. Yerinko has been recognized as the best in Belarus, and the "Zodchiye" brigade was the best last year at the international student construction project "Kuzbass 300" (Kemerovo, Russia).
In order to help students determine their spiritual and moral guidelines in life, teachers involve representatives of the Polotsk Diocese of the Belarusian Orthodox Church.
Classes at the Foreign Language Learning Center are available to every student; the first two academic hours are specifically cleared for this four times a week.
In the startup school, established businessmen share their experience and knowledge with students to develop business competencies. Students can present their own business ideas to potential investors and subsequently bring them to life.
Sports clubs and modern gyms help PSU students become Olympic champions, like Anna Sola and Irina Krivko. For creative individuals, there are over 20 interest clubs.
The university has its own projects: "Student of the Year," "Teacher of the Year," "Athlete of the Year," "Talent of the Year," and the sports festival "Winter Holidays," which became international in 2022 thanks to the participation of undergraduates from the People's Republic of China. The pride of the university is the historical and patriotic project "The Small Great Victory," which introduces youth to little-known facts and personal stories of war heroes. The military department, which is planned to be opened, will contribute to strengthening civic and patriotic values.
Students participate in academic exchange programs with universities in Russia, China, and Serbia. PSU hosts over 20 specialized classes, formed in collaboration with regional schools and organizations, demonstrating the university's commitment to preparing its future applicants.
A Tidy City and Pure Profit
The production unitary enterprise "Biomechplant of Household Secondary Resources," located in the industrial zone of Novopolotsk, is unique in that it not only collects and sorts solid household waste but also processes it for economic purposes. It is currently the only facility in the Vitebsk region with a complete cycle of separate waste collection and processing. Based on the results of 2021, it was included in the city's Honor Board.
The enterprise, established in 2003 with the aim of preventing the harmful impact of waste on the environment and residents' health and of incorporating waste into the economic turnover as valuable secondary raw materials, has modernized its production over the years, purchased new sorting lines, and acquired waste collection equipment. Employees of the transport department collect and transport solid municipal waste, secondary raw materials, and packaging, and transport biomechanically processed waste for disposal. For orderly collection, they use above-ground, sunken, and euro containers, as well as bunker accumulators (tanks). In the sorting and crushing section, which prepares secondary material resources, solid municipal waste is sorted and processed, secondary material resources are prepared, and then put into production. As a result, about a quarter of the collected waste is transformed into useful material resources. Thanks to the commissioning of a new complex, PET flex, which is in demand by plastic product manufacturers, is obtained from contaminated PET bottles.
– The plant's net profit last year was 88 thousand rubles, and the average salary was 930.6 rubles. Waste should generate income, – noted the deputy director of the enterprise, Pavel Mishunin. – The volume of collection and removal of solid municipal waste amounted to 418.5 thousand cubic meters, and 5.6 thousand tons of secondary material resources were prepared. Labor productivity was 116%.
Discarding plastic bottles into separate containers is becoming the norm for Novopolotsk residents. The result is evident: the city has become much cleaner. Thanks to the use of sunken containers, the garbage bins in the courtyards look aesthetically pleasing. The plant plans further production development.
Conquerors of the Water Surface
Arkady Genov, a coach-teacher at the Novopolotsk Specialized Children's and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve No. 3 named after N. Genov, was recognized as the best children's coach-teacher of 2021 based on the results of the republican review competition, and the institution took second place in the country among sports school departments in sports not included in the Olympic Games program.
The school is known as a forge of personnel for water skiing and sports acrobatics. Among the students are world and republic record holders, and masters of sports of international class.
Every year, children, starting from the age of seven, come here to learn to swim and water ski. They train in the 50-meter pool of the "Sadko" Water Sports Palace. From May, young water skiers have already started training sessions on Lake Lyukhovo, which will last until October. In the summer, younger children will train at the "Vodnolizhnik" sports and recreation camp on Lake Suya, while older children will train at the Lyukhovo water ski base.
The founder of the school, Nikolai Genov, who assembled a team of water skiing enthusiasts in 1966, strived to raise children who would be useful to society, honest, and decent people. The traditions he established are continued by his two sons, Honored Coaches of Belarus Arkady and Vladimir Genovs, who, along with other experienced educators, are training the next generation of sports stars, contributing to the development of the country's water skiing sport. A world record in water skiing freestyle was set by a student of the school, Anna Streltsova. Ilya Lobkovich became the best water skier in the world among men in electric tow competitions. Artem Morozov and Nikita Papakul set the Republic of Belarus records in ski jumping. 11 students of the school are included in the national teams, and nine are in the Belarusian national teams. Kirill Lapkovsky, Maria Kozelskaya, Sofia Gvozdova, Maria Belskaya, and Saveliy Semavin became scholarship holders of the Presidential Sports Club.
The number of medals won by students at various international competitions has exceeded a thousand: Novopolotsk residents have won 554 gold, 344 silver, and 237 bronze coveted awards at world and European championships and cups, and World Cups. In 2021 alone, at the World and European Water Skiing Championships and Cups, young athletes won 31 gold, 24 silver, and 14 bronze medals. In 56 years of operation, the school has trained five Honored Masters of Sport of Belarus, 35 Masters of Sport of International Class, and 84 Masters of Sport.